07.06.09
by

Steve Spangler UV Energy Beads (plus a Giveaway!)***CLOSED

The girl’s and I are now official UV Detectives! We had so much fun and learned a lot while performing experiments with some really cool science toys, the Steve Spangler UV Energy Beads. These beads are an excellent way to show children the importance of sunscreen and to teach them about the effects uv rays. I have explained to my 2 and 3-year-old before the reasons we protect our skin with sunscreen. Using science toys like the uv beads was a great way for Journey and Faith to become involved in an actual science experiment. I had them string the beads on their own bracelet (which is a perfect exercise for fine motor skills). The anticipation grew as I explained to them that we needed to wear our bracelets outside and that we would see a surprise!

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They both decided that their uv bracelets would look great as ankle bracelets!

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Before we went outside, the uv detective in me thought that we should test the light that comes in through the window that faces the backyard. I laid the uv bracelet on my sweater that was drying flat on top of the washing machine. Right away I could see the beads changing from white to light pastel colors…It was around noon when this picture was taken and the light was only indirect.

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See the UV Beads in action!

YOU can Be an Ultraviolet Detective and WIN UV Energy Beads from Steve Spangler Science!!!

You can become an ultraviolet detective with amazing UV-sensitive beads too. Make bracelets and test the effectiveness of sunscreen or sunglasses while you learn about the power of sunlight.

Not all sunscreen lotions are the same. The coverage you get varies from SPF to SPF and brand to brand. Instead of using your skin as a detector of ultra-violet light (UV), try experimenting with Energy Beads. The beads change color when exposed to UV light!

With all of the SPF (Sun Protection Factor) numbers available, which SPF lotion really works best at keeping out the sun’s harmful UV rays? Start by using various strengths of sunscreen (SPF 4, 15 and 50, for example). Since the UV Color-Changing Beads are very sensitive to changes in UV energy, you can use the beads to determine the blocking potential of the sunscreen. Place the beads in a zipper-lock bag and apply a layer of sunscreen to the outside of the bag. Set-up one bag without any sunscreen coating for comparison purposes. Expose the beads to direct sunlight and look for any changes in color.

The beads will always change color regardless of how good the sunscreen blocks UV – the beads are very sensitive, but you will be able to tell which sunscreen offers the most protection by the amount that the beads change. You can also test the difference between new and old sunscreen. Sunscreen manufacturers suggest that you throw away old sunscreen because it does not block out harmful UV light.

Usually sunscreen has a shelf life of 2-3 years, but if you are using the recommended 1 oz. per application then you shouldn’t have unused sunscreen sitting around for more than a few months.

Our Experiment: How effective is sunscreen in protecting against UV rays?

As UV detectives we set up two similar experiements, one in full-shade and the other in full-sun. Each paper towel had UV beads without sunscreen, a sunscreen with a SPF 50 and an organic sunscreen with a SPF 15.

Here is a picture of the full-sun experiement. Immediately the UV beads without sunscreen (left) turned bright colors…the beads in the middle coated with SPF 50 sunscreen turned pastel and the organic SPF 15 sunscreen coated the UV beads the best and showed little signs of changing color. 732

We left the beads out in full-sun for a couple of hours and this was the outcome…The beads without sunscreen stayed the same. The SPF 50 sunscreen (middle) melted completely off–exposing the beads to UV rays. And the organic SPF 15 sunscreen stayed completley on and offered the most lasting protection. The paper towel aided in the sunscreen melting off of the beads, but I feel that it is a great comparision to your skin. Some sunscreens just don’t last as long when you take into consideration that your skin absorbs it or you sweat it off.

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The last part of the experiment was to see how the beads did in full-shade. While the full-sun experiment was going on we also put beads without sunscreen, SPF 50 and organic SPF 15 sunscreen to the test under our gazebo.

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As you can see the change for the unprotected beads was bright and immediate. The SPF 50 covered beads held up with a light pastel color and the SPF 15 stuck so well that I couldn’t really see a change in the beads. We left these beads for the same two hours and here is what we found…

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In the full-shade the beads without sunscreen still stayed bright while the SPF 50 gave moderate coverage,but allowed the beads to still change into pastel colors. The SPF 15 didn’t budge and offered the best coverage.

You can also test to see if the beads change color on a cloudy day. If they change color, then you can see why doctors warn people to wear sunscreen even on a cloudy day.

Finally, test the ability of your sunglasses to block out ultraviolet light by covering a few beads with the lens of your sunglasses. If the beads do not change color, your sunglasses block out harmful ultraviolet light from your eyes. If not, you paid too much for that UV coating!

UV Beads are the perfect tool for understanding how solar radiation can be harmful and to recognize preventative measures that can be taken to reduce the risks associated with exposure to sunlight. When you expose bare skin to sunlight, your skin will either burn or tan (which doctors warn is still not healthy for your body). UV radiation wavelengths are short enough to break chemical bonds in your skin tissue and with prolonged exposure, your skin may wrinkle or skin cancer may appear. These responses by your skin are a signal that the cells under your skin are being assaulted by UV radiation.

For more information and other ways to use your UV Beads, please go to http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/content/experiment/00000118

Do you want to win your own set of UV Energy Beads for sunlight-testing activities?

Win a pack of 1,000 UV Beads and a roll of leather cord (50 yards) to make bracelets!! A $50 value.

How to Enter!

Visit www.SteveSpanglerScience.com, browse, and then leave a comment below with a different product or experiment you would like to try besides the UV Energy Beads.

Additional Entries: (Entry #1 must be completed first. Leave a comment for each entry…Each of your comments is your official entry!)

*Sign-up for the Steve Spangler Science Experiment of the Week (1 entry)

*Subscribe to the Steve Spangler RSS feed (1 entry)

*Add the UV Skinz button to your blog (1 entry)

*Add the Steve Spangler Science Widget to your blog (2 entries)

*Follow UV Skinz and/or Steve Spangler Science on Twitter and TWEET this contest! (1 entry + up to 3 additional accepted daily)

*Leave a comment about the contest on Steve Spangler’s Facebook fan page (5 entries!)

*Blogging about or emailing the contest with hyperlinks to UV Skinz and Steve Spangler Science (Worth 10 entries!)

Copy and Paste this email/blog entry…

Bring out the UV Detective inside of you with the Steve Spangler UV Energy Beads! Steve Spangler science toys are an excellent way to introduce science in a fun way that kids understand. Read about the experience mom blogger Kalisha at UV Skinz had with these cool science toys and enter to WIN UV Energy Beads for your children! Giveaway ends July 12. Open to U.S. only.

One winner will be chosen!

*I will be using a random number generator (random.org) to select the winner. The winner will be emailed and also announced on here on Monday July 13, 2009.

  • Contest ends at 11:59pm on Sunday July 12,2009. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours a new winner will be chosen.
  • The Giveaway is being extended until this Thursday July 16, 2009! The winner will be announced on Friday July 17, 2009

GOODLUCK!

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159 thoughts on “Steve Spangler UV Energy Beads (plus a Giveaway!)***CLOSED”

  1. My oldest son would love the Chemistry Kit – CHEM C2000.
    These beads sound really great. Great summertime activity for the kids. Thanks so much.

  2. Subscribed to your feed

  3. Signed up for Steve Spangler Science Experiment of the Week.

  4. The solar robot- happy hopping frog looks cool.

  5. AntWorks Habitat is what the kids would love and the light paper

  6. signed up for experiment of the week

  7. The Butterfly Pavillion looks like a lot fun. Your UV bead experiment was really neat.

  8. Our students are doing a big unit on insects this year and I would love to have the Butterfly Pavilion.

  9. I signed-up for the Steve Spangler Science Experiment of the Week.

  10. I left a comment about the contest on Steve Spangler’s Facebook fan page. #1

  11. I left a comment about the contest on Steve Spangler’s Facebook fan page. #2

  12. I left a comment about the contest on Steve Spangler’s Facebook fan page. #3

  13. I left a comment about the contest on Steve Spangler’s Facebook fan page. #4

  14. I left a comment about the contest on Steve Spangler’s Facebook fan page. #5

  15. the fruit clock looks really cool

  16. I subscribed to the Science Experiment of the Week and the Bouncing Bubble Kit looks fabulous. My Girl Scout Troop would love it!

  17. love the Chemistry Kit – CHEM C2000.

  18. We’d try the Instant Snow Powder.

  19. Hey – wasn’t he on the Ellen show? The Erupting Volcano Model look VERY cool. Thanks

  20. the balancing soda bottle kit

  21. The chemistry kit looks like it would be lots of fun! Thanks for the contest!

  22. My daughter is 9 years old and her favorite subject in school is SCIENCE. There are so many things from the website I know she’d love to try such as the square bubble, the snow, the ice cream! We are VERY strict with the sunscreen, so I would love to win these for her and really have it hit home how important it is.

  23. I know my boys would get a kick out of doing the Solar Bag, the Rainbow Peepholes are cool too (might get those for a birthday party) What a fabulous site – bookmarking it for future reference, thanks!

  25. My son would LOVE the chemistry kit! Great post!

  26. I follow UV SKinz on twitter

  27. I bet my son would enjoy the Frigits

  28. I like the Solar Robot – Happy Hopping Frog. Cute and a great learning experience
    Thank you for the chance
    tatertot374@sbcglobal.net

  29. I’d like to try the Nature Sun Print Paper. I had it as a kid myself.

  30. I would like to try the airzooka

  31. Colorful Growing Orbs

    I would sure love these. I love stuff like this. Stuff that grows when you wet/soak ‘em and shrink up when they are out of water.

    devonm @ sasktel dot NET

  32. I subscribed to your blog in a reader.

    devonm @ sasktel dot NET

  33. followed both UV Skinz and/or Steve Spangler Science in Twitter

    @jmintuck

    devonm @ sasktel dot NET

  34. Antwork Habitat looks cool.

  35. I love the Airzooka! Too fun!

  36. I signed up for the Science Experiment of the Week.

  37. I would love Steve’s halloween science kit. I hae been to his Science in the Rockies and it is second to none. Boo bubbles are extrememly cool. What from Steve Spangler isn’t the best?

  38. The Bounching Bubble Kit looks really neat! Thanks for entering me into this giveaway.

  39. I would love pretty much everything he has. I am thinking about getting the split demo tank to better show my students what happens when warm and cold air mix.

  40. I get his experiment of the week.

  41. I follow steve spangler on twitter and on facebook..

  42. The super solar racing car looks fun too! Thanks!

  43. Think Ink! kit sounds interesting

  44. I think the Sun Print paper sounds cool.

    Thanks for the opportunity,
    Beth

  45. My boys would love the Air ZOoka! FUn

  46. I subscribed to the project of the week

  47. I would like to try the bouncing bubble kit.

    madamerkf at aol dot com

  48. The Chemistry Kit could be fun!

  49. They play and freeze ice cream kit looks perfect for summer. It would be fun and yummy.

  50. We would have a blast with the Think Ink! kit.

  51. Any of the go green projects would be nice. The H-Racer Hydrogen Car looks cool

  52. Pingback: Enter to Win UV Beads from Steve Spangler Science & UV Skinz | Steve Spangler's Blog

  53. Pingback: Steve Spangler Giveaway: UV Energy Beads « Just Call Me Ms Frizzle

  54. The water jelly crystals look fun. I remember a similar science experiment in class as a kid. Fun!

  56. I would like to try the Airzooka

  57. My son would love the Chemistry Kit

  59. My boys have talked about this before, so I know they would want the Mentos Geyser Tube.

    rsgrandinetti@yahoo(dot)com

  61. The super solar racing car

  62. I love that site!! My kids and I want to try everything! First I want us all to do the Bacteria Growing Kit. It’ll be a fun way to teach why hand washing is important. Atomic slime is hard to resist as well as the sun print paper… I could go on forever – I really do want one of each of everything!!

  63. I happily signed up for the experiment of the week!

  64. I subscribed to the RSS feed

  65. Left a comment on facebook #1

  66. Left a comment on facebook #2

  67. Left a comment on facebook #3

  68. Left a comment on facebook #4

  69. Left a comment on facebook #5

  70. The Chemistry Kit would be nice for my daughter to have. Thank you!

  71. What a cool thing! I also like the solar robot-happy hopping frog!

  72. My son would love the solar bag!

  73. I’d love a set of the Jelly Marbles, they look so much fun and they have so many things to teach!

  74. My daughter has been fussing about wanting to “grow” a butterfly I would love to try the butterfly garden.

  75. I have signed up for Steve Spanglers weekly newsletter

  76. I subscribe to his feed via google reader

  77. The Frigits sound like lots of fun!

  78. I commented on his fan page #1

  79. I commented on his fan page #2

  80. I commented on his fan page #3

  81. I commented on his fan page #4

  82. I commented on his fan page #5

  83. I signed up for the experiment of the week.

  84. I signed up for Steve’s RSS feed.

  85. we would have a blast with the chemistry set

  86. I would like the Solar Robot-Happy.

  87. id love the Sprout and Grow Window i love gardening and watching things grow :)

  89. 1 left a comment on steves facebook kathylpease

  90. 2 left a comment on steves facebook kathylpease

  91. 3 left a comment on steves facebook kathylpease

  92. 4 left a comment on steves facebook kathylpease

  93. 5 left a comment on steves facebook kathylpease

  94. i like the wind power kit

  95. The cloud in a bottle looks like a fun experiment to try

  96. I subscribed to his mailing list

  97. Root vue farm….My daughter raised an 15 pound organic earthbox cabbage and won 1000 savingsbond from the state ag commission….She is good at this and I think it would make her even more interested by seeing the roots.

  98. I like the Solar Robot-Happy Hopping Frog

  99. I would like the Chemistry Kit – CHEM C2000

  100. I signed up for the experiment of the week.

  101. I love the Solar Robot!

  103. I subscribe to the Steve Spangler RSS feed

  104. I love the Colorful Growing Orbs :)

  115. Would like to do the Laminar Flow experiment. Far too awesome!

  116. I’ve been a Experiment of the week subscriber for some time now.

  117. RSS now added to my google homepage.

  122. Added UV skins button on blog.

  123. Added Steve Spngler widget to blog!

  124. Following UV Skinz on twitter.

  125. Following Steve Spangler on twitter

  126. Wrote a blog about this contest @ freshnessfactortwothousand.blogspot

  127. Wrote Steve a comment on Face Book: sueschoneman

  128. I signed up for the Steve Spangler Science Experiment of the Week.

  129. I subscribed to the Steve Spangler feed.

  130. I left a comment about the contest on Steve Spangler’s Facebook fan page. #1

  131. I left a comment about the contest on Steve Spangler’s Facebook fan page. #2

  132. I left a comment about the contest on Steve Spangler’s Facebook fan page. #3

  133. I left a comment about the contest on Steve Spangler’s Facebook fan page. #4

  134. I left a comment about the contest on Steve Spangler’s Facebook fan page. #5

  135. Pingback: UV Energy Beads Giveaway…Extended! « Live In Our Skinz!

  136. I personally *LOVE* the beads. They would be a GREAT teaching tool for my kids.

    But I also like the rock tumbler. My son who LOVES rocks & minerals would love this!

  137. UV Skinz button is on my left sidebar!

  149. I commented at Steve Spangler’s FaceBook Fan Club page #1

  150. I commented at Steve Spangler’s FaceBook Fan Club page #2

  151. I commented at Steve Spangler’s FaceBook Fan Club page #3

  152. I commented at Steve Spangler’s FaceBook Fan Club page #4

  153. I commented at Steve Spangler’s FaceBook Fan Club page #5

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