Physics demonstrations for kindergartners

[Gary Rubin]

My daughter's kindergarten class has parents come in and talk about their jobs. Since data analysis seems like it would be hard to explain to kindergartners, I thought I'd talk about some of the things that physicists study. I also want stuff that doesn't require that I go out and spend a fortune on props.

I had a few ideas:

• Simultaneously drop a softball and ping-pong ball (or maybe a crumpled-up paper) and show that they fall at the same rate (Galileo's thing).
• Have kids rub balloons on their hair and show how they stick to things.
• Maybe this: http://www.kidsmakes...icles/show/fedm
• EDIT: Simple machines would be good too - particularly levers.

I may only have about 5-10 minutes.

Any other suggestions?

Gary

Edited November 4, 2009 by Gary Rubin

[Grampa_of_Oliva_n_Eden]

My daughter's kindergarten class has parents come in and talk about their jobs. Since data analysis seems like it would be hard to explain to kindergartners, I thought I'd talk about some of the things that physicists study. I also want stuff that doesn't require that I go out and spend a fortune on props.

I had a few ideas:

• Simultaneously drop a softball and ping-pong ball (or maybe a crumpled-up paper) and show that they fall at the same rate (Galileo's thing).
• Have kids rub balloons on their hair and show how they stick to things.
• Maybe this: http://www.kidsmakes...icles/show/fedm

I may only have about 5-10 minutes.

Any other suggestions?

Gary

Conservation of angular momentum?

It only takes a swivel chair and someone willing to sit and extend/withdraw arms to slow/speed up.

Magnet are almost magical by themselves. If there is still a CRT around you can mess up the screen with a magnet 9or ruin it if the magnet is too string).

I'll keep thinking for you.

Ben

[Gary Rubin]

Oh, I hadn't thought of magnetism. That would be good.

I guess we can't do the demonstration that was done in my college physics class. It involved a red wagon, a fire extinguisher, and a long hallway.

[Cat]

Things that involve the kids, like the hair/balloon example, will go over well. If any of your daughter's toys are of the dynamic type, see if there's not some physics principle that can be taught from them.

I had the same dilemma with my daughter's girl scout troop -- and unfortunately at the last minute, so I had no time to prepare any props. Software engineering is not very exciting to talk about. So I just talked about engineering and what they needed to focus on in school (they're in middle school), and then told submarine horror stories. The latter, at least, kept them enthralled.

[PaulG.]

I'm glad it's you and not me. I would probably end up hurting someone. My luck it would be the local Mafioso's son.

[Gary Rubin]

I'm glad it's you and not me. I would probably end up hurting someone. My luck it would be the local Mafioso's son.

Don't think we have too many of them here in Northern Virginia. We have politicians instead.

[jcarmody]

Any other suggestions?

Gary

Drop a golf ball and a basketball at the same time, but with the golf ball on top of the basketball.  Drop them so they're in contact while falling, but get out of the way of the golf ball when they hit the floor. Much of the collision energy from the basketball is transferred to the golf ball and it takes off...  

[Grampa_of_Oliva_n_Eden]

Don't think we have too many of them here in Northern Virginia. We have politicians instead.

Careful about the static demo. If the humidity is too high they will not work.

Ben

[vugie]

There is a lot of fun with shape memory (i.e. Nitinol) wires. You can make a knot on a wire, put it into hot water and wire becomes straight again.

And I confirm that magnets are kind of magic: at my daughter's birthday party I filled very tall bottle with water, put some coins (I had to select them before) inside and gave children neodymium magnets. Getting the coins out using magnets attracted them for half an hour!

[dannyt]

I have been into my daughters primary school a couple of time and I taken the old Lego Mindstorm kit.

I had made up two small robots both with tank tracks drive, one a simple line follower and the other with touch sensors and arms so when it touch something it would stop move backwards turn around and go somewhere else. The kids year 2 so about 6-7 loved them and I got plenty of questions.

They especially seemed to enjoy it when the line follower failed to follow the line very well and kept wandering of the line randomly. The very hight level of fluorescent lighting from all angles mean there was very little contrast unlike my living room floor. So we play with turning the light off, then on, then in front of the windows or not.

I actually pick ed up an old Mindstorm kit of Ebay to do this was only about £50.

Dannyt

[TobyD]

And I confirm that magnets are kind of magic: at my daughter's birthday party I filled very tall bottle with water, put some coins (I had to select them before) inside and gave children neodymium magnets. Getting the coins out using magnets attracted them for half an hour!

Sounds fun, but you'll have to find some foreign coins for this trick. US money is not magnetic. It's always a good idea to run a magnet over any rolls of coins before taking to the bank to make sure you didn't accidentally let some Canadian pennies slip into the mix.

[Daklu]

I like the balloon idea. Simple, inexpensive, and everyone gets to participate. (Might want to blow up the balloons before-hand though.) Given their age and your time limit I wouldn't try to teach them anything... instead just show them something cool they will remember.

[Grampa_of_Oliva_n_Eden]

I like the balloon idea. Simple, inexpensive, and everyone gets to participate. (Might want to blow up the balloons before-hand though.) Given their age and your time limit I wouldn't try to teach them anything... instead just show them something cool they will remember.

Swing a bucket of water without spilling it?

Ben

[Cat]

Swing a bucket of water without spilling it?

That's a definite "Kids, I'm a professional, don't try this at home!" demonstration!

[ShaunR]

What about water rockets? all you need is a pepsi bottle and a bicycle pump

Edited November 5, 2009 by ShaunR

[PaulG.]

All this talk about water. Where there is water around you gotta have electricity. Why not have a kid stand in a puddle of water, hand him some wires, and ...

sorry

[ShaunR]

All this talk about water. Where there is water around you gotta have electricity. Why not have a kid stand in a puddle of water, hand him some wires, and ...

sorry

When I was a kid, we used to make hydrogen, thermite and gunpowder. Kids are kind-a impoverished with health and safety nowadays

[hooovahh]

Could talk about Magnetic Levitation, and how it applies to trains or other technologies. I know they have small toys for demonstrating this property.

I didn't think bringing in water would be a good idea, could be messy. But if you don't mind messy how bout Diet Coke and Mentos? You could explain why it works (I recommend the Mythbuster's theories).

You could basically take any episode of Mythbusters and break it down into some experiment.

If we want dangerous what about a Tesla Coil? That's kinda more electronics but I'm sure physics works in somehow.

[Gary Rubin]

Thanks for all the advice.

I agree with Daklu that it'd be better to try to show them something that captures their attention than to try to teach them something.

An electromagnet would be a good demo too.

[asbo]

An electromagnet would be a good demo too.

Ohhh, that reminds me of

I saw with superconductors. Not sure they'll let you bring liquid nitrogen into a kindergarten classroom though ...

[Gary Rubin]

all you need is a pepsi bottle and a bicycle pump

And a raincoat.