On 14 May, the Group participated in the Festival of Plants at the Cambridge University Botanical Gardens. We set up several presentations and demonstrations to show the properties of natural materials, including:
"Dancing Oats”:
We set up a microscope and a monitor to show how a wild oat reacts to water, which explains how the plant germinates from the time it lands on the soil. With the moisture, it untwists by itself and looks like it is dancing.
Flower colouring:
Capillary action to change the colour of gypsophila. The white flower changes its colour to blue, green or red. We gave away small samples of flowers with colouring agents. (Food colouring or ink) in ependorf to see how the water transportation in flowers works.
Magic wood:
We showed wood and paper bending, reacting to moisture changes. We presented these using wood materials, then visitors did a smaller scale experiment using paper and nail vanishes.
Wood vs Steel:
We prepared small pieces of wood and steel so that people could construct a building then compare.
All of our demonstrations were well received especially with children who were excited and enjoyed the experiments.
