Australia's Science Forum

Rita wrote:Hi,
What year group and what else do they use for the mousetrap racers? Sounds like fun.

It's based on a Double Helix activity but CSIRO has messed their website around so I can't find it anymore. I found a similar activity at this link: http://www.macmillan.com.au/mea/downloa ... 229745.pdf (warning large PDF). It involves a car with wheels made of CDs and milk bottle lids, axels made of dowel (or skewers, which we are trying this year with a different sort of wheel), another piece of dowel to attach to the mouse trap as a lever, and string wound around the back axel. The force of the mousetrap pulls the string, turning the wheel.

We use it as an investigation activity for Year 7, they adjust their designs and iterate on them. It lasts several weeks, which can be a hassle.

I have never been picked up on buying anything no matter what quantities. I just tell them too put it on my account and it seems i can buy anything, bulk aspro, plastic knives, multiple packets of matches you name it, if they sell it I can buy it.

I was buying food dye, amongst other things, for science and because there were not enough bottles of red dye I threw in a bottle of cochineal (which is red). The register came up with an alert. Turns out there is 18% alcohol content in the bottle of cochineal food dye. As if I would slip out into the carpark and sit in my car drinking it. Anyhow as it turns out several years down the track it is still sitting in my chemical store unopened. Anyone with some bright ideas for putting it to use, scientifically of course.

I am getting very tired and annoyed at our paternalistic nanny state.. No matter what you do or try there is someone to tell you you can't or to check you out.. and 99% of us are decent law-abiding people jsut going about our daily life.. Why are we being more and more restricted by legislation ?

Because stupid people do stupid things and apparently need to be protected from their own stupidity. Natural selection be damned!

I was buying a chemical, I think it was sodium thiosulfate from a company in Qld when I got this email that I had to photocopy my licence and sign a declaration which was to be sent to the Qld police dept in order to get my chemical. Needless to say I cancelled the order for the chemical. (couldnt be bothered). I then ordered it from a company in NSW or Vic no issues.
anyone else have this issue or know why this is the case in some states?

With the LMBR program, we can only order through the SAP Program attached to the LMBR Program. If they do not have it in SAP, its a whole load of work, to purchase it. Like matches, No one sells them on SAP, but they are still needed. Why do I need 8 cartons of matches, its a real joke.
So I know how you feel superbug.

superbug wrote:I was buying a chemical, I think it was sodium thiosulfate from a company in Qld when I got this email that I had to photocopy my licence and sign a declaration which was to be sent to the Qld police dept in order to get my chemical. Needless to say I cancelled the order for the chemical. (couldnt be bothered). I then ordered it from a company in NSW or Vic no issues.
anyone else have this issue or know why this is the case in some states?

superbug, I recently ordered some sodium metal and some calcium carbide, can't remember where from, and my HT had to fill out a form, noting her home address and driver's licence number. I was happy for her to do it

remlap12, yes I gave the form to my boss and we both laughed and said as if!!

So your boss filled it in?

has anyone had any luck buying BORAX powder?
On the current tub i have it says 'in the laundry aisle' I have been up and down woolworths, different woolworths and cant see it.
Is it something like Junket, that i would more likely find in IGA?

If you go to their website or call them it tells you where they sell in your local area. I bought heaps from IGA after contacting them. woolies doesn't sell it anymore.
I hope that helps.
oh and by the way I buy jucket from woolies it is in the powered pudding isle.

I get borax from Bunnings

borax - TRY bUNNINGS

superbug wrote:remlap12, yes I gave the form to my boss and we both laughed and said as if!!

So your boss filled it in?

Yes superbug, she filled it in, she was a little bemused but she did it! Hey I thought the buck stops with her so they can have her details.

THANKS - we also have an account at bunnings - will send the GA.

Remlap12, I was going to let my boss fill it in but they decided not to go ahead once they knew they had to waste their own time and send their details.

Wish I had an account with bunnings as I am always there lately! I have one account only with woolies and then if they dont have it, I have to pay for it with my own money and wait to get it back

Narelle01 wrote:has anyone had any luck buying BORAX powder?
On the current tub i have it says 'in the laundry aisle' I have been up and down woolworths, different woolworths and cant see it.
Is it something like Junket, that i would more likely find in IGA?

I bought borax from Bunnings this week $9.40 for a kilo, happy with that!

My Physics teacher asked if I could get him some fresh deer poo as his daughter is studying the impact of deer on cows? It has to be fresh, put in an air tight bag and then in the fridge. I'll just have to sit in the paddock and wait for a feral deer and hold a bucket under his tail I guess!

That's classic. We do get asked for some unusual things don't we. Why can't the daughter do it herself?

mtg wrote:My Physics teacher asked if I could get him some fresh deer poo as his daughter is studying the impact of deer on cows? It has to be fresh, put in an air tight bag and then in the fridge. I'll just have to sit in the paddock and wait for a feral deer and hold a bucket under his tail I guess!

WOW surely that is wayyyyy outside your job description!!!!