The Mad Scientist teaches: Physics

Book excerpt: Physics is all around us. It is in the electric light you turn on at night; the bicycle you ride to school; your wristwatch, CD player, or that swing ball set you got for Christmas! Physics is the branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter, energy, space and time. If you can name it, chances are physics is involved. Everything in the universe has some effect on every other thing. Physicists study those effects. The 78 projects contained in this science experiment e-book cover a wide range of Physics topics; from Optics & Light to Air pressure & Acoustics… there are also experiments on forces & motion, thermodynamics and mechanics all designed for young students from grade 1 to 8! With this book, you are sure to find a project that interests you. When you are interested in a certain science topic, you will have more fun, and learn more, too! With the help of this book, you will construct many weird, wonderful and wacky experiments that you can have hours of fun with! Amongst many others, you will make use of the power of air pressure to lift objects, make a tin can that will comeback like a boomerang to learn about kinetic energy, use ice cubes to test if dark colours absorb more heat than light colours to experiment with thermodynamics, and make pulleys, levers and gears to study mechanics! Other fun experiments include: Making your own guitar out of an ordinary shoebox, using sound waves to make beautiful patterns on a wall, propelling a small boat with compressed air, learning about the power of moving air by making a windmill, launching your own rocket with the power of air pressure, making a depth indicator similar to the gauges used on ships, a kaleidoscope, periscope, telescope, water turbine, cartesian diver, camera obscura, magnifying glass, thaumatrope and many, many more! When making these gadgets, you’ll discover that science is a part of every object in our daily lives, and who knows, maybe someday you will become a famous inventor too! Science can be real simple and is actually only about understanding the world you live in! Science certainly does not need to be complicated formulas, heavy text books and geeky guys in white lab coats with thick glasses. Science experiments are an awesome part of science that allows you to engage in cool and exciting hands on learning experiences that you are sure to enjoy and remember! By working through the science experiments in this book, you will learn about science in the best possible way – by doing things yourself. Designed with safety in mind, most of the items you will need for the experiments, such as jars, aluminium foil, scissors and sticky tape, you can find around your home. Others, such as magnets, lenses or a compass, you will be able to buy quite cheaply at a hobby shop or hardware store.