Have you ever seen someone flick a tablecloth out from under plates that stay in place? The plates stay in place because of a concept called inertia.

A slightly easier way to demonstrate inertia is by dropping an Easter egg ( or other object ) into a container.

We usually do this science demonstration with an orange or lemon. This chocolate egg variation is just for fun.

Easter Egg Inertia Challenge

You'll need

A piece of card ( cardstock )

Cardboard tube

Pint glass

Easter eggs

Instructions

Place the card on top of the glass and the cardboard tube on top of the card.

The cardboard tube should be in line with the centre of the glass.

Carefully place a chocolate egg on top of the tube.

Quickly pull the card back. The egg should drop into the glass.

Why does this work?

The chocolate eggs are heavier than the cardboard tube, so they don't move as easily and fall straight down. This is called inertia. Inertia is how hard it is for a force to move an object. The column has low inertia, and the egg has high inertia.

There's no sideways force acting on the egg, so it falls straight down because of gravity.

Newton’s First Law states that an object remains at rest unless acted on by a force.

Extension Activities

Try one of my other awesome Easter STEM Challenges!

Learn more about Newton's Laws of Motion.

Try the same inertia activity with a lemon.

Science Concepts

Gravity

Laws of Motion

Inertia

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This paper aeroplane launcher is very easy to build and a great simple alternative to a more complex aeroplane launcher. Paper aeroplanes are one of those activities almost everyone has tried at least once and are usually thrown by hand. How well the plane flies depends on the design of the paper aeroplane and the amount of energy the person throwing it uses.

Paper aeroplanes look simple, but there's a lot of engineering and science involved in getting one to fly well.

Which forces act on a paper aeroplane?

After a paper aeroplane is launched, four forces start to act on it.

Gravity pulls the plane down.

Thrust from the person throwing the plane pushes it forward.

Drag is air pushing back on the plane.

Lift is created when the air under the wing pushes up harder than the air above pushes down. The forward motion of a glider (a paper plane is an example) results from losing altitude.

For a paper aeroplane to fly, the combination of lift and thrust must be greater than gravity and drag.

Paper Aeroplane Science Investigation

You'll need

Elastic band

Stapler

Paper

Card/cardstock

Instructions for a paper plane launcher

Follow the instructions in the video or follow the photos.

Construct a basic paper plane and then build the launcher by folding an A4 sheet of card in half and then half again.

Staple the elastic band slightly off-centre in the middle of the launcher.

Fold the paper and pull the elastic band to the opposite end of the folded card.

Place the aeroplane inside the launcher with the nose end where the staple is.

To launch the plane, hold the launcher in the air with the plane facing forward and quickly lift up the two ends of the card at the tail end.

The plane should shoot forward.

Video Paper Aeroplane Launcher Instructions

Paper Plane Investigation Ideas

Find the average distance the paper plane travels.

Experiment with different sizes and shapes of paper planes.

Compare how well the paper plane launcher works with different thicknesses of elastic bands.

Find out what happens if the front of the plane is made heavier.

Summary

When a paper plane is thrown upwards, it gains kinetic energy from the person throwing it. The kinetic energy is converted to potential energy, and the plane then glides, powered by gravity as it falls. Some energy is lost to air resistance.

When our launcher is used, energy is stored in the stretched elastic band, which is transferred to the plane.

If the plane moves quickly, its wings direct air downwards, generating an equal upward force ( lift ). A paper aeroplane launcher works well as it gives the plane a lot of speed and, therefore, lift to keep it in the air.

Science Concepts

Engineering

• Physics
• Lift
• Drag
• Thrust
• Air resistance
• Potential energy
• Kinetic energy

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These simple play dough animals are great for a push and pull or forces topic.

The idea is that children create animals from play dough or other modelling material using push and pull forces.

You'll need

Play dough

Instructions

Follow my simple instructions or create your own play dough animals using push and pull forces.

As an extension task, twists, squashes, and other movements can be added.

This activity encourages children to:

Learn that pushes and pulls are examples of forces.

Use and explore vocabulary such as - push, pull, bend, squash, twist

Manipulate materials

Work as a team

Science concepts

Forces

Push and pull forces

More science activities about forces

My push and pull puppets are another fun way to learn about push and pull forces.

Make a push and pull venn diagram.

Learn about forces with a DIY stomp rocket.

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These simple push and pull puppets are a great science craft and work well as a STEM challenge for a push and pull or forces topic.

The idea is that the arms of the puppet move up and down as the central straws are pushed up and pulled down.

Pushes and pulls are examples of forces. Pushes and pulls can make objects move, stop them moving, speed them up, slow them down or change their shape.

Push and Pull Puppets

The puppets are easy to make, but young children may need help making the holes in the cup and then threading the straws through the holes.

You'll need

Paper cup

Three paper straws

Sellotape

Paper

Decorations template - optional

Instructions

Tape the three straws together in a row about one-third of the way up.

Carefully pierce a hole in the middle of the bottom of the cup. The straw needs to be able to fit through the hole.

Make two more holes, one on each side of the cup about one-quarter from the bottom.

Bend the edge straws about halfway down.

Carefully push the straws up through the cup, pushing them through the holes.

Now you have a basic push and pull puppet toy. Add a head to the top straw and hands to the two arms! Use my template, or draw your own!

Gently pull and push the straws to make the arms and head of the puppet move up and down.

Push and Pull Puppet Instructions

Print my easy instructions for kids to follow and create their own push and pull puppets.

More ideas for learning about push and pull forces

Straw rockets are a great demonstration of a push force making an object move. You blow down the straw, and the force of the air makes the rocket fly.

A stomp rocket is another example of a push force.

Create a venn diagram of push and pull forces.

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Rockets make a great science project or space-themed STEM Challenge as they are fairly easy to make, can be personalised however you want and reused over and over again. These easy rockets kids can make are also fun craft projects and can be turned into a science investigation!

My personal favourite rocket is our mini bottle rocket. It's quick to set up and doesn't fly up with too much force, but it is still very impressive to watch!

If you love space science, don't forget to check out my book This IS Rocket Science, which contains SEVENTY space-themed science ideas for kids!

Easy Rockets Kids Can Make

This milk jug rocket is sometimes called a rocket mouse. It's low prep, mess free and fun for little people.

A rocket mouse is also a great first science activity for learning about forces!

Air Rocket Launcher

An air rocket launcher is easy to make. It requires only a two-litre plastic bottle, tape, and a small segment of PVC pipe.

The rocket part is made from paper rolled around the pipe, so it's a snug fit.

Simple Stomp Rocket

Stomp rockets are always fun, and this one is very easy to make! Pop the rocket on the end and stomp on the bottle.

Mini Bottle Rocket

My mini bottle rockets are my absolute favourite DIY rockets! You need a 500ml bottle, straws or lolly sticks, a cork and some power for the rocket. This could be Alka Seltzer and water, an effervescent vitamin tablet or even baking soda and vinegar.

Children can experiment to find the best combination of baking soda and vinegar or an effervescent tablet and water to make their rocket fly!

This can be turned into an investigation by adding extra weight to the side of the rocket to see how that impacts how far it flies upwards.

Straw Rockets

Straw Rockets are also mess-free, easy to make and can be themed in lots of different ways.

The paper cutout of a rocket is attached to a shorter, wider straw than the one the experimenter blows down. The wider straw is sealed at the top, so when air from the main straw hits it, the rocket flies!

An alternative to this design is using a plastic bottle rocket launcher to push air through the straw.

Film Canister Rockets - adult supervision needed

These are another very easy rocket to make. You can decorate the film canister or leave it as it is. These are ready to launch immediately and can be reused straight away as long as you can find both pieces of the film canister from the previous launch.

Film canister rockets can be set up as a science investigation by adding extra weight to one rocket. Remember to keep all other conditions the same ( amount of water and effervescent vitamin tablet ).

Water Powered Bottle Rocket - adult supervision needed

A water powered bottle rocket needs a bit more prep and shoots up fast and high so you'll need some adult help and a big empty space!

This type of rocket is perfect for a class demonstration or a great space science competition if children design and build their rockets in teams and then an adult launches each one.

Which rocket will you try first?

More rockets kids can make.

What Do We Do All Day has a brilliant balloon rocket craft.

This toilet paper rocket from Mombrite is really cute, too!

More space science for kids

Find out how you can walk the solar system in your back garden.

Discover how craters form using marbles, flour and hot chocolate powder.

Or try one of my other space experiments for kids!

The post 5 Easy Rockets Kids Can Make appeared first on Science Experiments for Kids.

This DIY slingshot is very easy to make and only requires a couple of cardboard tubes, elastic bands and a pencil!

When the pom poms are fired out of the launcher they don't fall straight to the ground, but instead follow a curved path. This is because there are two forces acting on them. Gravity tries to pull them down, while the forward force from the inner cardboard tube pushes them forward.

Remember to only use soft or very light items with your slingshot. We used table tennis balls and soft pom poms.

How to make a DIY Slingshot

What you need:

Thin cardboard tube. If you don't have a thin one you can cut a toilet roll in half lengthways and roll it into a smaller tube.

Cardboard tube

2 elastic bands

Pencil

Scissors

DIY Slingshot Instructions

Check one of tubes fits easily inside the other.

Ask an adult to help make two small holes in the thinner tube about 2 cm from the bottom.

Carefully push the pencil through both holes.

Cut two small cuts on each side of one end of the larger tube.

Put the small tube inside the larger tube and fix the elastic bands in place around the pencil and inside the cuts you made in the bigger tube.

Pop some pom poms inside, pull back the smaller tube and let go!

Slingshot Extension Task

Experiment firing at different angles to see how the trajectory of the pom poms changes

More Science for Kids

Try one of my easy experiments that make things fly.

Have a go at another experiment for learning about gravity.

Or, try one of my easy STEM challenges using cardboard.

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Lolly stick or popsicle stick catapults are very easy to make, provide hours of fun and are brilliant engineering and design projects. We made our popsicle stick catapults space-themed and turned table tennis balls into planets. There are so many different catapult designs and themes to choose from; you'll be busy for weeks! Catapults are a brilliant way to learn about energy, gravity and Newton's Laws of Motion.

Popsicle stick catapults are also great for a maths-based activity if children record how far different sizes/weights of balls travel. We've found that small pom poms fly very well as they are light.

Lolly stick catapults are simple to make and use, although young children may need some help. Once you get the hang of them, each one takes only a couple of minutes to create. They're a great kids' activity for a rainy day.

What you need for a Popsicle Stick Catapult

Wide popsicle sticks/ lolly sticks

Elastic bands

Table tennis balls

Other items to test

Double-sided tape

Milk bottle top

Tape measure - optional

How to make a lolly stick catapult

• Start with about seven popsicle sticks and place them on top of each other. Twist an elastic band around each end to hold them in place.

• Place another stick above and one below the stack of 7 so they make a cross shape. You should have more lolly sticks on the end to use for the milk top.

• Tie an elastic band around the middle of the cross.

• Twist another elastic band around the bottom of two sticks, as you can see in the photo.

• Attach a milk bottle top using double sided tape or strong glue.

• Experiment with your table tennis balls.

Popsicle Stick Catapult Investigation Ideas

Remember to only change one variable at a time

Change the design

Try adding extra or fewer sticks to the central part of the catapult.

Make the throwing arm shorter.

Change the item being catapulted

Investigate to find out if a heavier ball travels further.

Make it a challenge!

Set a challenge to find out how far you can make a ball travel!

Add some maths

Create a target with different numbers in different areas and use the lolly stick catapult to fire balls at the target. See who can score the most with a set number of balls.

How Does a Popsicle Stick Catapult Work?

Newton's First Law states that an object stays at rest until a force is applied to the object.

When you pull down on the catapult arm, elastic potential energy is stored. When you release the catapult arm, the potential energy changes to kinetic energy ( energy of motion ), which is transferred to the object, which then flies through the air.

Catapults and conservation of energy

A lolly stick catapult demonstrates energy being converted from one type to another ( potential to kinetic ) and transferred from one object to another ( catapult arm to the ball ).

If you push the catapult arm down further you are storing more elastic potential energy which means more kinetic energy is transferred to the ball when you release it. The further you push the catapult arm down ( which takes more force from you ) the further the ball will travel.

If you want to learn more about Newton's Laws of Motion, try our film canister rocket.

More Catapult Design Ideas

Can you build a giant catapult? We used this one to launch tennis balls over a net.

Another fun STEM challenge is a LEGO catapult. Ours took some engineering and lots of tweaking, but it worked very well!

Create a simple shoe box catapult. Again this is a brilliant easy engineering project for kids with lots of possible variations on the design and theme.

Try some catapult painting like Fun-a-Day.

Frugal Fun for Boys has another catapult design.

How about a snowman popsicle stick catapult? Or a pokemon catapult?

The post How to Make a Lolly or Popsicle Stick Catapult appeared first on Science Experiments for Kids.

Here at Science Sparks, we love experiments you can make fly. We've got different types of rockets, paper spinners, parachutes and even a paper helicopter.

These simple and engaging science experiments are great for learning about forces. Gravity, friction and air resistance are all examples of forces you need to consider when making things fly!

Rockets are a great way to demonstrate Newton's Laws of Motion as children can see forces in action.

Experiments you can make fly

Bottle Rocket

One of my most popular science experiments is our water-powered bottle rocket. This one takes a bit of setting up, but it can be used over and over again, so it is worth the initial effort. You can also buy a bottle rocket kit, making it a bit easier.

We decorated ours, but that's completely optional.

Image below taken from This Is Rocket Science

Squeezy Bottle Rocket

Learn about Newton's Third Law with an easy squeezy rocket. The little rockets on top of the bottle are made from foam, but you can use folded paper sealed at the top to make it easier.

Film Canister Rockets

We love Growing a Jewelled Rose's exploding chalk rockets or try our slightly less colourful film canister rockets.

Film canister rockets are fantastic as they can be used over and over again, are reliable and launch with an impressive "pop". Just remember to stand well back.

Paper Helicopters

We found these awesome ( and simple to make ) helicopters in the fantastic new Easy Paper Projects book from Red Ted Art.

Paper Aeroplanes

Tinkerlab makes some brilliant paper aeroplanes. Try having a competition to see who can get their plane to fly the furthest. This is great for a bit of measuring practice too.

Straw Rockets

Our easy straw rockets are super simple to make and fly amazingly well. Red Ted Art also has some fun bee themed shooters made using the same technique.

Paper and Straw Aeroplanes

Red Ted Art has some brilliant paper and straw aeroplanes that are easy to make. You could also try making a giant version!

Milk Jug Rocket

Milk jug rockets are great for younger children. You only need an empty, clean milk jug and a cardboard or paper cone. Children squeeze the milk carton and the cone shoots into the air!

Paper Spinners

Paper spinners are always winners in our house. Try making big ones, little ones and even tiny ones to invesigate which fall the fastest.

Mini Baking Soda Powered Bottle Rocket

My mini baking soda powered bottle rocket is a brilliant garden science project. Watch out, as it shoots up with a bang!

The secret is to make sure the cork fits tightly!

Do you have any more ideas for flying experiments for us?

If you enjoyed these activities, don't forget to check out my gravity science experiments and activity ideas for learning about forces too!

Science Concepts

Gravity

Air resistance

Flight

Newton's Laws of Motion

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Isaac Newton's laws of motion explain the relationship between an object and the forces acting on it. The laws might seem very obvious today, but when Isaac Newton was alive, they were revolutionary and formed the basis of modern physics. Isaac Newton built on ideas from Galileo Galilei, Jean Richer and Rene Descartes. It is also said that Edmund Halley convinced Isaac Newton to write Principia.

Newton recorded his ideas about the laws of motion and gravity in a book called Principia.

A force is anything that can change the motion of an object. When you throw a ball, you exert a force on it in a specific direction, which is the direction in which it moves. The harder you throw, the further the ball travels as a bigger force is acting on it.

Newton's Laws of Motion?

What is Newton's First Law

An object at rest will remain at rest.

An object in motion will keep moving with the same speed and in the same direction unless another force acts on it.

Basically, that means a motionless object will stay motionless unless a force acts on it. Imagine a toy car on the floor; it will only move if someone pushes it.

If the forces acting on a body are balanced, it will move at a constant velocity.

Experiments to Demonstrate Newton's First Law

A rocket mouse is a fantastic demonstration of Newton's First Law. The cone on the milk bottle is at rest until the force of air being pushed out of the milk bottle ( when you squeeze it ) sends the cone flying into the air.

Newton's First Law is sometimes referred to as the Law of Inertia. This means that if an object is moving in a straight line, it will continue moving in a straight line unless a force acts on it.

An excellent way to demonstrate this is with a simple inertia experiment.

If you pull the yellow card fast enough, the black column will fall to the side, and the lemon will fall in a straight line into the glass! The video below shows this in action.

What about friction?

We know that, generally, objects don't continue moving forever because they are slowed down by friction. For example, a ball rolling on a carpet slows down much faster than a ball rolling on a smooth floor, as there is more friction between a ball on a rough surface than on a smooth surface. You can demonstrate this by making a friction ramp.

In space where there is no friction from air, objects keep moving for much longer.

Newton's Second Law

Newton's Second Law describes the relationship between the force applied to a body and the change in its momentum or acceleration.

Force is equal to mass times acceleration

f = ma

F - force applied ( N )

a - Acceleration (m/s²)

m - Mass ( kg )

What does that mean? Newton's Second Law states that force is equal to mass times acceleration. A change in momentum is proportional to the change in the force applied.

Imagine kicking a light plastic football and a heavy football. Moving the heavier ball the same distance as the lighter ball takes a lot more force.

Newton's Third Law

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

Newton's Third Law states that for every action, there is always an equal and opposite reaction. When one body acts on another, it experiences an equal and opposite reaction from the other body.

If you were to push an object, the object pushes back against you, and if you stop pushing, the force back against you stops as well.

Imagine a rocket launching. The downward thrust created by the engine is the action, and the reaction is an opposite upward thrust forcing the rocket into the air.

A rocket will continue moving upwards as long as there is a resultant upward force. If the upward thrust force ceased, the resultant force would be downward.

Experiments to demonstrate all three of Newton's Laws of Motion

A film canister rocket or mini bottle rocket is great for demonstrating all three of Newton's Laws.

Newton's First Law

The film canister remains motionless unless something is added to create a force ( usually an effervescent vitamin tablet and water ).

Newton's Second Law

Acceleration is affected by the mass of an object. If you increase the mass of the film canister, you'll find it moves more slowly and doesn't fly as high.

Newton's Third Law

The downward force on the film canister lid creates an opposite upward force on the canister's body, which flies up into the air.

More experiments to demonstrate forces

Think about some of the difficulties astronauts experience in space with this hands on activity about docking with the ISS.

Find out more about Isaac Newton, Galileo and other famous scientists.

Learn about gravity with straw rockets, magnets and water bottles in this selection of easy gravity experiments.

Finally, try one of these easy investigations for learning about forces and motion.

More easy ideas for learning about forces

Science Concepts

Forces

Newton's Laws of Motion

Friction

The post What are Isaac Newton's Laws of Motion? appeared first on Science Experiments for Kids.

Monaco is the world's second smallest country, but one of the richest! Monaco is located on the French Rivera and is well known for it's wealthy inhabitants and the annual Monaco Grand Prix!

This post is part of my Around the World in 50 Experiments series so don't forget to check out the rest! Where will you go next?

Supercharged Balloon Powered Car

To celebrate the Monaco Grand Prix you can make a balloon powered car! We made this one a bit extra special, but if you'd rather try a more basic balloon car I have instructions for that too.

The key to making a successful balloon powered car is keeping it light. This plastic bottle version is heavier than a cardboard car, which is why we need the extra balloons.

You'll need

A clean, empty bottle

4 plastic lids/thick cardboard circles or other wheels

3 balloons

Tape

2 skewers

3 Elastic bands

3 Straws

How to make a balloon powered car

Carefully attach each skewer to one plastic lid ( or other wheel material ) to make a wheel and axle.

Ask an adult to help you make four holes in the plastic bottle for the axle to fit through.

Push the axle through the holes and attach the second wheel.

Check the wheels turn freely.

Use the elastic bands to attach one balloon to the end of each straw. Take care not to squeeze the end of the straws with the elastic bands.

Check you can inflate each balloon by blowing down the straw.

Use tape to attach to straws to the bottle.

Blow up the balloons, place the car on the floor and watch it go!

If the car doesn't work, try making it lighter if possible. I had to make the axles smaller to reduce the weight of my car.

How does a balloon powered car work?

This balloon powered car is a great example of Newton’s Third Law of Motion.

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction

Air is forced out of the end of the balloon, which means there must be an equal and opposite reaction pushing the car forward!

Facts about Monaco

You can walk across the country is less than an hour!

The Monaco Grand Prix is one of the oldest car races in the world.

The entire country is only 2 sq km!!

Find out more about Monaco.

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Did you know you can make a compass using a magnet, a slice of cork, a bowl of water and a needle? This mini science project is a great way to learn about magnetism and Earth's magnetic field.

What is magnetism?

Magnetism is an invisible force that affects certain materials.

You don't need an especially strong magnet to do this. Ours was from a Learning Resources magnet set.

You'll need

A bowl

Water

Magnet

Slice of cork

Steel needle

How can you make a compass with a magnet?

Stroke the needle with one end of the magnet about 20 times. Make sure you lift the magnet after each stroke.

Fill the bowl of water to near the top and place the cork slice on top so it floats.

Place the magnetised needle on top of the cork. The cork and needle will turn until the needle faces North—South. The needle will line up with the Earth's magnetic field. If you have a compass, you can check this!

Make sure the magnet is far enough away not to interfere.

Why can you make a compass with a magnet and needle?

The needle is made from steel, which contains iron. Iron particles can be magnetised when stroked with a magnet. The effect is temporary but lasts long enough for you to see the needle act like a compass.

Remember, only iron, steel, nickel, and cobalt are magnetic!

Is the Earth like a magnet?

The inside of the Earth contains a lot of iron, so much that it acts like a HUGE magnet. It produces a magnetic field with field lines concentrated at the poles.

The magnetised needle in this activity lines up with the Earth's magnetic field, making it act like a compass.

What is a magnetic field?

A magnetic field is an area where magnetic materials experience a force.

You can demonstrate a magnetic field around a magnet using iron filings.

What is a compass?

A compass contains a magnetic needle which can move freely. The north-seeking pole of a compass points towards the north pole of the Earth. Compasses are used for navigating.

More Magnet Experiments for Kids

We love these magnet powered cars!

Defy gravity with a magnet with this easy trick!

Make a magnet pendulum like Teach Beside Me.

This would also make a great pirate themed science activity!

The post Make a Compass with a Magnet appeared first on Science Experiments for Kids.

A pneumatic system uses pressurised air to transmit energy. For this chick and egg craft I used two syringes. The system starts with the syringe inside the box in the closed position ( syringe fully down ) and with the syringe outside the box in the open position ( syringe fully open ). When the syringe outside the box is pushed down air is forced through the tubing and into the second syringe pushing the plunger upwards opening the box. This pneumatics project is a great Easter STEM Challenge!

It's a really simple mechanism that can be used for lots of crafts and activities.

We made this moving K'nex crane in the same way a few years ago.

Examples of pneumatics

Examples of pneumatics used in everyday life are:

Pneumatic drills like you see on the side of the road during roadworks.

Air brakes on vehicles.

Why use pneumatics

Air is light.

Pneumatic systems are usually safe as there are no sparks from electricity. This makes them great for use in areas where a spark could cause an explosion, such as a mine.

If there is any leakage, it's not messy.

Pneumatic systems can usually absorb shock as air is compressible.

Pneumatics Project - Chick and Egg

You'll need:

A shoe box with a hinged lid

Two syringes and plastic tubing

Cardboard/cardstock or thick paper - white, yellow and orange

Scissors

Tape

How to make an opening chick egg

Cut out a large egg shape that is big enough to cover the side of your shoe box.

Work out where you want the egg to open and cut a zig zap line the whole way across.

Use tape to attach the top of the egg to the shoe box lid ( on the side ) and the bottom to the main part of the box.

Cut out a chick shape and attach him to the inside of the box.

Carefully poke a hole in the bottom of the shoebox and thread one end of the tubing through to the inside of the box.

Attach a syringe to the end and use tape to attach the top of the syringe to the inside lid of the box.

Test your system!

How does it work?

The air inside the first syringe is forced through the tubing and into the second syringe with enough energy to push the syringe in the box upwards.

Pneumatics and Hydraulics

Pneumatics use gases that are easily compressed, such as air, while hydraulics use liquids that are harder to compress.

There are huge amounts of energy in moving air and moving water.

Moving air is used to create electricity by windmills and moving water is used in hydroelectric power stations to make electricity.

The power of tides and waves are also potential sources of energy and are more reliable than the sun and wind.

More Easter STEM Ideas

Try one of my FREE Easter STEM Challenges. The chain reaction is my favourite!

This toothpick structure challenge is great fun, too!

The post Crack the Chick Egg - Easter STEM Challenge appeared first on Science Experiments for Kids.

This easy paper aeroplane launcher is a great STEM project for kids. We spent a long time perfecting the design of the launcher and then even longer finding the best size plane to use.

Once you've got the launcher working you can experiment with different trajectories and shape and sizes of planes to see which fly the furthest.

You'll need

Sheet of thick cardboard

Paper for aeroplanes

Glue

Tape

Elastic band

Instructions

Use the card to build a launch platform similar to the images below. We used a hot glue gun ( ask an adult to help if you do it this way )

Carefully poke two holes where the back of the aeroplane will sit.

Cut the elastic band to it's no longe a loop and thread it through the holes.

Tape each end securely to the the bottom of the platform.

Build some paper aeroplanes and place in the launcher ready to test.

Pull the paper plane back and watch it fly.

Experiment with different types of planes and paper.

Extension Tasks

Draw a landing zone with chalk and try to get your planes to land in the zone!

More STEM ideas for kids

This balloon carriage for Cinderella is great fun.

These newspaper STEM challenges are fantastic for a group STEM project.

This working conveyer belt craft and STEM challenge is just brilliant from Pink Stripy Socks.

If you need a very simple STEM challenge, this how many coins to make a boat sink activity is super easy!

I've also got lots more easy STEM challenges for you to try.

The post Paper Aeroplane Launcher appeared first on Science Experiments for Kids.

When you stretch an elastic band with your fingers it uses energy. That energy isn't lost, it is stored in the elastic band. When you release the pressure on the elastic band the energy is released and the band shrinks back to its original size.

Cotton reel cars are a great example of using this kind of stored energy to make something move.

Today we're making an elastic band powered boat! It's much easier than it looks and even my 13 year old was impressed!

What you'll need:

Empty plastic container

3 lolly sticks or crafts sticks

Glue

Scissors

Elastic band

Container of water

How to make an Elastic Band Powered Boat

Glue a lollystick stick to each side of the plastic container.

Cut the third lolly stick in half.

Stretch the elastic band over the end of the two lolly sticks and wind the half lolly stick up in the band.

Place the boat in a tub of water and let go!

Why does an elastic band powered boat work?

As you wind the paddle with the elastic band, the band stretches, storing up energy. When you let the paddle go, the elastic band unwinds to shrink back to its original size releasing the stored energy and turning the paddle!

The turning of the paddle propels the boat through the water.

More elastic band powered experiments

Our elastic band slingshot is another great idea

Rookie Parenting has a slightly different design boat that looks brilliant too!

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Forces are all around us and affect everything we do. With that in mind, I've put together a collection of ideas for learning about forces and motion with fun forces and motion experiments for everyone, from preschoolers to grown-ups. There are friction experiments, gravity experiments, air resistance experiments, and lots more! Each activity is easy to set up and works well as a science project for home or school.

If you're looking for a book full of force experiments, This IS Rocket Science might be just what you're looking for! It contains SEVENTY experiments all about the forces involved in space travel!

Let's start with some basics.

Forces and Motion - What is a force?

A force is a push or a pull. Forces can make objects move or stop, speed them up or slow them down. If you push a toy car it moves, if you push it harder it moves faster. Forces can also make objects change direction or shape.

A lighter object needs less force to move than a heavier object. For example you could push an empty box easily, but a filled box would be harder, it would need more force to move.

If you give a toy car a push what happens? It speeds up and then slows down. The reason it slows down is because of two forces, air resistance and friction.

Air resistance is air pushing on a moving object which slows it down.

Friction is the force between two objects when you rub them together. Try rubbing your hands together? Do they get hot? You feel the friction between your hands as heat.

Air resistance and friction take time to slow an object down, if you want an object to stop quickly you need to apply further force, for example a brake on a bike.

Other examples of forces are magnetism, gravity and air pressure.

Over the years we've completed lots of forces experiments on Science Sparks, here are the best ones.

Learn about simple push and pull forces in this easy activity.

Friction Experiments for Kids

What is Friction?

Friction tries to stop objects sliding past each other. Friction allows things to start and stop moving and slows them down.

Imagine sliding two strips of ribbon over each other and then think how hard it would be with two velcro strips. There is more friction between the velcro strips than the ribbon. The amount of friction between two objects depends on what the objects are made from. The rougher the surface the more friction is produced, this is why rockets are streamlined!

Friction Experiments

Find out why you slip and slide more on smooth surfaces than rougher surfaces with this slipping and sliding activity. Do be careful not to fall over though.

A toy zip line is the garden is a great way to learn about friction and fun science project too!

Discover why we salt/grit icy roads in winter.

Investigate which material would make the best ice hockey puck. We want to reduce friction for a good puck as it needs to move quickly and cleanly across the ice.

Learn about reducing friction with this easy Hovercraft

Gravity Experiments for kids

A film canister rocket is a great demonstration of lots of different forces, but it falls back to the ground thanks to gravity.

Water powered bottle rockets are another fantastic example of gravity and lots of other forces too!

Discover a cool science trick to defy gravity using magnets.

Design and build straw rockets and launch at different angles to investigate how the flight trajectory changes.

For younger children, try this fun gravity activity from Inspiration Laboratories.

Making vehicles move - science experiments

We used carbon dioxide released from a baking soda and vinegar reaction to power a bottle boat.

Store up energy in an elastic band to make a cotton reel car move.

Slightly more simple and much more powerful is our balloon powered car.

Red Ted Art made a fun elastic powered tugboat which moves using the energy stored when you wind up an elastic band.

Magnet Experiments for Kids

Make an easy magnet maze with cardboard or even a LEGO maze.

Build some easy magnet powered cars or a magnet powered boat.

How about a magnet sensory bottle?

Air Resistance Experiments for Kids

Explore gravity and air resistance with these simple paper spinners.

Make a parachute, can you save an egg?

Air Pressure Experiments

Watch a boiled egg drop into a bottle with a little science magic.

Make a bottle rocket. Remember you need lots of space for this one as the rocket shoots up quickly and very high!

Watch water rise with a cool air pressure experiment.

Pop the lid off a bottle with these coin poppers.

Make these shooters and explore trajectory and aerodynamics.

How about a film canister rocket? These are great fun, always work, and fly with a pop!

More ideas for learning about forces and motion

Make a simple stomp rocket!

Try this easy inertia experiment where an object drops straight down into a glass!

Learn about kinetic energy with a homemade slingshot or lollystick catapult.

Drop water balloons filled with paint and compare splatter patterns from different heights.

Explore energy and 'bouncy-ness' with some balls and different surfaces.

Try this milk jug rocket craft and experiment from Red Ted Art.

Find out how you can stand on a paper cup without it breaking.

Why do you get dizzy on a roundabout? It's all about the forces.

You could investigate the force needed to break an eggshell.

Finally, do you know why a balloon makes a funny noise when you let it go?

Finally, learn all about Newton's famous Laws of Motion with even more brilliant science experiments for learning about forces.

We'll be adding to this list constantly, so do keep popping back for more great ideas for forces and motion experiments for kids.

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This inertia experiment is super easy and a great fun science trick for kids and adults! Watch as the lemon falls straight into the glass below when the cardboard is pulled quickly to one side.

If you want to learn more about Isaac Newton's Laws of Motion or forces in general, I've got lots more forces and motion experiments you can try!

What is inertia?

Isaac Newton's First Law states that an object stays still or keeps moving at the same speed and in a straight line unless it is acted upon by a force.

In simple terms, this means that if an object isn't moving ( imagine a book on the floor ), it won't start to move unless a force makes it move ( for example, if you push the book ).

Isaac Newton's First Law is known as the Law of Inertia.

Easy Inertia Experiment

You'll need:

Card folded into a triangle column and taped securely.

Piece of card - A5 size

Small object that is big enough to sit on top of the column.

Pint glass

Inertia Experiment Instructions

Place the A5 sheet of card on top of the pint glass.

Carefully put the triangular column on the card.

Balance the lemon on top of the column, it needs to be directly above the glass.

Hold the glass with one hand and then quickly pull the A5 card with the other hand.

The lemon should drop into the glass!

Why does this work?

The lemon is heavier than the cardboard column, so it doesn't move as easily as when the cardboard is pulled from underneath.

There isn't a sideways force acting on the lemon so it falls straight down because of gravity.

Newton's First Law states that an object remains at rest unless acted on by a force.

More Forces Experiments for Kids

Design, build and launch a water powered bottle rocket!

Learn about potential energy with a cotton reel car or make a balloon powered car.

Learn more about Newton's Laws of Motion and how they apply to space travel in my book, This IS Rocket Science!

The post Easy Inertia Experiment appeared first on Science Experiments for Kids.

Do you think you can stand on a paper cup or would you expect it to break? We thought our cup might break, but checked just to be sure. We were right.

Easy STEM Challenge

How can you stand on a paper cup without breaking it?

Try spacing several cups out evenly and then place a sheet of cardboard on the top. You should find the cups can now hold your weight.

Carefully try a second layer.

Ask a heavier person to try to stand on your cup tower, do the cups hold their weight too?

Why does this happen?

When we stood on one cup it broke straight away as we expected. This is because all our weight was pushing down on the cup, compressing it.

However,  if you arrange the cups neatly spaced apart and place a piece of cardboard over the top, the weight is spread out meaning there isn't too much weight on any one cup.

More STEM Challenges for kids

If you like STEM Challenges we've got plenty!

Make newspaper shoes, a newspaper den or even a newspaper kite with these easy newspaper STEM challenges.

This collection of Fairy Tale STEM Challenges is one of our all time favourites!

Or, try one of our many other super simple STEM Challenges for kids.

The post How can you stand on a paper cup without breaking it? appeared first on Science Experiments for Kids.

This fun parachute egg drop experiment is a great demonstration of the forces acting on parachutes. If you drop something, it falls to the ground. This is because it is pulled by the gravity of the Earth. You'll notice that some things drop faster than others. This is because of air resistance. Try dropping a piece of paper and a lego brick. Which drops the fastest?

We are going to try dropping an egg on its own, dropping an egg attached to a parachute and an egg in a basket under a balloon.

Egg Drop Experiment

How to make an egg parachute

What you need to make a parachute

• Bin bag/ plastic sheet/paper or other flat material.
• 4 pieces of string
• sellotape or masking tape
• 3 eggs ( we boiled ours )

Parachute Instructions

• Lay the bin bag out flat and cut out a big square.
• Make a hole in each corner, thread a piece of string through it and tie a knot.
• Tie all 4 pieces of string together and sellotape the egg to the bottom

Make Your Own Air Balloon

Air Balloon Materials

• Cardboard made into a basket shape or a small plastic container
• Balloon blown up
• 4 pieces of String

Air Balloon Instructions

• Sellotape some string to your balloon and attach the basket.
• Place the egg in the basket

Drop an egg on its own, the egg in the basket and the egg in the parachute from somewhere high up. Make sure an adult is around to help with this part.

Gravity and Air Resistance Explained

If you tried dropping paper and a lego brick or similar, the paper should have dropped to the floor more slowly than the brick. This is because the paper has a larger surface area, so has to push against more air as it drops, which means the air resistance is greater, and it drops more slowly.

An egg dropped without anything to slow it down will fall fast and break; the parachute and balloon add air resistance, slowing the fall and stopping the egg from breaking.

We also found that the parachute fell much more slowly than the balloon. This is because the parachute has a larger surface area than the balloon, and so slows the descent of the egg more.

If we dropped a hammer and a feather, we would expect the hammer to fall fastest; however, if we did this on the moon where there is no air resistance, they would hit the ground at the same time!

How do Parachutes Work?

As we explained above, two forces act on an object as it falls. Gravity pulls the object down, and air resistance slows the fall.

Parachutes are used to slow the fall of an object by increasing air resistance which reduces the effect of gravity!

More parachute investigation Ideas

Record the time taken for all three to drop and see how much slower the parachute is.

Try our experiments you can make fly.

Experiment with different sizes of parachutes and see which drops more slowly.

Don't forget to try our collection of easy ideas for learning about forces too.

In This IS Rocket Science we made parachutes with coffee filters which was great fun and you can experiment with different sizes and shapes.

If you liked this science experiment you'll LOVE my book This IS Rocket Science, which has 70 space themed science experiments for kids!

This post was originally published in 2011 and updated July 2019

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Earthquakes occur when parts of the Earth's crust and upper mantle move suddenly. Large earthquakes can cause catastrophic amounts of damage so it's very important to be able to predict when they might happen.

Earthquakes are detected using a seismometer which detects vibrations in the earth. We've made a very simple model of a seismometer to demonstrate how they work.

How to make a seismometer model

Materials

Shoebox

Paper or plastic cup

Pencil or felt tip

Scissors

String

Sellotape

Long paper

Seismometer Instructions

Carefully make two holes in the top of the box, ask a grown up to help with this part.

Next, make another hole in the centre of the bottom of the plastic or paper cup and two holes on either side of the top of the cup.

Push your pen or pencil through the bottom hole and make sure it's secure. Just a couple of cm of the pen should be poking through the bottom.

Thread your string through the two holes in the cup and then through the holes in the box and tie securely. The cup should be dangling down inside the box. You need to tie the string so the pen rests on the bottom of the box.

Carefully make a slit on either side of the bottom of the box and cut a length of paper that will pass through the slits.

Thread the paper through the slits.

Place your seismometer on a flat surface and ask a friend to shake the box while you pull the paper.

You should see a wiggly line on the paper. The more you shake the box the wider the lines will be.

Try making different types of movements to see how they change the line created.

More Earthquake Science

Test foundations made from different materials with this easy investigation.

Learn about plate tectonics with an orange.

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I think our garden zip line using teddies is one of my favourite activities we've ever done, just because it's so adaptable to children of all ages and abilities. My 4-year-old uses it as a big imaginative game, talking to her teddies, telling them not to be scared and lining them up so everyone gets a go. My 6-year-old makes the most amazing harnesses for us to test, and my 7-year-old likes to time the descent and find the fastest combination of zip line, harness and incline of the wire. I cannot tell you how much it made me smile to watch the three of them busily working away on their different approaches to the activity.

The zip line is brilliant outside on a fine day and also a great indoor boredom buster. You could even set up several zip lines in a row and race!

Garden Zip Line

What you need to make a teddy zip line

Teddies or small play figures

String, wire or wool

Pipe cleaners and straws

Timer

How to make a teddy zip line

This is a great activity for learning about correct experimental methods.

Start by listing the potential variables. Have we forgotten any?

Experiment Variables

Type of zip wire

The incline of the zip wire

Weight of teddy

Type of harness

To test one variable, all other variables must remain constant. For example, to test whether the weight of the teddy makes a difference, the type of wire, incline and harness must stay exactly the same. It's good practice to repeat each test 3 times and calculate the average time taken to help reduce errors.

Test each variable by recording the time taken for a bear to travel from top to bottom.

Try to work out the best combination of each variable to get the teddy to the bottom of the zip wire fastest.

Things to think about - garden zip line

Friction

We found the descent was much slower with our rough string than with smooth wire. This is because the string is rough, meaning there is more friction to slow the bear down. In the same way, our harness with just the pipe cleaner made for a slower descent than the pipe cleaner and straw. The straw is much smoother, and so reduces the friction, speeding the bear up.

Please be very careful with this activity, it's for teddies and small soft toys only!! Supervise children at all times.

More Friction Experiments

Simple slipping and sliding activity.

Try one of our fun forces and motion experiments.

A rocket zip line is another fun friction experiment idea and can be found with 69 more space-themed science experiments in This Is Rocket Science.

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Shoebox catapults are a great activity for practising correct scientific procedures or as a fun engineering project.

How to make a shoebox catapult

You'll need

Shoe box

Wooden spoon or a lolly stick and milk carton top

2 pencils or dowel

Elastic bands

Marshmallows or small light balls

Shoebox catapult instructions

Use the pencil to carefully pierce two holes in the shoe box. These need to be slightly towards one end of the box, about 2 cm from the top and at the same height.

Glue a milk carton top to the lolly stick and leave to dry ( if you are using a wooden spoon you don't need to do this step ).

Use the elastic bands to tie the lolly stick to the pencil/dowel and place the pencil/dowel through the holes.

Use the second pencil to make another hole in the box. This needs to be towards the bottom of the end of the box where the spoon is.

Tie an elastic band around the handle of the spoon and thread the other end through the hole in the box. Thread the second pencil through the elastic band to hold it in place.

The second ( green ) elastic band in the picture isn't needed.

Push down on the end of the spoon and let go. It should shoot upwards!

Test your catapult with different objects, do lighter objects move further?

Does the catapult work better if you flick the lolly stick with your finger or if you drop something onto the end.

How does it work?

When you pull down on the catapult arm, elastic energy is stored in the elastic band. When the catapult arm is released the potential energy changes to kinetic energy ( energy of motion ) which is transferred to the object which then flies through the air.

Investigation Ideas

Does an object travel further if you push the spoon down further?

Does a lighter object travel further?

What happens if you use a longer craft stick/spoon?

Remember to only change one variable at a time as you experiment.

Design and Technology

Are there any changes that could be made to the catapult to make it work better?

How can you improve your design?

More catapult ideas

Popsicle stick catapults are even easier to make!

Frugal fun for boys made a brilliant dowel rod catapult.

Or why not try to make a LEGO catapult?

Science concepts

• conservation of energy

• potential energy

• kinetic energy

The post How to make a shoebox catapult appeared first on Science Experiments for Kids.

What we were hoping to show with this cool splatter pattern investigation was that a water balloon dropped from a greater height falls with more speed and has a bigger splatter pattern than a water balloon of the same size dropped from a lower height.

As with many science investigations, we hit a few issues along the way. The balloons broke a little too easily, especially when accidentally dropped. There were lots of great questions and lovely giggles, though, so despite it not working very well, we still had fun.

What you'll need to make splatter patterns

A large tray or hard surface

Paint

Water balloons

How to make Splatter Patterns

Fill water balloons with water or paint and tie the ends. You can water down the paint if you'd rather.

Drop the balloons from different heights and observe how the splatter pattern changes.

We found that the balloons didn't always burst when dropped from a low height, so we placed a needle in the centre of the tray and used plasticine to hold it in place.

You can see that when the water balloon was dropped from higher up, the water spread out much further. This is because the balloon had further to travel before hitting the ground and, therefore, burst when travelling at a higher speed, which made the water spread out more.

To make things a bit clearer, I filled some more water balloons with paint and water mixed together. This was a very messy process, and I'd recommend filling the balloons either outside or in a sink.

Splat from the lowest height.

From a bit higher up.

From even higher.

With each increase in height, the spatter was bigger.

There are a few issues with this experiment. I couldn't be sure that the balloons all held exactly the same amount of water/paint. I did weigh the water balloons, but there was a few grams difference, and the paint ones were so hard to fill up that it would've been impossible to get the same amount in each.

I would have liked to have measured the distance between the needle and the edges of each splat, but our container was a little small.

Can you do this with more accuracy? You could draw a graph to display your results.

How many colours can you include in your splatter pattern?

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It is wonderful to be back here at Science Sparks to share some Science bits and pieces. Normally I blog over at Red Ted Art where I love to get crafty, and Life At The Zoo, which is all about stories from our family life (and lots of cake). So it is great to have a little science outlet too! Today we are going to find out why we get dizzy!

Do you like to go on Roundabouts? Do you like whizzing around and around and around? Do you get dizzy? Do you have to hold on tight? Did you ever think about what may be happening to you?

Well.. next time you go to the park. Go and have a go at the roundabout and see what happens. You can even take a tennis ball with you and do some experiments.

Roundabouts are GREAT for learning about science….

But first. What IS the science?

There are two parts – one about the feeling you get of being “pushed out” (which is why you hold on so tightly) and the second is about why you feel dizzy!

Holding on – Centrifugal Forces:

There are lots of “forces” in the world that make us do things. There is gravity, which is what makes things fall down. There is a reactive force when someone pushes us. And then there is something called a “centrifugal force”. When something is rotating around itself or a central axis, a force is created which pushes things in an outward motion. This “force” is created by the fact that the roundabout is constantly changing direction.

This is why you have to hold on really tightly on a roundabout, or else you would “fly off”. At our roundabout, you can see my daughter, Pip Squeak, holding on tightly – she is on a “new design” roundabout with a safety rail behind her. As the roundabout goes round and round, she is pushed against it. But she won’t fall off, as the rail has been placed in such a way that it holds her in place.

Here is your experiment: Take your ball and put it on the floor of the roundabout. Start turning the roundabout. First slowly and then faster and faster. Can you see what happens to the ball? [It will fly off!] Why don’t you experiment – what happens to a small ball (say a marble) vs a big ball (say a football)? Will a banana fly off too? [It may not at first] Why not? [oooh, now we have another topic, friction….].

Part Two – Dizziness

Why do we get dizzy?

Well.. blame it on your ear! My ear? I hear you shout. What does my ear have to do with anything?

Basically, when we walk or stand upright, our body is constantly balancing. It is figuring out how to stay up without falling over. The way it does this is by a clever mechanism that is inside our ears. We have some liquid, bones and fine hairs in the ear that pick up any movement and changes of direction. They send this information back to our brains, telling us what we need to do to keep our balance. When we spin round and round really quickly, the liquid is sloshing around in our ears and telling our brain what is going on.  When we suddenly stop, the liquid carries on sloshing for a bit longer, making us feel like we are still moving, even though our eyes know we have stopped.  This makes us feel quite strange.

Well. I think you have now deserved a trip to the playground! Have fun.

Maggy

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This week we are investigating why balls bounce and how different balls bounce differently on different surfaces.

Balls bouncing seems like a simple concept, but the science behind it is quite complicated, so please bear in mind that we have simplified it for our audience.

I asked the children to choose three balls of different sizes, and this is what they came back with.  Not only were they of different sizes they were also made of different materials, ranging from soft to very hard.

Why do balls bounce?

We decided to test the balls bouncing on three different surfaces:

• carpet
• wood
• tiles

The balls are all made of different materials, which needs to be considered, so we talked about what we could keep constant. We decided that the height from which the balls were dropped was important, as was the force with which they were dropped.

My 5-year-old dropped all the balls from shoulder height each time and tried to just drop without any extra force.

Each time we recorded the results on a simple table of how high the ball bounced.

Results

We found that all balls bounced higher on the tiles than on any other surface and lowest on the carpet. The smallest (hardest) ball reached the greatest height on the hard surfaces.

Why do balls bounce?

So, why do balls bounce?

The reason balls bounce is quite advanced science.  It relates to how much energy balls have, what they are made of, how they change shape and where the energy they have goes.  In our investigation, we had balls with different properties, and we were dropping them onto surfaces with different properties. The children were oblivious to these differences but did expect the bounciness to relate to the size of the ball, which is not necessarily a factor. There is much room for improvement in our investigation. How would you go about making this more scientific?  We just liked throwing balls around 🙂

For older children

You could record the number of bounces on each surface for each ball.

Try dropping the balls from different heights, what happens?

Can you get three balls of different sizes made from the same material and see what happens?

We've also got lots more great ideas for learning about forces and motion.

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