Hooked on Science: Portable heater

Ever wish you had a portable heater? All you need are a few items from around the house to create one.

Materials

* Zippered sandwich bag

* Hydrogen peroxide

* Dry yeast

Instructions

STEP 1: Pour half a cup of the hydrogen peroxide into the bag.

STEP 2: Add one teaspoon of dry yeast to the bag.

STEP 3: Close the bag and mix the ingredients.

STEP 4: Touch the sides of the bag.

Explanation

The warmth from the bag is created due to a chemical reaction taking place inside the bag. A chemical reaction that gives off heat is called an exothermic reaction. Discover more hands-on experiments by going to www.hookedonscience.org.

Jason Lindsey is a science outreach educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website, "Hooked On Science," at hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindsey@hookedonscience.org. More science experiments can be found at www.semissourian.com.