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Gas Model
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This highly visual model demonstrates the atomic theory of matter which states that a gas is made up of tiny particles of atoms that are in constant motion, smashing into each other. Balls, representing molecules, move within a cage container to simulate this phenomenon. A hair dryer provides the heat to simulate the heating and cooling of gas: the faster the balls are moving, the hotter the gas. Learners observe how the balls move at a slower rate at lower "temperatures."

Subject:
Force/Motion/Energy
Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
06/04/2019
Giant Lens
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CC BY-NC-SA
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In this activity about light and refraction, learners discover how a lens creates an image that hangs in midair. A large Fresnel lens creates upside-down images of distant objects and right-side-up images of nearby objects. Learners can locate the upside-down images by using a piece of white paper as a screen. The right-side-up images are harder to find. Activity includes detailed explanations and diagrams to explain how the images are created.

Subject:
Force/Motion/Energy
Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
06/04/2019
Give and Take
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CC BY-NC-SA
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In this activity, learners explore liquid crystals, light and temperature. Using a postcard made of temperature-sensitive liquid crystal material, learners monitor temperature changes. By observing these changes, learners show that dark materials absorb and reemit the energy contained in light more readily than light-colored materials. Learners can also distinguish energy absorbed and reemited by radiation, convection, and conduction by comparing the behavior of black, white, and silver objects. This resource guide includes detailed explanation of the phenomenon and background information about liquid crystals.

Subject:
Matter
Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
06/04/2019
Glue Stick Sunset
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CC BY-NC-SA
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In this activity, learners explore why the sky is blue. Learners model the scattering of light by the atmosphere, which creates the blue sky and red sunset, using a flashlight and clear glue sticks. This resource guide includes an explanation of how light scatters and how this scattering can cause the polarization of light.

Subject:
Earth and Space Systems
Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
06/04/2019
Gray Step
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CC BY-NC-SA
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In this activity, learners discover that it's difficult to distinguish between two different shades of gray when they aren't separated by a boundary. Learners will be surprised when two slightly different shades of the same color look different if there is a sharp boundary between them. But if the boundary is obscured, the two shades appear indistinguishable. Use this activity to help learners explore how the eye-brain system condenses information through a process called lateral inhibition.

Subject:
History/Social Sciences
Social Sciences
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
06/04/2019
Hand Battery
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CC BY-NC-SA
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In this activity about chemistry and electricity, learners form a battery by placing their hands onto plates of different metals. Learners detect the current by reading a DC microammeter attached to the metal plates. Learners experiment with different metals to find out what combination produces the most current as well as testing what happens when they press harder on the plates or wet their hands. Learners also investigate what happens when they wire the plates to a voltmeter.

Subject:
Matter
Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
06/04/2019
Laser Jello
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CC BY-NC-SA
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In this activity, learners use gelatin as a lens to investigate the properties of laser light. Learners can view total internal reflection of a beam of light and investigate angles of reflection and refraction. Using different colors of gelatin demonstrates its color filtering properties. Use this activity to help learners explore light reflection and refraction, wavelengths, color, and lenses.

Subject:
Force/Motion/Energy
Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
06/04/2019
A Little Atmosphere
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CC BY-NC-SA
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The earth’s atmosphere may seem thick when compared to something like your height—but it’s surprisingly thin when compared to the earth’s radius. Here, you can find out exactly how thin, using strips of plastic to model the correctly scaled thickness of the atmosphere on a globe.

Subject:
Earth and Space Systems
Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
06/04/2019
Look Into Infinity
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CC BY-NC-SA
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Learners use two mirrors to explore how images of images of images can repeat forever. This resource includes a light-ray diagram to help learners understand what they are seeing -- images appear to be grouped in pairs with a front side always facing a front side and a back side always facing a back side. Learners can assist in assembling the Infinity Mirror or use one that has been pre-assembled.

Subject:
Force/Motion/Energy
Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
06/04/2019
Magic Wand
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CC BY-NC-SA
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In this activity about light and perception, learners create pictures in thin air. Using a simple set up of a slide projector, slide, moveable screen or poster board, and a "wand", learners investigate how we see projected images such as those from movies and television. Use this activity to help learners understand concepts associated with light and optics including persistence of vision, reflection, and map projection.

Subject:
Force/Motion/Energy
Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
06/04/2019
Mirrorly a Window
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CC BY-NC-SA
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In this activity about light and reflection, learners discover that what you see is often affected by what you expect to see. Learners hold on to a device consisting of two mirrors glued back to back to each other with a dowel handle on either side. While looking at one side of the mirror, learners move one hand on the other side of the mirror. They will be surprised as their brain is fooled into thinking that the image it sees in the mirror is actually their other hand. Learners can participate in assembling the mirror device or use a pre-assembled one. This resource also includes a simpler version of this activity in the "etcetera" section at the bottom of the guide.

Subject:
Force/Motion/Energy
Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
06/04/2019
Moire Patterns
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CC BY-NC-SA
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In this activity about light and perception, learners create and observe moire patterns. These special patterns, which appear when two repetitive patterns overlap, can also be used to help learners understand wave interference. Learners will use various objects including pocket combs, window screens, and transparencies to investigate moire patterns in different ways.

Subject:
History/Social Sciences
Social Sciences
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
06/04/2019
Motor Effect
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CC BY-NC-SA
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In this activity about electricity and magnetism, learners examine what happens when a magnet exerts a force on a current-carrying wire. Using a simple device, learners discover that when an electrical current flows through a magnetic field, a force is exerted on the current and this force can be used to make an electric motor. Learners will experiment to find out what happens when they reverse the direction of current flow. They will also discover a mathematical tool called the "right-hand rule."

Subject:
Force/Motion/Energy
Mathematics
Matter
Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
06/26/2012
Parabolas: It's All Done with Mirrors
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In this activity about light and reflection, learners use a special device called a Mirage Maker䋢 to create an illusion. What they perceive as an object is really an image in space, created by two concave mirrors. Learners will be surprised when they try to grab the object on the mirror and there's nothing there! Activity includes a light-ray diagram to help explain how the image is created.

Subject:
Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Simulation
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
02/25/2013
Pie-Pan Convection
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CC BY-NC-SA
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In this activity, students observe fluid motion and the formation of convection cells as a solution of soap and water is heated. This procedure can be performed as a demonstration by the teacher, or older students can conduct the experiment themselves. A list of materials, instructions, and a description of the convective process are included.

Subject:
Earth and Space Systems
Force/Motion/Energy
Matter
Science
Material Type:
Interactive
Lecture Notes
Simulation
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
03/10/2005
Pinhole Magnifier
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CC BY-NC-SA
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In this activity related to light and perception, learners use a pinhole in an index card as a magnifying glass to help their eye focus on a nearby object. Learners will also discover that because this magnifier limits the amount of light that reaches their eye from the object, the pinhole makes the object appear dimmer. Learners are encouraged to explore using pins and needles with different diameters to make different-sized holes in index cards to see how this affects the image. They can also try forming a pinhole by curling their index finger.

Subject:
Force/Motion/Energy
Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
06/04/2019
Polarized Sunglasses
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CC BY-NC-SA
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In this activity, learners explore how polarizing sunglasses can help diminish road glare. By rotating a pair of polarizing sunglass lenses or other polarizing materials, learners will discover that some angles are better at reducing glare than others. Learners observe light from the sky, reflected from a mirror, or reflected from the surface of a pond. Use this activity to introduce learners to principles of light and polarization.

Subject:
Force/Motion/Energy
Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
11/06/2010
Pupil
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CC BY-NC-SA
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In this activity, learners explore their eye pupils and how they change. Learners use a magnifying glass, mirror, and flashlight to observe how their pupil changes size in response to changes in lighting. Learners also experiment to determine how light shining in one eye affects the size of the pupil in their other eye. This resource guide includes background information about pupils and why they change as well as information related to emotional stimuli, involuntary reflexes, and photography.

Subject:
Living Systems and Processes
Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
06/04/2019
Seeing Your Retina
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CC BY-NC-SA
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In this quick optics activity, learners use a dim point of light (a disassembled Mini MagLite and dowel set-up) to cast a shadow of the blood supply in their retina onto the retina itself. This allows learners to see the blood supply of their retina and even their blind spot. Learners are encouraged to wear eye protection.

Subject:
Force/Motion/Energy
Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
06/04/2019
Short Circuit
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CC BY-NC-SA
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In this activity about electricity, learners explore what happens when you blow a fuse. Learners short-circuit a battery using copper wire (a good conductor with very low resistance) and thin iron wire. Learners will discover that when they connect the clip to the iron wire, the voltage of the battery pushes electrons through the circuit against the resistance of the iron wire, causing the iron wire to heat up. Note: the wire gets very hot! Use this activity to introduce learners to basics of electricity including conductivity, resistance, and currents as well as electronics safety and circuit breakers.

Subject:
CTE
Technology Education
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Exploratorium
Provider Set:
Science Snacks
Date Added:
06/04/2019