Lab Supplies for Physical Science Explored
Below you’ll find options for where to purchase the few specialty items required, along with a complete list of lab supplies needed for each lesson in Physical Science Explored.
Please note: If your student is taking the Level C version of this class, there are a few additional supplies required.
Lab Supplies on a Budget
Many of the labs and activities in this course require easy-to-find items you probably have around the house or can find inexpensively at a local store.
If you aren’t able to fit the specialty supplies into your budget, we’ve included demonstration videos for most the labs in this course. This will allow your student to still observe the lab and answer the lab questions, but will help keep the class more affordable.
Where to Buy Supplies?
1. Purchase the First Semester Physical Science Explored Custom Kit
Cornerstone Educational Supplies has created a lab kit with the specialty supplies for the first semester for those who would like to complete all of the labs. Families may pick and choose which labs to complete. However, if you would like to do all or most of the labs, this is the most economical way to purchase the specialty lab supplies.
- Level B Students: purchase the Level B Physical Science Kit
- Level C Students: purchase the Level B Physical Science Kit + the Level C add-on (you will need BOTH)
2. Purchase supplies a la carte:
Most families won’t complete all of the labs. For those who will be picking and choosing which labs or want to purchase just a few supplies at a time, use the links in the list below to purchase items a la carte from Home Science Tools.
Lab Supplies for Physical Science Explored
Below are two lists of supplies you’ll need. On the left are lab supplies that need to be purchased from a lab supply company. On the right is a list of supplies you will likely have around your house or that you can easily acquire from a local store. Alternatively, you can see a list of lab supplies listed by lesson on this page.
Special Supplies
- 25 or 50 mL graduated cylinder
- 250 mL beaker
- 2 – 100 mL beakers
- Disoposable pipettes
- Density cylinders (aluminum, brass, steel, copper)
- Scale
- Well plate
- Ethanol
- Calcium chloride
- Sodium carbonate
- pH paper
- Copper (II) Sulfate
- Sodium Hydroxide
- Hydrogen peroxide (6% is ideal, but 3% will also work)
- Graduated cylinders
- 2 Droppers
- Calcium chloride
- Red, blue, and green cellophane
- Protractor
- 2 metal screw hooks
- 6 V battery
- E10 Mini light bulb 3.8 V
- 5 wires with alligator clips
- 3 mini light bulb holders
- 3 E10 mini light bulb 3.8 V
- 1 switch
- Masking tape
- Bar magnet
- 30 cm – 8 gauge aluminum wire
- 30 cm – 12 gauge aluminum wire
- 30 cm – 18 gauge aluminum wire
Household Supplies or Local Purchases
- 3 household liquids
- Ice cube tray
- Timer
- Plate
- Ruler
- Textbook
- Stopwatch
- 3 pieces of scrap paper
- Trash can
- 3 coins
- Plastic cup (or any object to use as a target)
- Plastic bottle
- Balloon
- Teaspoon
- Funnel
- Baking Soda
- Vinegar
- Salt
- Small pot
- Stove
- Ice cube
- String
- M&M’s
- Colored pencils
- Periodic table
- Disposable aluminum pie pan
- Candle wax (scrape a small amount off of any household candle)
- Sugar
- Sharpie marker
- Food coloring
- 2 dice
- Marker
- Dish soap
- Tray or baking sheet (something to catch the foam that overflows)
- Magnesium Sulfate (epsom salt)
- 128 pennies
- Jar with lid
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- Steel wool
- Sodium Chloride (table salt)
- Alka Seltzer tablet
- 12 oz plastic bottle with cap
- Measuring tape (metric preferred)
- Sidewalk chalk, tape, or rope
- Ramp (cardboard or wooden board)
- Toy car
-
Cup
- Index card
- 5 pennies
- 5 quarters
- 2 objects with noticeably different masses (ex: bowling ball and ping pong ball)
-
Tablecloth, table, and dishes (preferably non-breakable, but sturdy)
-
2 small balls with different masses (tennis ball, ping pong ball, baseball, etc.)
-
Piece of paper
- Paper napkin
- Tape
- Large paperclip
- Large bottle filled with water (500 mL – 1 L water or soda bottle)
-
Meterstick
-
Rope/string to tie bottle to dowel with ½-1 m length between
- Candle
- Lighter or matches
- Clothespin
- 3 Metal wires about 30 cm long (different thickness, but made of the same material)
- Newspaper or parchment paper
- Pencil with eraser
- Slinky
- Thin rubber band
- Thick rubber band
- Soda bottle
- 3 identical flashlights
- 3 rubber bands
- White wall or white poster board
- 3 cardboard rectangles (10 cm x 15 cm)
- Glue
- 3 pushpins
- Marble
- Scissors
- 6 plastic straws
- Wooden block
- Plastic spoon
- Cardboard strip
- Paperclips
- Sewing needle or small pin
- Small piece of cork
- Bowl of water
Additional Level C Supplies
Student’s in Physical Science Explored PLUS will require a few additional supplies for certain lessons. Below is a list of supplies and links.
Special Supplies
- Calcium chloride
- Copper chloride
- Potassium chloride
- Iron chloride
- Disposable pipettes
- Sodium carbonate
- Copper (II) sulfate
- Calcium chloride
- Sodium hydroxide
- Iron (III) chloride
- Sodium phosphate
- Well plate
- Scale
- 8 m of 28 gauge magnet wire
- Galvanized steel nail (3 – 3.5 in.)
- 2 alligator clips
- Battery holder for 3 AA cells
- Small piece of sandpaper
- Small box of 50 paperclips
- 3 new AA batteries
- Red, blue, and yellow acrylic paints
- Masking Tape (or objects to mark starting/finish lines)
- Ring stand or other support
- Sand
- 50 mL erlenmeyer flask
- Hot Plate
- 35 mL Syringe (without a needle)
- Graduated cylinder
- 2 beakers (or small glass bowls)
Household Supplies or Local Purchases
- 2 glass bowls
- 4 grams borax
- White Elmer’s glue
- Plastic spoon
- Sodium chloride (table salt)
- Safety goggles
- Gloves
- 6 inch cotton swabs
- Candle
- Lighter or matches
- 6 pieces of glassware
- Water
-
Toy car
-
Ramp (cardboard or wooden board)
-
Stopwatch
-
Sharpie
-
Tape measure (metric preferred)
- 100 Wooden craft sticks
-
Cord (optional)
-
Small bucket with a sturdy handle
-
Sand, rocks, small weights, or any objects with known weight amounts
-
Ruler
-
Tape Measure
-
Flat, Smooth Surface
- Styrofoam cup
- Nail
- Length of thin string, 50 cm
- Scissors
- Parchment paper, at least 30cm wide
- Paintbrush or sponges
-
White paper
- Wood-cased pencil
- Piece of tin foil
- Balloon
- Small Marshmallow
- Empty Soda Can
- Tongs
- Bowl of Ice Water