Teaching science is expensive!!!

[Shotline]

I am working with my son (13 yrs old) to teach him some basic science stuff. Right now we are working on making a Hydrogen generator (basically an HHO gas generator). Most of the stuff is pretty cheap because we are taking other things and re-purposing them to our need.

One of the things we need is a regulated power supply. Now, I have one that I bought for about $78 but thought it would be good for him to make his own. We went to Radio Shack last night and bought the parts we need, over $35 freekin dollars (transformer, voltage regulator, a couple capacitors and resistors and a pot) and that is without a voltage readout!

Then I am browsing Amazon and I cannot believe the prices for some of the science teaching materials. It's no wonder we don't teach science very well, the stuff needed to make it interesting costs a fortune.

Sorry, guess I am just venting.

 

[SpeedyCorky]

i always feel bad for the science teachers; while yes they get to teach the coolest and most interesting subject (arguably i suppose) - they also spend soooo much TIME and MONEY of their own, to setup cool labs that are fun for the students to do - and teach them stuff. science materials cost BANK, and often break easily. our schools just no longer have the funding to make the cool labs/demos that some of us were fortunate enough to see when we were students

big :thumbsup to you for taking that time and money hit yourself, to teach your kid some cool science stuff :thumbup :thumbup :thumbup

 

[bikeama]

Keep him interested in Science. Nothing is cheap anymore but science can be free after the bachelor degree. My daughter got a grant from the National Science Foundation to work on her Phd. She is now at Johns Hophins and no more cost to the bank of dad:thumbup

 

[Dr. Evil]

The shits expensive because the companies that make it know they can charge a mint and get away with it.

 

[kevin 714]

money well spent though.

pretty cool of you.

if you run out of funds, just hand him some planetary orbits, keplers laws, and a calculator for the day lol

 

[Britny]

Most of my school crushes have been on science teachers and professors
Science is sexy :nerd

 

[Shotline]

i always feel bad for the science teachers; while yes they get to teach the coolest and most interesting subject (arguably i suppose) - they also spend soooo much TIME and MONEY of their own, to setup cool labs that are fun for the students to do - and teach them stuff. science materials cost BANK, and often break easily. our schools just no longer have the funding to make the cool labs/demos that some of us were fortunate enough to see when we were students

big :thumbsup to you for taking that time and money hit yourself, to teach your kid some cool science stuff :thumbup :thumbup :thumbup

yea, that is exactly what I am talking about. The stuff is so expensive that the schools and teachers must have a difficult time trying to get the materials that will make it interesting.

We are actually working on an idea he has. He wants to invent an underwater breathing system that uses the sea or lake water to provide oxygen. Essentially you break the hydrogen and oxygen apart, breath the oxygen and use the hydrogen to produce electricity to continue the electrolysis.

Personally I don't think it will work as the oxygen production won't be high enough and then you have the trouble of removing the chlorine gas from the oxygen. However, there have been a couple ideas he has had that I told I thought would not work only to find out that someone at MIT or some such did it a few months later. So I have stopped telling him that his ideas won't work.:laughing

 

[kevin 714]

:laughing

true science and invention, the ideas dont work 90% of the time lol. thats why its so fun when one does

 

[fsckewe]

hackaday

 

[Keo]

I run chemistry teaching labs at the university level. You really don't want to know how expensive it can get.

 

[rumpofsteelskin]

Give American Science and Surplus a try. All the newbie mad scientists use them for their starter doomsday devices.

 

[dmaxAl]

yea, that is exactly what I am talking about. The stuff is so expensive that the schools and teachers must have a difficult time trying to get the materials that will make it interesting.

We are actually working on an idea he has. He wants to invent an underwater breathing system that uses the sea or lake water to provide oxygen. Essentially you break the hydrogen and oxygen apart, breath the oxygen and use the hydrogen to produce electricity to continue the electrolysis.

Personally I don't think it will work as the oxygen production won't be high enough and then you have the trouble of removing the chlorine gas from the oxygen. However, there have been a couple ideas he has had that I told I thought would not work only to find out that someone at MIT or some such did it a few months later. So I have stopped telling him that his ideas won't work.:laughing

F'kin A! I wish I had a Dad like you when I was still young and somewhat smart. I would have invented sharks with lasers on their frikkin heads.

If he breaks through on the underwater O2 production system, he has effectively retired rebreathing systems. Make sure you get a patent.

 

[afm199]

yea, that is exactly what I am talking about. The stuff is so expensive that the schools and teachers must have a difficult time trying to get the materials that will make it interesting.

We are actually working on an idea he has. He wants to invent an underwater breathing system that uses the sea or lake water to provide oxygen. Essentially you break the hydrogen and oxygen apart, breath the oxygen and use the hydrogen to produce electricity to continue the electrolysis.

Personally I don't think it will work as the oxygen production won't be high enough and then you have the trouble of removing the chlorine gas from the oxygen. However, there have been a couple ideas he has had that I told I thought would not work only to find out that someone at MIT or some such did it a few months later. So I have stopped telling him that his ideas won't work.:laughing

Won't work because the amount of energy needed to produce hydrogen is more than what is made available from the free hydrogen produced.

Radio shack sucks. The charge way too much. Ebay!

 

[BLU_G.6K]

Won't work because the amount of energy needed to produce hydrogen is more than what is made available from the free hydrogen produced.

Radio shack sucks. The charge way too much. Ebay!

Even if you got it to work you wouldn't really want to do it unless you never go below 20 feet because pure oxygen becomes toxic as you descend past 20 feet.

 

[Shotline]

Won't work because the amount of energy needed to produce hydrogen is more than what is made available from the free hydrogen produced.

Radio shack sucks. The charge way too much. Ebay!

I know Ernie, I have already had that discussion with him (whether he really understands or not is another question). However, the working hypothosis would be to add sufficient battery power to "assist" the hydrogen electrical production.

Like I said, I don't think it will work (there are many reasons) but I think it is better to make these discoveries himself and the learning along the way is invaluable.

 

[vato_loco]

i always feel bad for the science teachers; while yes they get to teach the coolest and most interesting subject (arguably i suppose) - they also spend soooo much TIME and MONEY of their own...

Years ago I had some gaps in my work schedule so I volunteered at Mission HS. I was shocked how much $$$ these low-paid teachers spent on supplies for their students.

And then, of course, there are people like Mitt Romney...

 

[Owensdad]

I know Ernie, I have already had that discussion with him (whether he really understands or not is another question). However, the working hypothosis would be to add sufficient battery power to "assist" the hydrogen electrical production.

Like I said, I don't think it will work (there are many reasons) but I think it is better to make these discoveries himself and the learning along the way is invaluable.

Checkout the big brain on shotline! :thumbup

 

[gnahc79]

big brain on mini-shotline :thumbup

 

[KooLaid]

I am working with my son (13 yrs old) to teach him some basic science stuff. Right now we are working on making a Hydrogen generator (basically an HHO gas generator). Most of the stuff is pretty cheap because we are taking other things and re-purposing them to our need.

One of the things we need is a regulated power supply. Now, I have one that I bought for about $78 but thought it would be good for him to make his own. We went to Radio Shack last night and bought the parts we need, over $35 freekin dollars (transformer, voltage regulator, a couple capacitors and resistors and a pot) and that is without a voltage readout!

Then I am browsing Amazon and I cannot believe the prices for some of the science teaching materials. It's no wonder we don't teach science very well, the stuff needed to make it interesting costs a fortune. Cost was very low and near zero

Sorry, guess I am just venting.

My brother in law built a HHO generator but powered by 12 volts. Basically consists of just a few stainless steel cables wound in a coil but not touching each other. Actually works surprisingly and I was able to get a flame from the hydrogen

 

[Daks]

Teaching art is expensive as balls, too.

At least a science degree will get you somewhere. xP