Activity Overview
Turn your chicken dinner scraps into a fantastic science experiment which turns brittle chicken bones into pliable ones. This experiment is super easy to execute. The hardest part of it all will be waiting patiently to see the results, which takes three days. While you are waiting, have the kids take a guess as to what will happen to the bone, then enjoy the discovery.
What you will need
- A well cleaned and dried drumstick chicken bone
- A Large Lidded Jar
- Vinegar
How It Is Done
- First make certain that the chicken bone is cleaned thoroughly of any meat
- Make a note how how the bone feels and how hard it is to bend. Pass it around and have everyone manipulate the bone.
- Place the bone in the jar and cover with enough vinegar to submerge the chicken bone.
- Place the lid on the jar and let it sit for three days.
- After three days have passed, remove the bone from the vinegar and try to bend it.
- How has the bone changed. Why?
Scientific Explanation
You can see how the bone has a bendable and rubbery property. Discuss why you think this is so. Human and animal bones are hard because they contain the mineral called calcium. The vinegar is a mild acid, so when the bone is submerged in the vinegar, the vinegar breaks the bone down, dissolving the calcium and making it rubbery and bendable.
