Physics at Home Features

PhET Simulation: The Greenhouse Effect

Wed, 01 May 2013 00:00:00 EST

Security note: Once you have clicked on the "simulation" link below, be sure to read the Java Security Advisory before running the simulation: To do that, click the "Read now" button on the yellow band near the top of the PhET page. Investigate climate change with this PhET simulation. You'll see how greenhouse gases keep Earth much warmer than it would be without them. (This feature was updated on May 3, 2013.)

Earth Observatory: Solar Prominence

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EST

Visit Earth Observatory: Solar Prominence, and take a look at these two images of a solar prominence. How does a prominence look when you see it at the sun itself, compared when you see it against the darkness of space? When you see the prominence against the sun, it’s usually called a “filament.” To learn more, read the text under the images.

Kitchen Sink Experiments: Bubbles that sink: Antibubbles

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:00:00 EST

Think about a bubble: It’s a thin film of water, with air inside and outside. Now imagine the opposite of a bubble: That would be a thin film of air, enclosing water inside and surrounded by water outside. This structure is called an antibubble. To learn how to make anti-bubbles, visit Kitchen Sink Experiments: Bubbles that sink: Antibubbles and also Science by Email--AntiBubbles. To learn more, see this Science News Onlinearticle.

Spectral Lines

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:00 EST

Auroras are produced when charged particles from the sun collide with atoms in the atmosphere and transfer energy to them. This energy is then given off as light. Check out Spectral Lines to find out how atoms produce light.

Feather Drop

Sat, 01 Dec 2012 00:00:00 EST

Felix Baumgartner was nearly in free fall as he stepped out of his capsule at an altitude of 39 kilometers (24 miles). At this altitude, the atmosphere is so thin that a falling object experiences hardly any air resistance, so it accelerates rapidly to very high speed (Baumgartner’s skydive exceeded the speed of sound). Watch the video at Feather Drop to see how the air resistance on a feather depends on the density of the air it is falling through. First you’ll see the feather fall through air at atmospheric pressure, and then through air at a very low pressure (a very good vacuum).

Liquid Crystal IR Detector

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 EST

Go to Liquid Crystal IR Detector for an experiment that shows how a liquid crystal can detect infrared radiation.

How to Make a Paper Crane--Origami

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:00:00 EST

Visit How to Make a Paper Crane--Origami to make the famous origami paper crane. Just follow the steps in the video.

Explore Mars: Curiosity

Sat, 01 Sep 2012 00:00:00 EST

Visit the NASA site Explore Mars: Curiosity to follow along with the Curiosity Rover as it explores Mars, day by day.

Impact Craters

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 00:00:00 EST

For an activity on the formation of impact craters, try this NASA activity. Be sure to do this activity with an adult.

What is Radioactivity?

Sun, 01 Jul 2012 00:00:00 EST

Check out What is Radioactivity? to learn about isotopes and radioactivity.

Ear Guitar

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:00:00 EST

Build an ear guitar (otherwise known as a string telephone) with the directions at Ear Guitar. Have an adult work with you.

Balancing Act

Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 EST

Security note: Once you have clicked on the "simulation" link below, be sure to read the Java Security Advisory before running the simulation: To do that, click the "Read now" button on the yellow band near the top of the PhET page. Go to Balancing Act (and click "Run now!") for a simulation that lets you move objects of different mass different positions on a teeter totter to make it balance. To learn more, visit this Hyperphysics page. (This feature was updated on May 6, 2013.)

PhET Simulation: Radio Waves & Electromagnetic Fields

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 00:00:00 EST

Security note: Once you have clicked on the "simulation" link below, be sure to read the Java Security Advisory before running the simulation: To do that, click the "Read now" button on the yellow band near the top of the PhET page. Shake a charged particle, and it radiates electromagnetic waves. You can try this out with the PhET Simulation: Radio Waves & Electromagnetic Fields. Compare with Physics in Your World above. To learn more, check out these Physics 2000 webpages. (This feature was updated on May 5, 2013.)

Rotating Light

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 EST

Right-and left-handed molecules were discovered because their solutions have the opposite effect on polarized light. For a related effect, try the famous Karo® syrup demonstration, as described in this Exploratorium activity. To see the demo, check out this YouTube video.

Nebraska Astronomy Applet Project: Extrasolar Planets Lab

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

Visit Nebraska Astronomy Applet Project: Extrasolar Planets Lab to try to simulations of how extrasolar planets are detected indirectly--that is, without making an image of the planet. Also, check out Planet Quest Interactives, and click on one of the simulations. You can choose from Extreme Planet Makeover, Planet Quest Timeline, and Alien Safari.

Bottled tornado

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Make your own vortex at home--see Bottled tornado for how to do it. And be sure you have an adult with you. Alternately, you can purchase a connector for the two bottles, with a hole in the middle--just google "vortex bottle" to find a vendor.

A Magnet That Drips: Making Ferrofluids

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EST

Ferrofluids like the ones pictured above are not difficult to make—you can prepare your own by following the instructions at A Magnet That Drips: Making Ferrofluids. Since the ferrofluid will be messy, make sure your work area is easy to clean. Also, be sure you have an adult working with you.

Time Traveler

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 EST

Try these two activities showing how special relativity affects time during space travel: -- NOVA's Time Traveler, in which the traveling twin ages less than the state-at-home twin -- the Exploratorium's Voyage to Epsilon Eridani 3 on how the time of a journey is measured differently by the traveler than by someone who stays at home.

S'Cool: Observing Contrails

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 00:00:00 EST

Visit NASA's S'Cool: Observing Contrails for images of various cloud types, related information, and cloud observing tips.

Geocaching

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:00:00 EST

Do you have a GPS at home? Try taking it outside and exploring your area with Geocaching. It’s a modern-day treasure hunting game, using your GPS to find packages left by fellow “Geocachers.” All you have to do is sign up on the website, search for geocaches near you, put in the coordinates, and go! Be sure to have an adult with you.

Fractals Unit: Iterative Formation

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 00:00:00 EST

You don’t have to graph complicated equations to create your own fractal—you can create your own on plain paper by following the directions at Fractals Unit: Iterative Formation. There are several simple patterns you can try, such as the Von Koch curve. For those who do want to graph complicated equations, there are many free fractal-generating programs available online for advanced users, such as Apophysis.

Reduced Gravity Demonstrator

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 00:00:00 EST

To find out how to build a drop tower to investigate apparent weightlessness, see the NASA site Reduced Gravity Demonstrator. Be sure to have adult help if you try this. (BTW, it's a challenging and expensive project.) Also, check out this NASA video to see astronaut David Scott drop a hammer and a feather on the moon. This issue was updated on 07/11/2011.

Double Pendulum Model

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 00:00:00 EST

For a simulation of the double pendulum, click here; then, in the new window, click on "download ejs mech…” and then click on the "Double Pendulum" window. Get the double pendulum started by clicking and dragging the two masses to different heights.

Calculate Your Radiation Dose

Thu, 12 May 2011 00:00:00 EST

Visit Calculate Your Radiation Dose to calculate your annual radiation dose, and see this EPA page on health effects to learn about normal doses of radiation. To find out more about natural sources of radiation, visit Sources of Radiation Natural Background Sources by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (and don't miss the two links at the bottom). Also, food, especially the banana, is slightly radioactive, as described in this short Discover Magazine piece.

Light: The Physics of Art and Visual Perception

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 00:00:00 EST

A diffracting grating shows the colors within light like a prism. The tiny slits that make up the grating bend entering light into different directions according to their wavelength, which shows the different colors. In this activity you can look at the spectrum of light from a candle. Make sure to have adult supervision while working with flames. Diffracting gratings can be purchased cheaply online. Also, you can use your grating to investigate light produced by other light sources in your house.