Showing posts with label potential/kinetic energy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label potential/kinetic energy. Show all posts

Friday, April 26, 2013

Kid Lever

Construct a lever that can be used as a balancing scale or a catapult!

materials:
4 plastic cups
ruler
straw
sturdy stick (could use a chopstick)
tape

1. Insert stick inside of straw
2. Tape straw to center of the ruler (back)
3. Tape ends of stick to bottom of 2 of your cups
4. (for balancing scale): tape the bottom of the other 2 cups to the the top of the ruler
PLAY!

You can compare objects' weight or catapult something! Check the experiment out over at Jameson's Lab!

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Ramps, Angles, and Measuring

Integrate math and science by constructing ramps! Kids use blocks (or other materials on hand) to construct their ramps. Make sure all ramps are made with the same materials for accurate results. You will need to secure your ramps with duct tape.

Kids investigate how different angles can affect speed and distance of a ball!

Before you test out your ramps, have kids make a prediction. Which ramp do they think will make the ball go the farthest and the fastest? If you're working with older kids have them measure the angle of each of their ramps. Younger kids can compare their ramps by the number of blocks holding it up (example above: 5 blocks vs. 3). 

Have kids measure the distance produced by each ramp (standard or nonstandard - depending on age group). Which ramp helped the ball travel the farthest distance? Time the ball going down each ramp. Which ramp made the ball go the fastest? 

Swingers

Explore forces and motion by creating a simple machine to demonstrate energy transfer! This experiment comes from the Young Engineers' Club. Kids create two pendulums using string, modeling clay, and two chairs. Once they set up their pendulums, they experiment with energy transfer. One child holds one of the clay pendulums still, while another releases the other pendulum. When one pendulum is in swinging motion, the child releases the one next to it. What happens?! - kids will see that the pendulums will start swinging together! Energy from the first pendulum is transferred to the second one (through the string)! Visit the Young Engineers' Club for this experiment and more simple machine activities!

For another experiment that demonstrates energy transfer, check out BOUNCE!

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Egg Carton Flyer

Save your egg cartons to construct a flying wing! It soars with the help of a penny inserted in the "cargo bay!" Click here for the template and instructions!

integration:
geometry: angles (best angle for distance)
estimating: distance
measuring: distance
science: potential / kinetic energy / wind

Monday, February 18, 2013

Kid Engineering

Design Squad Nation - Lots of hands on projects, and a great place for kids to collaborate with other students from around the country.
Featured above:
Treasure Grab - Kids investigate magnetism with this measuring construction project!
Indoor Slingshot - Angle Exploration and potential / kinetic energy! Kids measure the distance their object is propelled. What angle worked best? 
Air Cannon - Estimate and measure, while exploring air pressure. Kids blow up a bag, smash it, and a pom pom ball goes flying! 

WYE_Lance has a special showcase of kid engineering projects featured on Instructables: Project-Based Engineering.
Featured above:
Truss Bridges - Kids explore symmetry and angles as they create a unique popsicle stick structure.
Rubber Band Helicopter - How high will it go? How long will it stay up?

Sophie's World - Balloon Boat (top right image)
Kids investigate the power of air, as they estimate and measure the distance their boat floats!

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Friction!




Featured Above:
Bottled Rice Experiment with a Pencil - Jameson's Lab
Tin Can, Marbles, and Clay - Thinking Fountain
Genie in a Bottle - Steve Spangler
Sandpaper Ramps - Lights, Camera, Learn!
Climbing Man - Science Toy Maker or Housing a Forest
Phone Book Friction + Floating Paper Air Friction, Salt / Marble Trick, Sticks, and MORE! - Cocopreme

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Artful Science

Fun art projects aren't just for preschoolers! The activities featured below all relate to the common core. Plus, kids can take their science experiment home to hang on the fridge!

1. Explore force, energy, and motion with artful physics!
















Featured Above:

Inclined Plane Painting (Ramps) - BIA SFClubhouse

Marbles in Motion (Gravity, Energy, Inclined Plane) - Harris County Public Library 

Snap Art (Force, Potential vs. Kinetic Energy) - Capital B


2. Learn about solids, liquids, and gases with artful matter! 









Featured Above (From left to right):

Liquids to Solids 
1. Color Changing Glue Art - School at St. George Place
2. Plastic Milk - Science Bob
3. Colored Glue Drawings - Art with Mrs. Smith

Solids to Liquids
1. Paint with watercolor and watch a solid transform into a liquid!
2. Ice Cube Painting - CertaPro

Air, It's There!
1. Straw Blowing Art - Robert Burridge and Kaplan (pictured)
2. Bubble Prints - Family Fun

Liquids and Solids
1. Magic Salt Painting - Spoonful

Liquid Bliss
Paper Towel Fusion (not pictured) - Sprout 'n' Wings

More Artful Science
Play with precipitation: Water Cycle Rain Art - Terra Savvy
Explore Magnetism with Magnetic Art - BIA SFClubhouse

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Slingshots and Catapults

Demonstrate projectile motion, exertion, force, velocity, potential / kinetic energy, and angles with slingshots and catapults! How much force is needed to project objects of different weights? What angle will fly your object the farthest? 

As a class, or an individual homework project, have kids design a catapult or slingshot. Experiment using different amounts of force. What angle creates the best launch? Try launching objects of different weights. Did heavier objects need more force and require more energy? Measure the distance of the objects you launch!

Featured above with how to instructions:

Slingshots
Hand Held Classic Slingshot - The Risky Kids. You can also make a pvc pipe hand held slingshot, click here for instructions!
Chair Slingshot - Kitchen Pantry Scientist
Pyramid Slingshot - Visit DIY Life
Construct an oversized slingshot for water balloons, balls, toys or anything else you'd like to launch! Visit Instructables, click here and here for two different designs! You can also purchase one from SSWW (featured above).
Indoor Slingshot - Design Squad Nation

Catapults
Ping Pong Ball Scoop Catapult, as well as a wide assortment of designs, click here
Popsicle Stick Bottle Cap Catapult - Do It and How
Tissue Box Pencil - Disney Family Fun

There are tons of different designs for slingshots and catapults! You can use different components from various designs to create your very own unique launcher!

Friday, June 8, 2012

Take Me Out To The Ballgame


Baseball Geography
Mark the location of the teams your home team plays on a map!





Baseball Science
Kid Experiments - Finding A Bat's Sweet Spot, Handling Forces, Add Curve To Your Pitch, A Baseball's Bounce, as well as the classic Potential / Kinetic Energy Transfer demonstration - visit Exploratorium

Also, check out The Physics of Baseball article over at CNet. Paul Doherty from Exploratorium demonstrated the experiments mentioned above! (Photo Credit: James Martin/CNET Networks)


Baseball Geometry
Angles - Finding the perfect swing! The angle you swing the bat determines the ball's distance and height! Also, try throwing the ball at different angles. What angle is the ideal pitch? Click here for details.

Learn Your Shapes: sphere (ball), diamond (field), square (bases), pentagon (home plate), circle (pitcher's mound) 

Find the perimeter / area of a base and the circumference of the pitcher's mound!


Baseball Measuring
Head to your local little league baseball fields and practice measuring. Find the diameter of the pitcher's mound. Measure the distance from base to base, the dimensions of bases (L x W). Field dimensions image via ultimate baseball field


Baseball Algebra / Number Functions 
Practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division with missing addends by making a mini baseball board game. Visit Education.com!


Baseball Statistics
Visit Ducksters, NetPlaces, and MLB Kids!


Baseball Time
Practice telling time, record the duration of baseball practice or a game! Click here for details!

Friday, June 1, 2012

Balloon Car




Have kids design a balloon car, bring it to class, and see who's can travel the fastest and farthest. They could uses legossoda capstops of fast food cups, or even cds for wheels. Tell kids to get creative with the car's body. They can make long thin cars or big fat boxed cars. Design elements are completely up to the kids. Their goal is to make a car that is not only fast, but can travel super far. In the classroom, have kids use their measuring skills to figure out the distance their vehicles traveled. Who's car has the most stamina?

See written instructions for Steve Spangler's balloon car (featured above) as well as more racing toy experiments here

Aso check out Design Squad's 2 wheel (made with life savers candy) and 4 wheel balloon car!


image credit: Design Squad Nation (2 wheel balloon car)

Sunday, May 27, 2012

What Can You Do With A Slinky?

photo via yoyo.com
MATH
1. Estimate - How many coils does a slinky have? How long is a slinky when stretched? How many steps will a slinky walk down before stopping?
2. Count the number of coils on a slinky. Do all slinkies have the same number of coils? Also, count how many steps your slinky walked down. 
3. Measure - Have each student hold one end of the slinky and pull it outwards, stepping away from each other. Now, find the length of your slinky. Measure the length and width of a compact slinky. Now, find the diameter. Can you figure out the circumference?
4. Geometry / Physics - Test a slinky out on different angled inclined planes and record your data! Click here for the experiment!


SCIENCE
1. Physical Science - Energy transformation - Talk about potential and kinetic energy. When a slinky is at rest, it has potential energy. Once you get a slinky moving, its potential energy transforms into kinetic energy! Gravity - Next, hold a slinky with your arm extended out (at head level) and drop it straight down. How does a slinky fall? Does it's bottom or top crash to the floor first? Do the springs spring the slinky back up into the air? Find out the answer here!
2. Earth Science - Model earthquake waves by demonstrating a Seismic Slinky
3. Universe - Check out a slinky in space!

ART
1. Brush paint on a slinky's feet (the ends), cover an inclined plane with paper, and create walking slinky art!
2. Create circular prints by stamping a slinky. Try rolling, twisting, and turning a slinky's coils on paper to get a print.
3. Create a slinky pencil holder.
4. Hang a slinky from a string and create springing ceiling art!

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Boomerangs and Paper Planes

Combine art, math, and science with two high flying projects!

SCIENCE - Kids test out four different boomerang designs to find out what shape has the most soaring potential, while learning about aerodynamicsPrint out boomerang templates on cardstock. ART - Besides the templates, try designing your very own boomerang shape. How does it compare to the templates? Trace around your stencils on cardboard and cut. For a large class, have each student in charge of making one boomerang template above and one, one of a kind design (homework). 

Then, comes the big test. MATH - They use their math skills to measure the distance of each boomerang with a tape measurer. Before you test them out, make a prediction. Which boomerang will fly the highest? Which one will soar the farthest? Record the distances of each boomerang on the sheet below. Also, write down your observations. 
ART - Kids research a unique paper plane design and construct it at home. Encourage kids to get super creative with their airplane. No basic paper plane designs! They bring it back to school to see how it flies in comparison to their peers' designs. MATH - Fly the planes outside and measure the distance their planes land. SCIENCE - How does paper plane design, construction, and even adornment affect flying potential? Students record their planes' distance, as well as observations in their notebook.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Water Balloon Experiments


Have a blast experimenting with gravity and air resistance by having a water balloon throw down! Grab 2 filled water balloons and 1 plastic grocery or garbage bag. I used a small trash bag, folded it over, and taped a piece of yarn on each corner. Once your parachute is ready, attach one of your balloons. Simply tie a knot around the knot of your filled balloon. Next, find a high place to drop your balloons. Before all the action begins, have kids make a prediction. Will both balloons burst when dropped? Can a parachute keep a water balloon intact? Which balloon will come out on top? Now, time for the free fall! Drop the balloon that has no protection. After the splat, try your parachute protected balloon. Below are the results, I tried to snap an action shot, but my reflexes were delayed!

What's going on:
The parachute fills up with air when you drop it. The air slows down the balloon's landing, pushing away from the earth's gravitational pull, preserving your balloon!

Free Fall - The balloon with no parachute falls at a much faster rate of speed, causing it to hit the ground harder, so it POPS!

After your experiment, keep your parachute. Have Barbie or Iron Man go skydiving! Now, you have a new toy! (Note: You can also do this experiment with an egg!)





Have fun with a bouncy, wet yo-yo! Spring it back and forth, will it POP?! All you need is a super long rubber band and one water balloon. Fill your balloon. Then, cut your rubber band. Tie one end of the band around the knot of your balloon. On the other side of the band, make a loop and tie a knot. While playing with your yo-yo, talk about potential energy and kinetic.

Throw a water balloon yo-yo competition with your friends! Who's yo-yo will last the longest before it bursts?!

Click here for water balloon wet n wild math!

Monday, April 30, 2012

Oh Snap! Experiment

Combine mathscience, and a little competition with this fun experiment! First find a super stretchy rubber band. Mine measured three inches at rest. Grab some sidewalk chalk and a ruler and head outside. Stretch rubber band and aim, but don't shoot yet! Have a friend measure the stretched band with a ruler. Then, let go and mark where your rubber band lands. Next to the mark write down how far the band was stretched before shooting (see image). 

Math - You already did some math, by measuring your rubber band before each shot. Now, use a tape measurer to record the distance from the shot to where the band landed. Example - 14 inch stretch before shot and band landed 14.5 inches from where I sat and shot it. 

Science - Talk about potential and kinetic energy. A rubber band has potential energy and when in motion, it's energy is kinetic! By stretching the rubber band way way way far out, it will shoot farther. Visit Science Buddies for a recording sheet and more twists on this experiment!

Friday, March 16, 2012

Bounce!

To help kids understand energy transfer, conduct this simple experiment that demonstrates potential energy (stored) and kinetic energy (moving). Also, talk about momentum, speed, and mass.

1. Bounce a basketball and observe how high it bounced.
2. Drop a tennis ball, taking note of its bounce.
3. Now, hold the tennis ball on top of the basketball and drop them at the same time.

You will notice that the tennis ball bounced much higher than before. The basketball on the other hand, didn't bounce as high. "Momentum / energy from the basketball transferred to the tennis ball." -  Physics.org. The basketball lost energy. The tennis ball gained energy, causing it to bounce much higher.


Try holding the basket ball on top of the tennis ball. Does weight make a difference? Record your findings.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Build a Mini Roller Coaster!

photo via sal journey
Construct a roller coaster and learn about physics! You can start off building simple ramps. Then, use tape and create complex loops and drops around your house or classroom!

materials:
pipe insulation tubes
tape
marbles


If you want to make a simple track, build a pool noodle race track! Visit Lindsay and Andrew for instructions!