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Tiny Tubes
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In this activity, learners make "totally tubular" forms of carbon. Learners use chicken wire to build macro models of carbon nanotubes.

Fan Cart
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If a sailboat is stranded because there is no wind, is it possible to set up a fan on deck and blow wind into the sail to make the boat move?

Pulleys
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In this activity, learners build inexpensive pulley assemblies from pulley wheels used for sliding screen door replacement or from clothesline spreaders.

Laser Lissajous: PVC Version
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In this activity, learners use a laser pointer and two small rotating mirrors to create a variety of fascinating patterns, which can be easily and dramatically projected on a wall or screen.

Catapult
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In this activity, learners construct their own small catapults using simple materials. Learners follow visual instructions to build their launching device.

Whose Fault Is It?
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In this seismic simulation, learners play a "who-dunnit" game to explore earthquakes.

How Big is Small
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In this classic hands-on activity, learners estimate the length of a molecule by floating a fatty acid (oleic acid) on water.

Cup Speaker
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Make your own speaker with a magnet, wire, and paper cup! If you have a radio with a headphone plug and an old pair of headphones, this is a great tinkering activity.

Gel Electrophoresis
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In this activity, learners simulate the process of DNA fingerprinting by using electricity to separate colored dyes.

Critical Angle
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In this optics activity, learners examine how a transparent material such as glass or water can actually reflect light better than any mirror.

Uncanny Motion
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In this activity, learners explore motion and airflow by setting two aluminum cans on their side and blowing air in-between them.

Glow Up
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In this activity, learners explore chemiluminescence and fluorescence. Learners examine 3 different solutions in regular light, in the dark with added bleach solution, and under a black light.

Evolution in Plane Sight
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In this activity, learners model directed evolution by making paper fly. Learners construct and fly paper airplanes.

Laser Lissajous: Binder Clip Version
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In this activity, learners use a laser pointer and two small rotating mirrors to create a variety of fascinating patterns, which can be easily and dramatically projected on a wall or screen.

Motor Effect
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See what force a magnet has on a wire that has current running through it: will it push it, pull it, or will nothing happen? This is the foundation of a simple electric motor.

Macro-Microarray
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In this activity, learners explore the "nuts and bolts" of gene chips.

Column Chromatography
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In this activity, learners separate the components of Gatorade using a home-made affinity column.

Coffee-Can Cuíca
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Make a cuíca (“kwee-ka”), a traditional Brazilian musical instrument that originated in Africa. Played primarily in Brazil, now you can play it at home, too, with this Exploratorium produced activity.

Personal Pinhole Theater
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Have you ever heard of a camera without a lens? In this activity, learners create a pinhole camera out of simple materials. They'll see the world in a whole new way: upside down and backwards!

Viral Packaging
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In this activity, learners create virus models, including nucleic acid and proteins, using simple materials. This resource includes information about virus structure and gene therapy.