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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?

In this activity, learners explore center of gravity, or balance point, of stacked blocks.

In this activity, learners observe what happens when they give a light source like a neon glow lamp a "Bronx Cheer." The lights appear to wiggle back and forth and flicker when learners blow air throu

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

In this activity, PVC pipe, plastic water bottles and vinyl tubing are used to make a simple working toilet model. The model shows the role of a siphon in the flushing of a toilet.

In this activity, learners explore the properties of paper by constructing and modifying paper airplanes.

With two stacks of books and a few rolls of pennies, build two kinds of bridges--a beam span and an arch span--and see how much weight each of them can hold.

In this activity, learners explore liquid crystals, light and temperature. Using a postcard made of temperature-sensitive liquid crystal material, learners monitor temperature changes.

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

In this design and physics challenge, learners construct a cylindrical wing, fly it, make modifications, and determine how the changes affect flight patterns.

In this activity, learners explore how polarizing sunglasses can help diminish road glare.

In this activity, learners create and experiment with wind tubes. These tubes are a playful and inventive way to explore the effect that moving air has on objects.

In this activity, learners construct three quick and simple mechanisms to start building a pop-up book. Learners fold, cut, and glue paper to make a bird beak, parallelogram, and V-fold.

Electrolysis is the breakdown of water into hydrogen and oxygen. This Exploratorium activity allows learners to visualize the process with an acid-based indicator.

With little more than a plastic bottle, some vinyl tubing, and a length of PVC pipe, make a rocket and a rocket launcher and investigate how rockets fly.

In this activity, learners use simple materials to simulate the effect of X-rays in a safe way. Learners place a piece of window screen over a box and a cardboard pattern on top of the screen.

In this activity about electricity, learners explore what happens when you blow a fuse.

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

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.

Cardboard Automata are a playful way to explore simple machine elements while creating a mechanical sculpture.