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The Advantage of Machines

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The Advantage of Machines

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In this lesson, students learn about work as defined by physical science and see that work is made easier through the use of simple machines. Already encountering simple machines everyday, students will be alerted to their widespread uses in everyday life. This lesson serves as the starting point for the Simple Machines Unit.

Subject:: Engineering; Physics
Material Type:: Activity/Lab; Lesson Plan
Provider:: TeachEngineering
Provider Set:: TeachEngineering
Author:: Glen Sirakavit; Janet Yowell; Malinda Schaefer Zarske; Melissa Straten; Michael Bendewald
Date Added:: 09/18/2014

Afterimage

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In this activity about light and perception, learners discover how a flash of light can create a lingering image called an "afterimage" on the retina of the eye. Learners will be surprised when they continue to see an image of a bright object after staring at it and looking away. Use this activity to introduce learners to principles of optics and perception as well as to explain why the full moon often appears larger when it is on the horizon than when it is overhead. This lesson guide also includes a few extensions like how to take "afterimage photographs."

Subject:: Physics
Material Type:: Activity/Lab
Provider:: Exploratorium
Provider Set:: Science Snacks
Date Added:: 09/04/2019

Anti-Gravity Mirror

Anti-Gravity Mirror

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In this demonstration, amaze learners by performing simple tricks using mirrors. These tricks take advantage of how a mirror can reflect your right side so it appears to be your left side. To make the effect more dramatic, cover the mirror with a cloth, climb onto the table, straddle the mirror, and then drop the cloth as you appear to "take off." This resource contains information about how this trick was applied during the making of the movie "Star Wars."

Subject:: Physics
Material Type:: Activity/Lab
Provider:: Exploratorium
Provider Set:: Science Snacks
Author:: California Department of Education; National Science Foundation; NEC Foundation of America; The Exploratorium
Date Added:: 09/04/2019

Anti-Sound Spring

Anti-Sound Spring

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In this simple exploration, a coiled phone cord slows the motion of a wave so you can see how a single pulse travels and what happens when two traveling wave pulses meet in the middle.

Subject:: Physics
Material Type:: Activity/Lab
Provider:: Exploratorium
Provider Set:: Science Snacks
Date Added:: 09/04/2019

Antimatter Matters

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Antimatter Matters

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Antimatter, the charge reversed equivalent of matter, has captured the imaginations of science fiction fans for years as a perfectly efficient form of energy. While normal matter consists of atoms with negatively charged electrons orbiting positively charged nuclei, antimatter consists of positively charged positrons orbiting negatively charged anti-nuclei. When antimatter and matter meet, both substances are annihilated, creating massive amounts of energy. Instances in which antimatter is portrayed in science fiction stories (such as Star Trek) are examined, including their purposes (fuel source, weapons, alternate universes) and properties. Students compare and contrast matter and antimatter, learn how antimatter can be used as a form of energy, and consider potential engineering applications for antimatter.

Subject:: Engineering; Physics
Material Type:: Lesson Plan
Provider:: TeachEngineering
Provider Set:: TeachEngineering
Author:: Christine Hawthorne; Rachel Howser
Date Added:: 09/18/2014

Archimedes' Principle, Pascal's Law and Bernoulli's Principle

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Archimedes' Principle, Pascal's Law and Bernoulli's Principle

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Students are introduced to Pascal's law, Archimedes' principle and Bernoulli's principle. Fundamental definitions, equations, practice problems and engineering applications are supplied. A PowerPoint® presentation, practice problems and grading rubric are provided.

Subject:: Engineering; Mathematics; Physics
Material Type:: Lesson Plan
Provider:: TeachEngineering
Provider Set:: TeachEngineering
Author:: Emily Sappington; Mila Taylor
Date Added:: 09/18/2014

Architects and Engineers

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Architects and Engineers

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Students explore the interface between architecture and engineering. In the associated hands-on activity, students act as both architects and engineers by designing and building a small parking garage.

Subject:: Architecture and Design; Engineering; Education; Physics
Material Type:: Activity/Lab; Lesson Plan
Provider:: TeachEngineering
Provider Set:: TeachEngineering
Author:: Abigail Watrous; Denali Lander; Janet Yowell; Katherine Beggs; Melissa Straten; Sara Stemler
Date Added:: 09/18/2014

Art in Engineering - Moving Art

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Art in Engineering - Moving Art

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Students learn how forces are used in the creation of art. They come to understand that it is not just bridge and airplane designers who are concerned about how forces interact with objects, but artists as well. As "paper engineers," students create their own mobiles and pop-up books, and identify and use the forces (air currents, gravity, hand movement) acting upon them.

Subject:: Engineering; Physics
Material Type:: Activity/Lab; Lesson Plan
Provider:: TeachEngineering
Provider Set:: TeachEngineering
Author:: Denise Carlson; Denise W. Carlson; Malinda Schaefer Zarske; Natalie Mach
Date Added:: 09/18/2014

Attack of the Raging River

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Attack of the Raging River

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In this lesson, the students will discover the relationship between an object's mass and the amount of space it takes up (its volume). The students will also learn about the concepts of displacement and density.

Subject:: Engineering; Physics
Material Type:: Activity/Lab; Lesson Plan
Provider:: TeachEngineering
Provider Set:: TeachEngineering
Date Added:: 09/18/2014

Audio Engineers: Sound Weavers

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Audio Engineers: Sound Weavers

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In this lesson, students are introduced to audio engineers. They discover in what type of an environment audio engineers work and exactly what they do on a day-to-day basis. Students come to realize that audio engineers help produce their favorite music and movies.

Subject:: Engineering; Physics
Material Type:: Activity/Lab; Lesson Plan
Provider:: TeachEngineering
Provider Set:: TeachEngineering
Author:: Janet Yowell; Malinda Schaefer Zarske; Michael Bendewald
Date Added:: 09/18/2014

Avalanche

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What starts out as a cascade of well-mixed granular materials sorts itself into alternating layers of salt and sand.

Subject:: Physics
Material Type:: Activity/Lab
Provider:: Exploratorium
Provider Set:: Science Snacks
Date Added:: 09/04/2019

Balancing Ball

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This webpage from Exploratorium provides an activity that demonstrates the Bernoulli principle with readily available materials. In this activity a table tennis ball is levitated in a stream of air from a vacuum cleaner. The site provides an explanation of what happens, asks questions about the activity, and also describes applications to flight. This activity is part of Exploratorium's Science Snacks series.

Subject:: Physics
Material Type:: Activity/Lab
Provider:: Exploratorium
Provider Set:: Science Snacks
Date Added:: 06/12/2006

Balancing Stick

Balancing Stick

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In this quick and simple activity, learners explore how the distribution of the mass of an object determines the position of its center of gravity, its angular momentum, and your ability to balance it. Learners discover it is easier to balance a wooden dowel on the tip of their fingers when a lump of clay is near the top of the stick. Use this activity to introduce learners to rotational inertia.

Subject:: Physics
Material Type:: Activity/Lab
Provider:: Exploratorium
Provider Set:: Science Snacks
Date Added:: 07/06/2006

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Balloons

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Students follow the steps of the engineering design process as they design and construct balloons for aerial surveillance. After their first attempts to create balloons, they are given the associated Estimating Buoyancy lesson to learn about volume, buoyancy and density to help them iterate more successful balloon designs.Applying their newfound knowledge, the young engineers build and test balloons that fly carrying small flip cameras that capture aerial images of their school. Students use the aerial footage to draw maps and estimate areas.

Subject:: Engineering; Mathematics; Physics
Material Type:: Activity/Lab
Provider:: TeachEngineering
Provider Set:: TeachEngineering
Author:: Marissa H. Forbes; Mike Soltys
Date Added:: 09/18/2014

Basic Physics Second Edition (Student Edition)

Basic Physics Second Edition (Student Edition)

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CK-12 Basic Physics - Second Edition updates CK-12 Basic Physics and is intended to be used as one small part of a multifaceted strategy to teach physics conceptually and mathematically.

Subject:: Physics
Material Type:: Activity/Lab; Textbook
Provider:: CK-12 Foundation
Provider Set:: CK-12 FlexBook
Author:: Dann, James
Date Added:: 03/20/2010

Bee Hummer

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When you spin it around, this toy sounds like a swarm of buzzing bees.

Subject:: Physics
Material Type:: Activity/Lab
Provider:: Exploratorium
Provider Set:: Science Snacks
Date Added:: 09/04/2019

Benham's Disk

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In this optics activity, learners discover that when they rotate a special black and white pattern called a Benham's Disk, it produces the illusion of colored rings. Learners experiment with the speed of rotation and direction of rotation to observe varying patterns. Use this activity to explain to learners how our eyes detect color and how different color receptors in the eye respond at different rates.

Subject:: Physics
Material Type:: Activity/Lab
Provider:: Exploratorium
Provider Set:: Science Snacks
Author:: California Department of Education; Don Rathjen; National Science Foundation; NEC Foundation of America; The Exploratorium
Date Added:: 09/04/2019

Bernoulli Levitator

Bernoulli Levitator

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Demonstrate the Bernoulli Principle using simple materials on a small or large scale. This resource includes two activities that allow learners to experience the Bernoulli Principle, in which an object is suspended in air by blowing down on it. Use this activity to explain how atomizers work and why windows are sometimes sucked out of their frames as two trains rush past each other.

Subject:: Physics
Material Type:: Activity/Lab
Provider:: Exploratorium
Provider Set:: Science Snacks
Date Added:: 07/07/2006

Bicycle-Wheel Gyro

Bicycle-Wheel Gyro

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In this activity, a spinning bicycle wheel resists efforts to tilt it and point the axle in a new direction. Learners use the bicycle wheel like a giant gyroscope to explore angular momentum and torque. Learners can participate in the assembly of the Bicycle Wheel Gyro or use a preassembled unit to explore these concepts and go for an unexpected spin!

Subject:: Physics
Material Type:: Activity/Lab
Provider:: Exploratorium
Provider Set:: Science Snacks
Date Added:: 06/12/2006

Blue Sky

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This activity provides instructions for using a flashlight and aquarium (or other container of water) to explain why the sky is blue and sunsets are red. When the white light from the sun shines through the earth's atmosphere, it collides with gas molecules with the blue light scattering more than the other colors, leaving a dominant yellow-orange hue to the transmitted light. The scattered light makes the sky blue; the transmitted light makes the sunset reddish orange. The section entitled What's Going On? explains this phenomena.

Subject:: Physics
Material Type:: Activity/Lab
Provider:: Exploratorium
Provider Set:: Science Snacks
Date Added:: 11/06/2010