Physics at Home Features

Konigsberg Bridge

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 EST

If you enjoy solving puzzles, try the seven bridges challenge. - This problem helped lead the mathematician Leonhard Euler to develop new mathematical fields, graph theory and topology. See Konigsberg Bridge to learn more. - Also see the Wikipedia page for variations on this problem.

Splash (fluid mechanics)

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST

Investigate splashes by dropping different-sized objects into containers of water. Also, you can squeeze drops out of a medicine dropper to make splashes on hard surfaces or on water or milk. (Be sure to do this activity with an adult.) To find out what happens if you drop a half-brick into water, see the photograph at the bottom of Splash (fluid mechanics).

Water on the Move

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST

Using the instructions on Water on the Move, you can create a model with everyday materials that shows how the water moves as a wave passes by. To visualize the movement of all the water in a wave, see the third animation on this Kettering University page.

Soap Bubbles

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

Playing with soap bubbles can be fun and educational for people of all ages. - Try this PBS activity to see what kind of soap films you can make inside of a geometrical wire frame. - Also see this album for photos of big bubbles.

Investigation 4 - Erosion

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

Try Investigation 4 - Erosion for a hands-on simulation of erosion to learn how wind and water change the land. For more information and photographs, see this Kansas State University webpage.

The Doppler Effect and Sonic Booms

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EST

Check out The Doppler Effect and Sonic Booms for animations of the sound source moving at various factions of the speed of sound, with related background information and lots of interesting images. For a related simulation, where you control the speed of a supersonic bug, see NASA's Interactive Sound Waves.

Build Your Own Star

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EST

See how the initial mass and composition of a new star will determine that star’s fate by Building Your Own Star. Simply enter your desired parameters and watch as the star grows from a cloud of gas and dust and changes over time, condensing billions of years into a minute.

Interactive Plasma Physics Education Experience

Sun, 16 May 2010 00:00:00 EST

A tokamak can control plasma using magnetic fields, and it is the most promising design for a nuclear fusion reactor. Check out these Virtual Tokamak applets to learn how magnetic fields act upon plasma and how to start a fusion reaction. (See the help page first-- it explains the simulations as well as the concepts behind fusion reactors.)

Descent to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Sat, 01 May 2010 00:00:00 EST

At Descent to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, from the University of California at San Diego, you can follow a submarine descent to the mid-Atlantic Ridge. Also, with this colorful computer activity from the Monterey Institute, you can learn the names and locations of mid-ocean ridges and how distance from the ridges is related to the age of oceanic crust.

Moonlight Madness

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:00:00 EST

Do you think you know the phases of the moon? Check out Moonlight Madness to see if you can put the phases in order. For an extra challenge, try the Lunar Phase Quizzer, which forces you to consider how the relative positions of the Earth, sun, and moon produce the phase.

Fusion in the Sun!

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00:00 EST

Explore the fusion chain reaction that powers the sun. You can vary the temperature and the hydrogen concentration as you watch the nuclear reactions occur.

Nebraska Astronomy Applet Project: Basic Coordinates and Seasons Lab

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

Winter’s frozen onslaught upon the northern hemisphere comes to an end when we receive more direct light from the sun. The days begin lengthening during the winter solstice, and on the spring equinox (the first day of spring) the length of the day and night will be equivalent. Read more about what causes the seasons here. See for yourself how the angle of sunlight changes during the year due to the tilt of the Earth with the Nebraska Astronomy Applet Project: Basic Coordinates and Seasons Lab. Try entering your latitude and comparing it to your experience.

What is Radio Astronomy?

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

Check out the "Activities" section of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory's What is Radio Astronomy?. Don't miss "Make Your Own Radio Image."

Foucault Pendulum

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

Try this experiment from the science center COSI to see how a pendulum would look if you viewed it from the South Pole. (This feature was updated on June 21, 2010)

Earthquake Animations

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

Check out these Earthquake Animations to watch animations of seismic motion during an earthquake, both on the surface and below. Some animations include tips on earthquake safety.

Exploratorium: Snacks about Magnetism

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

Try any of these experiments from the Exploratorium to learn more about magnetism. Many of them use household items; some equipment may be more difficult to find. Have an adult help you. You might also want to try making a ferrofluid like the ones in the From Physics Research feature above. Again, get help from an adult.

PhET Simulation: Lasers

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

See if you can produce a laser beam in this simulation from the University of Colorado. Excite the laser’s atoms with lights of different wavelengths and control components of the laser to create the beam.

Galaxy Zoo

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

You can help astronomers by taking part in Galaxy Zoo, a project to classify millions of galaxies. Learn how the site works and how to classify galaxies here. Find out more about the types of galaxies at this Sloan Digital Sky Survey page. For more pictures of galaxies, be sure to see galleries from the Chandra X-Ray Observatory and the Hubble Space Telescope.

Hoverflies: Nature's Shape Shifters

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

Watch a video of a hoverfly twist its wings hundreds of times per second.

PhET Simulation: Fourier: Making Waves

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Learn about many aspects of the physics of sound with these fun activities: -- Download PhET Simulation: Fourier: Making Waves to learn how the mathematics of waves determine what you hear. -- Build your own speaker out of a soda bottle at Soda Bottle Speaker. (Have an adult help you with the hot glue.) -- Explore sound using just a rubber band at Echo in my Head. -- For even more ideas, check out The Soundry. Their Interactive Sound Lab contains many more applets to explore the physics of sound.

PhET Simulation: Nuclear Fission

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Explore nuclear fission through this set of simulations. You can create a chain reaction of uranium isotopes by setting the initial amount of uranium and the position of control rods within a reactor.

X-Ray Spectra Activity

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

Working with x-rays at home would be dangerous, so this activity from the Exploratorium provides a safer simulation. You can see the effect of x-rays using only household items.

How to Build a Spectroscope

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

Learn how to build your own spectroscope using household items at How to Build a Spectroscope. If you don’t have a diffraction grating or rainbow glasses at home, you might try to build a spectroscope with a cereal box and a CD instead.

Mysterious Coffee

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

Next time you open a bag of vacuum-packed coffee, pay careful attention to how the coffee behaves when you squeeze the bag. This article from NASA illustrates why coffee is so mysterious and why NASA is interested.

Electroscope

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

Build your own electroscope, a device that detects electric charge. All you need is modeling clay and a few items from around the house!