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displaying 1 - 10 of 37 lessons
| title | description | rating | updated | author | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cohesion and Surface Tension |
Surface tension explains why dew drops are spherical, why a stream of liquid separates into droplets as it falls, and why some heavier-than-water objects can float on the surface of a still pond. In the absence of gravity, surface tension can be a powerful effect, as... |
(23 votes) |
27-May-2018 | guy |
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| Iron and Magnets |
This lesson provides general backround on magnets, and suggests several classroom activities involving magnets and iron filings. These include
|
(15 votes) |
1-Feb-2018 | guy |
 |
| Soda Bottle Rocket |
This lesson gives instructions for a simple rocket that can be constructed out of a soda bottle and some alcohol in a matter of seconds. I also explain the basic principles of rocket propulsion (Newton's 3rd law) and offer some suggested design refinements, including a... |
(12 votes) |
23-May-2017 | guy |
 |
| Basic Electromagnets |
This lesson provides some general background on electromagnets and describes three simple activities for students to explore on their own. For reference, it also includes formulas for the magnetic field strength around several common types of electromagnets. learning... |
(7 votes) |
23-May-2017 | guy |
 |
| Hair, Balloons and Static Electricity |
This lesson describes and explains the common effects of static electricity. It provides instructions for making a "pith ball" to study static electric effects from different materials, and includes data on many common materials. |
(162 votes) |
23-May-2017 | guy |
 |
| Magnetic Materials |
This lesson is a brief guide to exploring magnetic materials. It lists a variety of everyday metals, their magnetic properties, and where to find them. Students are encouraged to locate as many examples as they can, and test them with magnets. A checklist for students is... |
(104 votes) |
1-Aug-2016 | guy | |
| Bernoulli's Principle and the Venturi Tube |
The Bernoulli principle states that a region of fast flowing fluid exerts lower pressure on its surroundings than a region of slow flowing fluid. The principle applies to the motion of air over an airplane wing, to air flow through a carburetor, to a flag flapping in the... |
(95 votes) |
6-Jul-2016 | guy |
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| Stacked Ball Drop - Lessons in Conservation of Energy and Momentum |
Drop a stack of balls on the floor. By carefully choosing the relative masses of the balls, it is possible to send the top ball flying many times higher than the distance it fell. Analysis of the collision offers good lessons in relative motion and the conservation of... |
(83 votes) |
9-Jun-2016 | guy |
 |
| Smoke Ring Machines and Dolphin Bubbles |
Smoke rings offer wonderful lessons in fluid dynamics. Use them to initiate discussions on fluid flow, air pressure, and Bernoulli's principle. This lesson contains instructions for how to build your own smoke ring machine out of an empty soda bottle, and outlines the... |
(10 votes) |
25-May-2016 | guy |
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| Minimalist Motors |
Building a simple motor is much easier than most people realize. All it takes is a battery, a magnet and a piece of wire. This lesson reviews some simple motors and demonstrates a minimalist design constructed from a button cell battery, some wire, and a small but... |
(4 votes) |
7-Jan-2016 | guy |
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