Search Results

Learners investigate one factor affecting reaction rates: temperature. In a darkened room, two identical lightsticks are placed in water -- one in hot water and one in cold water.

Learners work in teams to design and build solar water heating devices that mimic those used in residences to capture energy in the form of solar radiation and convert it to thermal energy.

Learners make a refrigerator that works without electricity. The pot-in-pot refrigerator works by evaporation: a layer of sand is placed between two terra cotta pots and thoroughly soaked with water.

In this activity, learners conduct three experiments to examine temperature, the different stages of the water cycle, and how convection creates wind.

In this sunny day experiment, learners measure and compare how quickly light and dark colored materials absorb heat.

In this activity, learners discover how solar energy can be used to heat water.

In this activity, learners heat ice and water of the same temperature to get a hands-on look at phase changes. This is an easy and inexpensive way to introduce states of matter and thermodynamics.

In this activity, learners determine whether thermal energy can be used for work.

Visitors mix urea with water in one flask and mix calcium chloride with water in another flask. They observe that the urea flask gets cold and the calcium chloride flask gets hot.

This experiment is designed to illustrate how fluids, including water, have the ability to flow.

In this quick and easy activity and/or demonstration, learners use two empty 2-liter bottles and hot tap water to illustrate the effect of heat on pressure.

In this activity, learners explore how light and dark colored objects absorb the Sun's radiations at different rates.

In this activity, learners explore the different heating properties of soil and water.

In this activity, learners burn a peanut, which produces a flame that can be used to boil away water and count the calories contained in the peanut.

In this activity, learners make a model of a power plant that uses steam. Learners use simple materials like foil, a tin can, and a pot of water to model a geothermal power plant.

In this activity (located on page 2), learners will construct tiny model geysers out of film canisters, warm water, and antacid seltzer tablets.

Learners build a simple solar oven from a shoebox, black construction paper, and aluminum foil. Over the course of a few hours, the oven heats up water enough to brew tea.

In this design challenge activity, learners design and build a solar hot water heater. Their goal is to create a heater that yields the highest temperature change.

In this activity, learners explore how air warms when it condenses water vapor or makes clouds.

This kinesthetic science demonstration introduces learners to four states of matter: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.