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Bicycle-Wheel Gyro
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In this activity, a spinning bicycle wheel resists efforts to tilt it and point the axle in a new direction.
Lava Lamps
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Learners observe working lava lamps to understand how they work (included in PDF link).
Two Ball Bounce
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This is a quick, yet dramatic activity/demonstration that introduces learners to the concept of energy transfer. A small ball is placed on top of a large ball and both are dropped together.
Toasty Wind
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In this quick activity, learners use a toaster to investigate the source for the Earth's wind. Learners hold a pinwheel above a toaster to discover that rising heat causes wind.
Air, It's Really There
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This lesson focuses on molecular motion in gases. Learners compare the mass of a basketball when it is deflated and after it has been inflated.
Over the Hill
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In this physics activity, learners construct a small-scale version of a classic carnival game.
LEGO Orrery
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Use this model to demonstrate the goal of NASA's Kepler Mission: to find extrasolar planets through the transit method.
Pendulum Snake
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In this physics activity, learners assemble and/or investigate a pendulum "snake." Several large steel hex-nuts are suspended on strings of successively increasing length to form a series of pendulums
Shake and Make: Charge Recognition
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In this activity (page 10), learners explore how molecules self-assemble according to forces of attraction and repulsion.
Circuit Bending with Play-Doh
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Break open that used musical toy and squish some Play-Doh over the circuit boards, and you will hear some weird and distorted sounds the manufacturer never intended!
Origami Flying Disk
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In this three-part activity, learners use paper to explore Bernoulli's Principle — fast-moving air has lower pressure than non-moving air.
Rollin’ Rollin' Rollin'
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In this physics activity (page 12 of the PDF), learners explore potential and kinetic energy by rolling different sized marbles down an inclined plane.
Erupting Fizz
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This is a highly visual demonstration that illustrates both the effects of density and chemical reactions.
Loony Balloons
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In this activity, learners investigate how changing the center of gravity of a balloon affects how it travels. Learners fill a balloon with a little bit of water and insert into an empty balloon.
Marshmallow Puff Tube
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In this demonstration/activity, learners observe as a regular size marshmallow is blown through a tube made from a manila file folder.
Springs and Stomachs
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In this demonstration, learners investigate mass, gravity, and acceleration by dropping a wooden bar with a balloon attached to its underside, a mass suspended from it by rubber bands, and a sharp-poi
Wilberforce Pendulum
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In this activity, learners build a Wilberforce Pendulum, a special coupled pendulum in which energy is transferred between two modes of vibration, longitudinal ("bounce') and torsional ("twist"), on a
Bubble Suspension
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In this activity, learners observe as soap bubbles float on a cushion of carbon dioxide gas. Learners blow bubbles into an aquarium filled with a slab of dry ice.
Extra Bounce
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In this indoor or outdoor demonstration, use a large and small ball to illustrate conservation of energy and momentum.
Lager Lamp
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In this demonstration, adult learners create a lava lamp using beer and nuts! Use this pub-themed activity to demonstrate the effects of buoyancy and bubbles.