Force & Movement

  1. ‘Do Not Open’ Water Bottle Prank

    ‘Do Not Open’ Water Bottle Prank

    April Fool’s is coming up! Try this science prank on your family and friends.

    What you need:

    • Plastic bottle with lid
    • Water
    • Permanent marker 
    • Pin or thumbtack

     

    What to do:

    1. Fill a water bottle with water to the top and screw the lid on.
    2. With a permanent marker write 'DO NOT USE'.
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  2. Gripping Rice Experiment

    Gripping Rice Experiment

    Can you pick up a bottle of rice without touching the bottle?

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  3. Dancing Sultanas

    Dancing Sultanas

    Watch your favourite school snack dance in soda water!

    Suitable for kids aged 5+

    You Need:
    • 10 x Sultanas
    • 1 x Litre of Soda Water
    • 1 x Transparent Contrainer

    What to do:
    1. Pour the soda water into the container.
    2. Gently add the sultanas one at a time to the soda water.
    3. Watch them float to the surface and then sink down to the bottom.
    4. How long will this dancing go on, and why?



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  4. Balloon Hovercraft

    Balloon Hovercraft

    Balloon Hovercraft

    Make your own simple hovercraft out of an old CD and a balloon. Then watch it glide over the floor on a cushion of air. Make a few and have some races with friends which design outperforms them all?

    Suitable for kids aged 5+ with parental supervision

    You Need:
    • Balloon
    • Old CD (youre not listening too anymore)
    • Strong craft glue or super glue
    • Pop-top lid from a drink bottle
    What to do:
    1. Ensuring that the pop-top lid is closed, glue the bottom of the lid to the centre of the CD. The base of the lid needs to be completely covering the hole in the centre of the
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  5. Hairdryer Hover Ball

    Hairdryer Hover Ball

    Hairdryer Hover Ball

    Hairdryers are not only good for drying hair. Impress your friends and float a ping pong ball in mid-air for minutes.

    Suitable for kids aged 7+ with parental supervision

    CAUTIONThis science activity should only be done under adult supervision as it requires the use of an electrical hairdryer. Ensure the hairdryer is always on its coolest setting.
    You Need:
    • Hairdryer
    • Ping pong ball
    • Toilet roll, or cardboard tube (optional)
    • Pencil (optional)
    What to do:
    1. Plug the hairdryer in at the wall, and put it on its coolest setting.
    2. Place the ping
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  6. Floating Paper Clip

    Floating Paper Clip

    Floating Paper Clip

    Paper clips sink in water, right!? Using a piece of paper towel and a steady you can get them to float. Its all about the surface tension of the water. Try adding a drop of liquid detergent to upset the balance. Or floating the paper clips in different liquids. Lots of fun!

    Suitable for kids aged 5+
    You Need:
    • Container or bowl of water
    • Paper towel
    • Paper clips
    What to do:
    1. Drop a paper clip in the water, and watch it sink to the bottom. Why does it sink?
    2. Tear off a piece of paper towel about half the size of a dollar note (size doesnt matter, as long as its bigger than the paper clip).
    3. Place the piece of paper towel gently on to the water so it floats.
    4. Carefully place a paper clip on
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  7. Egg In A Bottle

    Egg In A Bottle

    Egg In A Bottle

    This classic science demonstration never ceases to amaze. Get a hard-boiled egg through a small bottle neck opening and into the bottle without touching it. A great way to learn about air pressure.

    Suitable for kids aged 10+ with parental supervision

    CAUTIONThis experiment requires the use of matches and a small flame. Please exercise caution, and only perform under adult supervision.
    You Need:
    • A hard-boiled egg with the shell removed
    • A glass bottle with a mouth slightly smaller than the egg (fruit-drink bottles work well)
    • Small piece of newspaper about 10cm square
    • Matches
    What to do:
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  8. Straw Rocket

    Straw Rocket

    Make this rocket quickly and easily out of drinking straws. Then blast it high into the air using air pressure. Fun and completely safe!

    Suitable for kids aged 5+ with parental supervision.

    You Need:
    • A drinking straw (preferably one that bends near the end)
    • Half a wider drinking straw (with a large enough diameter to slide easily over the other straw) Note: you can always make one of these out of paper
    • Masking tape
    What to do:
    1. Pinch one end of the wide half-straw and stick a piece of masking tape over it, to seal the end closed. This is your straw rocket.
    2. Slide your rocket straw over the straight end of the
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  9. Cartesian Diver

    Cartesian Diver

    Make an age-old toy: The Cartesian Diver. It floats in a bottle filled with water, but when you squeeze the bottle, the diver mysteriously plunges to the bottom.

    Suitable for kids aged 5+ with parental supervision.

    You Need:
    • An empty soft drink bottle with cap (any size, your diver will dive further in a bigger bottle)
    • A third of a straw
    • Paper clip
    • Small chunk of modelling clay
    • Glass or cup to test your diver in
    • Water
    What to do:
    1. Fill the bottle with water.
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  10. Balancing Act

    Balancing Act

    Balancing Act Science Magic

    Do the impossible balance a can on its bottom rim and amaze your friends

    Suitable for kids aged 6+

    You Need:
    • Two empty 375ml cans
    • 100mls of water approx
    What to do:
    1. Pour about 100mls of water secretly into one can.
    2. Have someone try to balance the other empty can on its bottom rim (see picture). It is impossible.
    3. Then amaze them, by easily balancing your magic can on its bottom rim (they dont need to know it has water in it).

    Why is it so?

    This science trick is
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