ANNOTATED
LIST OF ACTIVITIES
Air Pressure and Dent Pullers
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Air_Pressure_and_Dent_Pullers.pdf
In a classic physics
demonstration in Germany in the 1650's, two metal hemispheres were placed
together, forming a sphere, and the air was then evacuated from the sphere. The
hemispheres were held together only by the force resulting from the air
pressure exerted on their outside surface. This force was so large that two
teams of horses could not pull them apart. Having two students attempt to pull
apart a pair of inexpensive suction cup dent pullers available from an auto
supply store will give a similar demonstration of the amazing effect of air
pressure.
'
Ambiguous
Cube
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Ambiguous_Cube.pdf
Some objects or figures can be seen or interpreted in more than one way. They provide
visual input that your brain can interpret in more than one way, and are quite
logically described as ambiguous. In
this activityyou will construct a three-dimensional cube that can be startlingly ambiguous.
Strange things happen when your brain
gets confused.
'
Anamorphic Art Worksheets and Images
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Anamorphic_Art_Worksheets_and_Images.pdf
Worksheets for the transfer of an image
in rectangular coordinates to polar coordinates. When
viewed in a cylindrical mirror the image in polar coordinates is seen in
rectangular coordinates again.
'
Avalanche
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Avalanche.pdf
A mixture of salt and sand is placed in a CD case. When the case is tilted or inverted, the mixture dramatically sorts into a layered pattern. The sorting process involves the angle of repose and the Brazil Nut Effect. This type of sorting can be found in geology, and it is extremely important in industrial processes where mixtures of powders are involved.
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Ballistic Pendulum
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Ballistic_Pendulum.pdf
A dart from a plastic
toy dart gun is fired into the open end of a cut-off plastic water bottle which
has been stuffed with a plastic bag and suspended as a pendulum. Knowing the
mass of the dart, the mass of the water bottle-bag combination, and the
vertical rise of the water-bottle bag combination with the dart in it, simple
energy and momentum considerations are used to find the muzzle velocity of the
dart.
'
Balloon Battle
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Balloon_Battle.pdf
Two identical balloons
are blown up so that one is significantly larger than the other. The balloons
are then connected with a PVC fitting with a valve
that is closed, preventing air movement between the two balloons. The question
is then posed as to what will happen when the valve is opened so that air can
move from one to the other.
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Cake by Conduction
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Cake_by_Conduction.pdf
Cook a cake by passing electric current directly though the
cake batter!
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Catapult
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Catapult.pdf
A small catapult, made from simple materials, e.g., wooden
tongue depressors/craft sticks, a plastic spoon, a rubber band, a clothespin,
etc.
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Chemical Spice Cake Lab
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Chemical_Spice_Cake_Lab.pdf
Spice cake mini-cupcakes are baked using one
"regular" cupcake as a control and five "chemical" cupcakes
substituting carious combinations of Vaseline, soap and ginger ale for,
respectively, margarine, egg and baking powder.
CD Air Puck
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/CD_Air_Puck.pdf
A CD disk is transformed
into a ÒfrictionlessÓ (very low friction) air puck that will glide for tens of
seconds on a smooth surface.
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CD Spinner
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/CD_Spinner.pdf
A marble, a soda bottle cap and a hot glue gun transform a CD disk into a spinning top. When printed patterns are placed on the spinning disk, fascinating effects are observed.
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Cylindrical Wing
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Cylindrical_Wing.pdf
A sheet of paper is folded into a cylindrical shape that
flies like a paper airplane.
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Domino Model of a Nerve Impulse
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Domino_Model_of_a_Nerve_Impulse.pdf
This activity uses dominos to model a nerve cell's transmission
of a signal. The activity is from the book Human Body Explorations, by Karen Kaumuck and the Exploratorium Teacher Institute
(Kendall/Hunt, 2000, pp. 75-80). The title of the activity in the book is The
Domino Effect.
'
Downhill Race
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Downhill_Race.pdf
Objects are rolled down
a pair of parallel tracks to explore the role of both mass and the distribution
of the mass in their their ability to win a "race" to the bottom.
Both the objects and the track structure are made from PVC. Since the objects
can be made to move very slowly down the incline, timing data may be taken with
just a stopwatch. Analyzing the data gives insight into properties of
accelerated motion.
'
Duckpower
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Duckpower.pdf
A Dipping Bird toy is
made into a "duckpower motor" which will slowly lift a paper clip. A
few simple measurements and calculations allow you to determine the work and
power involved. Conventionally the power would be expressed in watts, but with
a simple conversion can be expressed in horsepower. The value in horsepower can
then be arbitrarily called 1 duckpower. With this conversion factor
established, you can now readily determine how many ducks it takes to make a
horse!
'
Edible Dirt
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Edible_Dirt.pdf
A
simple recipe for edible dirt using Oreo cookies and Mother's Iced Oatmeal
cookies.
'
Eddy Currents and
Magnetic Braking
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Eddy_Currents_and_Magnetic_Braking.pdf
Moving magnets generate electric currents (called eddy currents) which in turn generate new magnetic fields in opposition to the original fields. These opposing fields can be used as a brake
'
Electromechanical
Efficiency
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Electromechanical_Efficiency.pdf
Electrical input is
compared with mechanical output to determine the % Efficiency for a toy Dolphin
or Penguin track, and for one or more small electric motors.
'
Electroplating
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Electroplating.pdf
Electroplating is a process in which electric current is
used to plate a metal onto an object ,e.g., chrome-plated trim or wheels on a
car, chrome-plated bathroom fixtures, gold-plated or silver-plated jewelry.
This activity explores two examples of electroplating. In Part 1, zinc from a
galvanized nail (an iron nail which has been coated with zinc by dipping it in
molten zinc) will be plated onto a copper penny, making it look
"silver." In Part 2, copper from a penny will be plated onto a
nickel.
'
Escapement
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Escapement.pdf
Build a simple mechanism that regulates the
"escape" of energy released by a falling weight by portioning it into
discrete amounts. Escapements are found in mechanical clocks, such as those
driven by a pendulum or a spring.
'
Fan Cart
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Fan_Cart.pdf
If a sailboat is stranded because there is no wind, is it
possible to set up a fan on deck and blow wind into the sail to make the boat
move? This is a classic physics problem which you can explore here by using
simple materials to build a low-friction cart with a removable motor and a
removable sail. This is an elegant way to demonstrate Newton's Laws in action.
'
Five-Layer Density Column
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Five-Layer_Density_Column.pdf
Five commonly available liquids and some food coloring are
used to create strikingly colorful
layered density column.
'
Free-Fall Bottles & Tubes
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Free-Fall_Bottles_&_Tubes.pdf
Water-filled plastic bottles with holes in them spurt water
under normal conditions, but don't leak while in free-fall. A ping-pong ball in
a water-filled plastic tube floats upward under normal conditions, but remains
motionless when the tube is dropped or thrown.
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Hoop Nightmares
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Hoop_Nightmares.pdf
Try to make a basketball
shot while wearing prism goggles. You'll have to retrain your brain.
'
Hydraulic Arm
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Hydraulic_Arm.pdf
Pushing the plunger on a water-filled syringe lifts a wooden
arm.
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Hyperbolic Slot
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Hyperbolic_Slot.pdf
A straight stick passes through a curved slot.
'
Industrial Standards and Testing
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Industrial_Standards_and_Testing.pdf
An introduction to the
little-known but very widespread and important role of industrial standards,
specifications and testing in industrial/technological societies like ours that
are intimately related to science and engineering. Students develop, describe,
carry out and discuss tests for the bending strength of pasta and/or the tear
strength of toilet paper.
'
Klothoid Loop
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Klothoid_Loop.pdf
A circular loop has a constant radius. A Klothoid loop has a variable radius which is smallest at the top. A Klothoid loop having the same height as a circular loop will look narrower, and have a smaller radius at the top than the circular loop. This is important in a roller coaster loop since it allows a coaster to have a lower speed without falling off the loop.
'
Laser Lissajous
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Laser_Lissajous.pdf
Use a laser pointer and two small rotating mirrors to create
a variety of fascinating patterns, which can be easily and dramatically
projected on a wall or screen. These patterns are related to the path followed
by a rider on a dual-axis (scrambler) ride at an amusement park, and to
Lissajous figures. A detailed
explanation is provided for one example of pattern formation.
'
Leverarm
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Leverarm.pdf
Paul Doherty's write-up
of an arm model.
Light Box
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Light_Box.pdf
'
Magnetic Free Fall
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Magnetic_Free_Fall.pdf
A very simple demonstration in which gravitational and magnetic forces act on two falling objects to produce an unexpected result that elegantly illustrates Newton's Second Law.
'
Marshmallow Puff Tube
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Marshmallow_Puff_Tube.pdf
A regular size marshmallow is blown through a tube made from a manila file
folder. The result is spectacular, and the process provides a great
illustration of Newton's 2nd Law, F=ma.
'
Microbalance
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Microbalance.pdf
Using
simple, inexpensive materials such as a plastic drinking straw, this balance is
sensitive enough to weigh items of only a few milligrams. While no claim is
made that the balance is accurate enough to be legal for trade (!), it will
nevertheless allow you to find approximate masses of things that are too small
to even attempt to weigh at all with commonly available balances.
'
Micrometer Caliper
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Micrometer_Caliper.pdf
This simple, inexpensive home-made micrometer caliper uses a machine screw with a known number of threads per inch to allow you to measure very small things like the thickness of a sheet of paper or the diameter of a human hair -- things that would not normally be directly measurable with rulers or other commonly available measuring tools. Its capability is somewhat amazing considering its cost and ease of construction.
'
Modulated LED Flashlight
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Modulated_LED_Flashlight.pdf
A still more recently
updated version of the Modulated LED Update, adding the use of a capacitor to
provide protection to the iPod used. See other
versions for additional background on the acitvity
itself.
'
Modulated Coil Using an iPhone or iPod
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Modulated_Coil_Using_an_iPhone_or_iPod.pdf
A still more recently
updated version of the Modulated Coil Update. See other versions for additional
background on the activity itself.
'
Modulated Coil and
Modulated LED Update
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Modulated_Coil_and_Modulated_LED_Update.pdf
The original versions of Modulated Coil and Modulated LED can be found in Square Wheels, co-authored by Don Rathjen and Paul Doherty, published by the Exploratorium in 2002, pp. 49 and 51. They can also be found online at www.exploratorium.edu/square_wheels/modulated_coil.pdf , and www.exploratorium.edu/square_wheels/modulated_led.pdf
In recent years, the question has arisen of whether an iPod would work in place of the transistor radio used in the original versions. This update shows an iPod replacing the transistor radio used in the original versions of both activities, and an LED flashlight replacing the LED, resistor and battery used in the original Modulated LED activity.
'
Modulated Coil
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Modulated_Coil.pdf
Hear a Magnet! Using a
simple electromagnet made from a coil of wire wound around a steel bolt, you
can wirelessly transmit the sound from a radio to the speaker of a tape player.
'
Modulated LED
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Modulated_LED.pdf
Listen to a beam of
light! You can build a simple device in which the signal from a radio is
transmitted on a beam of light to a solar cell and then played on a speaker.
'
Newton's Laws
Demonstrations
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Newton's_Laws_Demonstrations.pdf
A collection of demonstrations illustrating Newton's Laws of Motion.
'
Over the Hill
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Over_the_Hill.pdf
A large marble is rolled along a track made from a commonly
available and inexpensive metal shelf bracket. The track is
gently bent so that there is a flat
portion, then a small hill, and finally a steep uphill portion. The
object is to roll the ball so that it goes over the first hill, but does not
come back over it -- it should remain in the dip between the two hills. The
process involves nice illustrations of the interplay of kinetic energy,
potential energy and friction.This is a table-top version of an old carnival
game which uses a bowling ball on a steel track.
'
Palm Pipes Plus Tunes
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Palm_Pipes_Plus_Tunes.pdf
If you bang the open end of a piece of PVC pipe agaisntg the palm of your hand, you'll make a musical sound. The frequency, or pitch, of the sound depends on the length of the pipe. Based on this simple but significant fact, you can make instruments for your own pipe band. You'll find it surprisingly easy to play some simple songs.
'
Paper Tape Motion Timer
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Paper_Tape_Motion_Timer.pdf
A recording timer made from simple materials (e.g., small dc
motor, sharpie pen, craft sticks, adding machine paper tape, etc.) produces a
record of motion for things like toy cars, falling objects, etc. The resulting
record, in the form of marks on the paper tape, can be used to tell the story
of the motion, create graphical representations of the motion, and obtain
information about displacement, velocity and acceleration.
'
Pendulum Snake
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Pendulum_Snake.pdf
Several large steel hex-nuts are suspended on strings of
successively increasing length to form a series of pendulums with successively
increasing periods. When all pendulums are released simultaneously with the
same amplitude, they gradually form an undulating snake-like pattern, and then undergo further changes which are
fascinating from both a visual and mathematical perspective.
'
Penguins and Other Toys
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Penguins_and_Other_Toys.pdf
'
Piezo Remote
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Piezo_Remote.pdf
A piezoelectric igniter, like those used as barbecue
lighters, is used here to remotely start current flowing in a simple circuit
containing a small electric fan. The explanation for how this happens is not
obvious.
'
Plot the Dot: A Graphical Approach to Density
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Plot_the_Dot_(Graphical_Density).pdf
Several individuals or
groups determine mass and volume for each of four samples: glass marbles, steel
washers or nuts, pieces of pine wood, and pieces of PVC pipe. All samples of
any particular material are different. All data points are plotted on a large
class graph of mass vs. volume. It can then be seen that data points for a
particular material form a straight line, the slope of which gives the density
of the material.
Ô
Pop-Ups
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Pop-Ups.pdf
Pop-Ups are little spring toys. When the toy is pressed
against its base to compress the spring, a suction cup holds it to the base
until it releases, whereupon the toy jumps in the air. The behavior of the toy
provides a nice opportunity for identifying energy transformations.
'
Potato Chip Physics
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Potato_Chip_Physics.pdf
A tongue-in-cheek look
at how physics can be involved in the shape of a potato chip. If it
"sounds" too good to be true, it might be!
'
Pullback Toy Motor
Dissection
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Pullback_Toy_Motor_Dissection.pdf
In some pullback toys
the winding is accomplished by moving the toy back and forth until a clicking
sound is heard. This activity uses reverse engineering (i.e., dissection, or
taking the motor apart) to determine what makes the clicking noise and what its
function is.
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Pulleys
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Pulleys.pdf
Inexpensive pulley
assemblies are made from pulley wheels used for sliding screen door
replacement, or from clothesline spreaders. These are used to investigate
pulley behavior and become familiar with the language and concepts of simple
machines as applied to pulleys (e.g., effort, resistance, mechanical advantage,
work, efficiency, etc.).
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Rainbow Models
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Rainbow_Models.pdf
This
writeup deals with the construction of two physical models intended to aid in
understanding two major characteristics of an an ordinary primary reainbow: the
order of colors (red on the outside or top, yellow in the middle, blue on the
inside or bottom), and the semicircular shape.
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Reverse Masks
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Reverse_Masks.pdf
One mask protrudes from
a black surface like an ordinary face, and a second identical mask is indented
into the surface. When you close one eye and view the two masks, they both look
like they are protruding, and when you move sideways, the indented mask seems
to turn to follow your movement!
'
Rubber Band newton Scale
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Rubber_Band_newton_Scale.pdf
Make a simple spring-like scale made using a rubber band instead of a spring, and calibrate the scale in newtons (N). Gain understanding of and familiarity with the newton as a unit of force, and use the scale to weigh common objects.
'
Sensitive Filament
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Sensitive_Filament.pdf
The exposed filament
from a 100-watt light bulb is wired in series with a flashlight bulb and a
9-volt battery. When you blow on the exposed filament, the flashlight bulb gets
brighter.
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Shadow Panel
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Shadow_Panel.pdf
Normally, the life of your shadow is at your mercy. If you move, your shadow moves. In this snack, you use a luminous screen to create a shadow that hangs around for awhile.
'
Shake Table
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Shake_Table.pdf
An eccentric mass mounted on the shaft of a small dc motor
vibrates a platform resting on marbles as bearings, simulating the shaking of
an earthquake. Structures can be simulated with wooden blocks, pasta, or a
variety of other simple materials. Adjusting the speed of the motor allows you
to find the resonant frequency which will topple a particular structure. Other
earth-science-related activities, such as liquefaction or seismography, can
also be investigated.
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Skippy
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Skippy.pdf
A small inexpensive dc motor with an off-center mass mounted
on its shaft is used to create a
vibrating object that bounces around on a table top. By adjusting variables
such as the lengths of the legs, the motion can be changed, and even controlled
to some extent.
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Sliding Gray Step
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Sliding_Gray_Step.pdf
How can you make one
shade of gray look like two? This snack allows you to perform this sleight of
hand very easily. You will be startled by how different the same color looks when
its background changes.
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Specific Heat Of Potato
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Specific_Heat_of_Potato.pdf
A calorimetry lab to
determine the specific heat of potato.
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Springs and Stomachs
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Springs_and_Stomachs.pdf
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Stretch the Chain and See the Light
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Stretch_the_Chain_and_See_the_Light.pdf
A chain made from paper clips is placed in series with a
battery and flashlight bulb. When the chain is stretched, the light bulb glows
brighter. The explanation lies in decreased electrical resistance due to better
contact between the paper clips as the chain is stretched.
'
String Hyperboloid
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/String_Hyperboloid.pdf
A classic string model of a
hyperboloid.
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Sweetly Balanced Equations
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Sweetly_Balanced_Equations.pdf
Pieces of candy will be used to represent atoms in chemical
equations. Different colors will represent different atoms. Candy used in
cludes colored m&m's, red and black Red Vine Pieces, silver-wrapped Hershey
Kisses, and mini-marshmallows. Balancing an equation requires that both sides
of the equation contain the same number of each kind of atom/m&m.
'
Toilet Model
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Toilet_Model.pdf
PVC pipe, plastic water bottles and vinyl tubing tubing are
used to make a simple working toilet model. The model shows the role of a
siphon in the flushing of a toilet.
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Toilet Paper Testing
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Toilet_Paper_Testing.pdf
Devise, carry out, and
describe a test that will compare the strength of two or more brands of toilet
paper, and then consider results in relation to the larger issue of standards, specifications
and testing in an industrial society and economy.
'
Truss Model
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Truss_Model.pdf
Build a truss model with rigid wooden members (craft sticks)
and test it to see that it works. Rigid members work in either tension or
compression, but flexible members work only in tension. Try to identify the members which are in tension and replace them with members
made from flexible material (e.g., string or Velcro garden strapping, or strips
of manila file folder material), and test again to see if it still works.
'
Waiter's Tray
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Waiter's_Tray.pdf
A cup of water is placed on a tray suspended by strings, and can be whirled in a vertical or horizontal circle without spilling. The tray illustrates principles involved in amusement park rides employing vertical and horizontal circles and loops.
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Watt's a Joule?
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Watt's_a_Joule.pdfAn
article I authored for the Energy issue of Exploring magazine, which was then
the Exploratorium's quarterly magazine. (Vol. 18, Nr. 4, Winter 1994)
'
Wilberforce Pendulum
http://www.exo.net/~donr/activities/Wilberforce_Pendulum.pdf
The Wilberforce Pendulum
is a coupled pendulum in which energy is transferred between two modes of
vibration, longitudinal ("bounce') and torsional ("twist"), on a
spring. When properly tuned (the right mass, and the right distribution of this
mass), the pendulum will transition from all bounce with no twist, to all twist
with no bounce, and back again. It will continue this behavior with
ever-decreasing amplitude until it finally stops. It's an unusual example of
energy transformation, and is fascinating to watch.
Ô