Add
Private Notes
What happens when you drop a perfectly balanced stack of balls? And how is the result like a supernova? The classic momentum transfer demonstration, taken to the next level.
Why do mirrors appear to flip images horizontally but not vertically?
Pi can be calculated using a random sample of darts thrown at a square and circle target. The problem with this method lies in attempting to throw "randomly." We explored different ways to overcome our errors.
How can just two rules of Einstein's 1905 theory of special relativity lead to seemingly paradoxical changes in the perception of time?
This video was inspired by a special relativity class in high school. Special relativity was one of the first subjects that made me go, “wow, that’s really how the world works?!” It stretched my imagination, as I hope the twin paradox will yours.
Surface tension holds the surface molecules of liquids tightly together and makes for some fun experiments!
Beyond molecules and atoms, how far down can we see below the wavelength of visible light? What is the smallest possible scale in the universe?
Protons and neutrons are made of three quarks, right? Wrong! Explore the particle they should have told you about when you were a kid!
The New Horizons probe reached its closest approach to Pluto on July 14, 2015 at 7:49 EST. We have received more and more detailed images and data about the dwarf planet and its largest moon, Charon. Very exciting times!
How do scientists mimic the physics of a hurricane on the surface of a bubble? What other types of crazy research are bubbles used for? Learn how to create colorful vortices on a bubble in your kitchen!
Learn how to make a wispy cloud come out of your mouth, even when it’s not cold out. Like any awesome trick, physics is to thank for the mouth cloud. This simple and fun demonstration can be used to explain the cloud in a bottle experiment, and real clouds in the sky.
3D movies and TV are is increasing in popularity, but is any of it truly 3D? How true is the 3D in movie theaters? How do glassess-less 3D TVs work? Try catching a ball with one eye closed. If you find it easy, try having the ball thrown a couple of feet in front of you, or from further away. It becomes increasingly difficult when the throw is off.
Holograms are photographic recordings of 3D scenes. Unlike a camera, which captures one view through a small viewer focused by a lens, holograms capture an entire light field which allows them to recreate the 3D scene. Shimmery 2D projections, like pre-recorded Pepper’s ghost illusion, are often confused with 3D holograms.
In The Martian, astronaut Mark Watney is stranded alone on Mars and must be rescued. It is an exciting tale of what could happen once humans start traveling to the red planet. Let’s take a look back at the most epic space rescues in history.
When you mix red and green, what do you get? White light is all of the colors, right? So, how do computer screens show you every wavelength of light? Or do they?
Ferrofluid is a liquid that displays unusual properties in the presence of a magnetic field. Watch what happens when we mix ferrofluid with the liquid from a glow stick!
You throw a rock in water from your boat. Can you figure out what happens to the water level?
As the weather gets colder and dryer, you are more likely to get shocked when getting out of a car, touching a door knob, or doing laundry. Is there a way to prevent getting shocked on the car door?
Are there any dangers associated with receiving an MRI and how exactly does an MRI work? Is it safe? Medical imaging, specifically magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), has come so far that we can create high resolution images of the entire body. The technology utilizes a cylindrical cavity surrounded by a giant electromagnet, and the magnetic field though the cavity is used to image body tissue.
A wheel that spins forever; a bird that never quenches its thirst; a clock that never stops ticking, an endless source of free energy. These are but the dreams of inventors striving to make perpetual motion machines, machines that can work forever without any energy input. Are these machines possible without violating the laws of physics? No.
These 5 holiday-themed physics experiments will keep you and your family busy with science during the winter holidays! All experiments involve materials found around the house. Parental supervision advised .
