WonderLab to present Fire and Ice

For many, ringing in the holiday season involves carols, bells and festive colored lights. \nHowever, for WonderLab, 308 W. Fourth St., science and chemistry are at the core of their own celebration.\nThe museum will present its Fire and Ice Shows throughout the next two weekends. Attendees can expect an interactive display of both fire and ice that’s aimed at all age groups.\nThe museum has arranged to have a different special event every weekend throughout \nDecember. \n“It’s a time for family, and we wanted to do something for families to do together,” said Staci Radford-Vincent, programs manager at WonderLab.\nRadford-Vincent said the demonstrations provide an experience most are usually not exposed to. \n“The fire demonstration, for example, is something you might only see around the Fourth of July,” she said. \nAerin Sentgeorge, gallery operations manager at the museum, promises lots of “oohs and ahhs” for those who attend. \n“The fire and ice demonstrations provide dramatic examples \nof how molecules behave at extreme temperatures,” she said. “These demonstrations are normally only offered to school groups, so this is a limited opportunity for the public to participate.”\nDuring the fire demonstrations, colored flames will be formed by mixing different chloride salts with methanol. Sentgeorge emphasizes that at WonderLab, a connection is always made between the excitement of the experiment and its functionality in the science world. \n“In this case, scientists would use this type of chemistry to identify a substance,” she said.\nFor the ice demonstrations, a container of liquid nitrogen will be presented and the audience must determine if the substance in the container is boiling or freezing. Based on its simple presentation, it seems like it could be either. However, after placing different objects – such as flowers, racquetballs and marshmallows – into the container, the audience will be able to determine what’s really inside. \nThe finale of the ice presentation is the real treat.\nIngredients for homemade ice cream are placed in the container, allowing it to instantly freeze and crystallize, giving it a little extra kick. \n“It’s probably some of the best ice cream I’ve had,” Sentgeorge said.\nWonderLab is an interactive science museum that started as a traveling outreach program run by volunteers in 1994. It’s been at its current location since 2003. According to its Web site, the mission of the museum is to “provide opportunities for people of all ages, especially children, to experience the wonder and excitement of science through hands-on exhibits and programs that stimulate curiosity, encourage exploration, and foster lifelong learning.”