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Lifting with Levers!
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In this fun hands-on activity learners explore a simple machine: the lever. What happens to a load when you multiply the length of a lever? Find out here!
Going for a Spin: Making a Model Steam Turbine
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In this activity, learners explore how various energy sources can be used to cause a turbine to rotate.
Rooftop Gardens
How does a green roof, or roof covered by plants, affect the temperature of the inside and outside of a building? Learners design and build houses to find out the answer.
Hot and Cold: Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions
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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.
Hot and Cold
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In this activity, learners explore temperature changes from chemical reactions by mixing urea with water in one flask and mixing calcium chloride with water in another flask.
Earthquake Energy
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In this geology activity (page 3 of the PDF), learners simulate an earthquake with little more than an elastic band and drinking straws.
Paddle Boat
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In this activity, learners build an old-fashioned paddle boat out of simple materials.
Solar Energy
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In this activity (page 11 of PDF), learners compare the air pressure within a dark and a light bottle both heated by the sun, and discover that solar energy can be collected and stored in many ways
A Simple Escapement Mechanism
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In this activity, learners build a simple mechanism that regulates the "escape" of energy released by a falling weight by portioning it into discrete amounts.
Luminescence
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In this two-part activity about luminescence, learners explore the chemistry that happens inside glow sticks and other light producing reactions.
Where Does the Wind Blow?
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In this activity, learners investigate wind by comparing the force of wind in different locations. Learners build wind-o-meters out of wooden sticks and strips of paper.
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.
Matter of Degree
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In two separate bags, learners mix water with Epsom salts and detergent.
Homemade Rube Goldberg Machine
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In this fun and, at times, hilarious force and motion activity, learners will use household objects to build a crazy contraption and see how far they can get a tennis ball to move.
Bouncing Yo-Yo
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In this activity, learners build unique yo-yos, which spin round and round without moving up and down.
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.
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.
How does the Atmosphere keep the Earth Warmer?
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In this activity, learners simulate the energy transfer between the earth and space by using the light from a desk lamp desk lamp with an incandescent bulb and a stack of glass plates.
"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.
Energetic Musical Instruments
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Learners design and create musical instruments from common objects; their challenge is to create an instrument that can make three different tones.