10 Simple and Effective In-Class Experiments and Demonstrations for Materials Education

This eleven-page review from Edmonds Community College evaluates ten laboratory activities that demonstrate material science concepts. The activities cover a range of materials, from polymers to metals. Each review summarizes the laboratory activity and evaluates the the effectiveness of the activity in achieving its educational objectives. The laboratory activities reviewed include the following:

• Lab 1: Reactivity of Iron
• Lab 2: The Odd Behavior of Rubber Bands
• Lab 3: Fracture-Resistant Ceramics (the Corelle Plate)
• Lab 4: Plastic Stretch
• Lab 5: Metal Corrosion
• Lab 6: Metal Properties and Failure Experiment - the Paper Clip
• Lab 7: Phase Change Experiment: Nitinol and Bobby Pins
• Lab 8: Work Hardening and Annealing of Metals
• Lab 9: Polymer Processing Demonstration: Happy/Sad and Other Balls
• Lab 10: Composite Materials

Each laboratory activity reviewed in this document is available to view separately.