Understanding Friction Materials Required: Clear plastic food wrap Adhesive tape Water Cardboard, of about.1 square foot) A ruler Pencil and paper Soap Friction is a process which is caused by two objects rubbing against each other and therefore it is a very convenient way to act on a moving object, to slow it down. To practically check the effect of friction and its qualities, cover the cardboard that you have, with...

Understanding Aerodynamics Materials Required: A sheet of typing paper A piece of wax paper A piece of aluminium foil Paper clips Tacky clay It is common knowledge that the objective in making a paper airplane is to see how long it remains in the air, before the force of gravity can pull it down. Several factors can determine the ‘flight time’ of the plane, like the shape of the wings or...

Transfer of Energy Materials Required: A section of wood, measuring about 10 cm wide and about 60 cm long Five coins A small coin Two nails A hammer A small rubber band Stapler A thin cardboard Scissors Some smooth paper Sir Isaac Newton, an eminent scientist, who was born in the year 1642 in England, had formulated his set of laws on motion. The first law from the set states that...

Suction, Air Pressure and Lift Materials Required: A doorway Two thumbtacks A string Long, thin strips of paper A hair dryer with a cool setting A stapler or a tape You can pull up liquid along a piece of straw, by dipping one end in the drink and by sucking at it from the other end. This process is conducted by low pressure mechanism. You can test this out by inserting...

The Force of Air Materials Required: A square cheese cracker A square of paper A pencil with eraser A pin Between the tips of your thumb and middle finger, lightly hold the square cheese cracker. It will begin to rotate as you blow on it. Try and make a turning pinwheel. Take a 5-inch (12.50 cm) square of paper, as shown in the illustration. Deftly fold the corners of the paper....

Resistance to Air Materials Required: Three sheets of typing paper Aviation uses a word called “drag” a lot. This generally means the resistance of air to forward motion of an aircraft. As and when an object moves faster in the air, the air in the atmosphere tries to slow it down. With three sheets of regular typing paper, hold out your hand to arm’s length, with your palm upwards. Put one...

Rising Upwards Materials Required: Glycerin Water Pipe cleaner A toaster A small bowl Liquid soap A measuring cup A tablespoon An adult It is a known fact that hot air rises upwards. It was this principle of hot air, which in 1783, in France saw the first instance of a hot air balloon, rising to an altitude of 6,000 feet approximately. These hot air balloons were later used to carry weather...

Motion and Gravity Materials Required: An empty thread spool Some string Four small metal nuts Cotton Adhesive tape Scissors If you throw a ball up, it is pulled back under the influence of the force of gravity. However, this also proves that your throwing motion overcomes gravity for a short while. It is possible then for motion to overcome gravity. To prove this, attach three of the nuts that you have,...