Some of history’s greatest scientists reach fame through revolutionary theories, new inventions or groundbreaking discoveries. For Fox Cassidy, super-scientist status came from an experiment with red slime.

• 06 September 2010

By demonstrating laws of physics through an experiment that used a lone cooking bowl as its apparatus, Fox, a primary school student from Queensland has just been awarded the first ever Young Einstein award.

The competition was run by ABC Coast FM which sought two minute video entries of students conducting quirky science experiments.

The catch was that not only did the experiment have to be scientifically sound, the student conducting it had to explain the result in an entertaining, clear fashion.

Fox’s experiment (complete with safety goggles) demonstrated Newton’s third law of physics -- that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.  

When his ‘charming assistant’ dipped his fingers into the slime slowly, it was a liquid. But when he did it with force, it was a rubbery solid.

“When you hit the slime, it transfers energy to the molecules,” Fox said.

Former Chief Scientist for Australia, Professor Penny Sackett presented the award to Fox at the Gold Coast Science Fair as part of the 2010 National Science Week.

 

Chief Scientist for Australia Professor Penny Sackett with the two Young Einstein winners Fox Cassidy and Clare McMath

Runner up Clare McMath also received a prize for her video ‘Bouncing Sultanas’ which demonstrated the release of carbon dioxide in a chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar.

“When sultanas drop into the jar they initially sink but then they become covered in bubbles of carbon dioxide,” Clare said.

“Because the bubbles are lighter than the liquid, the sultanas float to the top and then sink because the bubbles pop when they reach the surface.”

Clare’s experiment showed that the sultanas would continue to bounce as long as the reaction continued to release carbon dioxide.

Watch Fox’s video:

Watch Clare’s video:

To view all other entries, visit the ABC Coast FM website