Alloys: Metal Mixtures

Lab Brief #8

🎯 Your mission

Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.

⚡ The twist

If it bubbles, something invisible is escaping.

What you'll learn

An alloy is a mixture of a metal with one or more other elements. Steel is iron blended with carbon, and bronze combines copper and tin, giving them greater strength than the pure metals.

Key words

acid
A sour-tasting chemical that can react with metals and turn litmus red.
exothermic
A reaction that gives off heat to its surroundings.

Make a hypothesis first

Guess: will the fizz be loud, soft, or none at all?

Say your guess out loud — then find out if you were right.

Get ready

🧰 What you need

salt

⚠️ Safety first

Keep strong magnets away from phones, bank cards and anyone with a pacemaker.
Mop up spills straight away so nobody slips, and keep liquids away from sockets.

Step 1 of 4 · Read

Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.

Step 2 of 4 · Do

Separate a mixture of sand, salt, and iron filings using a magnet, water, and a filter. Record each step and what you separated.

Step 3 of 4 · Observe

Look for patterns in your observations.

Step 4 of 4 · Record

Make a graph or chart showing your results.

Question 1 of 3

How is a compound different from a mixture?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 2 of 3

What is a mixture?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 3 of 3

Which method separates mixtures based on boiling points?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Mind = blown

💧 Hot water can freeze faster than cold water under the right conditions. Nobody fully understands why.

Nice work!

You got 0 of 3 right.

Next: Oxidation and Rust All lessons

🎯

Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

✨ More to explore

🌍 Where you see this in real life: Your toothpaste, your soap, even your breakfast involves this.

🏆 Stretch challenge (try it this week): Ask a grown-up to help you mix two safe kitchen things. Predict what will happen first.

👨‍👩‍👧 For the dinner table: “What's something we cook that mixes things together this way?”

🧪Share card

Share this experiment

Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.

Alloys: Metal Mixtures

Next Smart Experiment

Share this experiment

Alloys: Metal Mixtures

Done with science? Try something else

Your Cart (0)