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Why are Compact Fluorescent Bulbs More Efficient?
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In this activity, learners explore the relative efficiency of different bulbs, specifically incandescent vs. fluorescent.
Make a Comeback Can
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Learners build a can that automatically returns after being rolled away. The can has a rubber band inside that stores energy as the can rolls one direction.
Exploring the Universe: Filtered Light
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"Exploring the Universe: Filtered Light" demonstrates how scientists can use telescopes and other tools to capture and filter different energies of light to study the universe.
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.
Micro Automata
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In this activity, learners build small animated toys that move.
Tinkering with Tops
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In this activity, learners explore the history, design and motion of spinning tops. Learners work in teams of "engineers" to design and build their own tops out of everyday items.
Hand Spin Helicopter
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In this activity, learners build helicopters and launchers using wooden dowels and scrap paper. Use this activity to explore rotational motion and kinetic and potential energy.
The Recycling Conservation Calculator
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In this environmental activity (page 16 of the PDF), learners will calculate the amount of energy they save by recycling paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum materials over the span of a week.
Bottle Cars
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In this activity, learners explore motion, energy, and electricity by constructing bottle cars that run on motors.
My Angle on Cooling: Effects of Distance and Inclination
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In this activity, learners discover that one way to cool an object in the presence of a heat source is to increase the distance from it or change the angle at which it is faced.
Thermal Energy Put to Work
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In this activity, learners determine whether thermal energy can be used for work.
Over the Hill
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In this physics activity, learners construct a small-scale version of a classic carnival game.
Effects of Solar Radiation on Land and Sea
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In this activity, learners explore the different heating properties of soil and water.
Marshmallow Catapult
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In this activity, learners explore physics by building a catapult that launches marshmallows with household objects.
Geothermal Power Plant Model
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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.
Stretch Your Potential
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In this activity, learners create a toy that demonstrates the First Law of Thermodynamics or the Law of Conservation of Energy.
Paddle Boat
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In this activity, learners build an old-fashioned paddle boat out of simple materials.
Your Energy Needs
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In this activity about the relationship between food and energy (page 8 of PDF), learners estimate average daily baseline energy (Calorie) needs and energy needs for different levels of activity.
Do Plants Need Light?
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In this food science activity, learners conduct an experiment that demonstrates the importance of light to plants.
"Baseketball": A Physicist Party Trick
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This trick from Exploratorium physicist Paul Doherty lets you add together the bounces of two balls and send one ball flying.