Everyday Science: Recent Episodes
PSD Channel 10 and Little Shop of Physics
Everyday Science is a joint production of Poudre School District Channel 10 and the Little Shop of Physics.
We are super excited to release our first podcast in our new series, Show Me Some Science! These short podcasts are designed to be used in the classroom or incorporated into your lessons.
In this episode we look at wave interference. When two waves meet they can interact before they pass through each other. They can add up or cancel out and this is know as constructive and destructive interference.
We are super excited to release our first podcast in our new series, Show Me Some Science! These short podcasts are designed to be used in the classroom or incorporated into your lessons.
In this episode we look at wave interference. When two waves meet they can interact before they pass through each other. They can add up or cancel out and this is know as constructive and destructive interference.
In this last segment of the mixtures episode, Brian shows how fun and delicious it is to mix Carbon Dioxide and water!
In this last segment of the mixtures episode, Brian shows how fun and delicious it is to mix Carbon Dioxide and water!
The Colorado Rockies, 9News and Colorado State University are teaming up to launch the Fifth Annual Weather and Science Day at Coors Field on April 23, 2014.
Here’s a video of the Little Shop of Physics Team getting ready for the big event!
The Colorado Rockies, 9News and Colorado State University are teaming up to launch the Fifth Annual Weather and Science Day at Coors Field on April 23, 2014.
Here’s a video of the Little Shop of Physics Team getting ready for the big event!
Rivers can be a great example of mixtures, when the water carries rocks, sand and clay and deposits them in different places. Join geologist (and EverDay Science Producer!) Herb Saperston as he explores mixtures along the Podure River.
Also, we look one last time at mixing and unmixing. This time the secret ingredient is salt!
Rivers can be a great example of mixtures, when the water carries rocks, sand and clay and deposits them in different places. Join geologist (and EverDay Science Producer!) Herb Saperston as he explores mixtures along the Podure River.
Also, we look one last time at mixing and unmixing. This time the secret ingredient is salt!
You may have never thought about this, but milk is a mixture of different substances including proteins, sugars, and water. Learn how to "unmix" milk to make curds and whey!
You may have never thought about this, but milk is a mixture of different substances including proteins, sugars, and water. Learn how to "unmix" milk to make curds and whey!
Last time we saw that it is possible to unmix a mixture, or separate it into it's constituent parts. This week we will learn how to unmix different types of plastic so they can be recycled. And we'll learn how to unmix sand from Dominica.
Last time we saw that it is possible to unmix a mixture, or separate it into it's constituent parts. This week we will learn how to unmix different types of plastic so they can be recycled. And we'll learn how to unmix sand from Dominica.
Empedocles was an ancient Greek Philosopher and the first Western thinker to propose that everything in the world was a mixture of basic substances. He believed the four elements were Earth, Air, Fire and Water.
In this podcast we also look at physically un-mixing, or separating out mixtures into their basic substances.
Empedocles was an ancient Greek Philosopher and the first Western thinker to propose that everything in the world was a mixture of basic substances. He believed the four elements were Earth, Air, Fire and Water.
In this podcast we also look at physically un-mixing, or separating out mixtures into their basic substances.
Cocoa does not like to mix with cold water. Brian and the team use emulsifiers, heating and good old fashioned stirring to get the cocoa to mix in for a delicious beverage!
Cocoa does not like to mix with cold water. Brian and the team use emulsifiers, heating and good old fashioned stirring to get the cocoa to mix in for a delicious beverage!
We've already seen that oil and water don't mix. In this episode, we see how we can use this to propel little paper "boats" on the surface of water.
We've already seen that oil and water don't mix. In this episode, we see how we can use this to propel little paper "boats" on the surface of water.
Magic Sand is specially treated sand that does not get wet! Another way of thinking of it is that it does not mix with water. At all. We play around with magic sand and then find a way to get it wet!
Magic Sand is specially treated sand that does not get wet! Another way of thinking of it is that it does not mix with water. At all. We play around with magic sand and then find a way to get it wet!
First we play around with cornstarch and water a little bit more. Then we see what happens when you try to mix oil and water!
First we play around with cornstarch and water a little bit more. Then we see what happens when you try to mix oil and water!
This is our first podcast from a new EveryDay Science Show. The show is titled Mixtures and we will start off by looking at cornstarch and water. Sometimes it behaves like a liquid and sometimes it behaves like a solid. It all depends on the forces involved!
This is our first podcast from a new EveryDay Science Show. The show is titled Mixtures and we will start off by looking at cornstarch and water. Sometimes it behaves like a liquid and sometimes it behaves like a solid. It all depends on the forces involved!
Do you think the moon looks bigger when it's close to the horizon that when it's straight overhead? Well, it's just an illusion...and we can prove it! And we will take a look at EveryDay Science! behind the scenes!
Do you think the moon looks bigger when it's close to the horizon that when it's straight overhead? Well, it's just an illusion...and we can prove it! And we will take a look at EveryDay Science! behind the scenes!
When you see objects next to each other, your brain makes certain assumptions. It's possible to trick your brain into seeing things in different ways! Magicians use some of these tricks which are referred to as "smoke and mirrors."
When you see objects next to each other, your brain makes certain assumptions. It's possible to trick your brain into seeing things in different ways! Magicians use some of these tricks which are referred to as "smoke and mirrors."
If you pull paper one way it's easy to tear but it you pull it another it's not. Brian and the students see if they can hang from a newspaper.
You might not think of paper as being exceptionally strong, but the again you might be surprised. In this segment you will see paper pulled as hard as we can and also paper supporting a 40 pound cinder block!
If you pull paper one way it's easy to tear but it you pull it another it's not. Brian and the students see if they can hang from a newspaper.
You might not think of paper as being exceptionally strong, but the again you might be surprised. In this segment you will see paper pulled as hard as we can and also paper supporting a 40 pound cinder block!
Students can disappear and seem to catch on fire using a green screen. Check out how this works!
Students can disappear and seem to catch on fire using a green screen. Check out how this works!
Check out the world of ultraviolet florescence. Plus drinking glowing Martian Soda with mustaches! Also, get out your 3D glasses (or see the video on how to get a pair!)
Check out the world of ultraviolet florescence. Plus drinking glowing Martian Soda with mustaches! Also, get out your 3D glasses (or see the video on how to get a pair!)
Brian and the students use tape to make stained glass windows that can only been seen with polarizers! Also, a surgically altered calculator which switches colors depends on the angle!
Brian and the students use tape to make stained glass windows that can only been seen with polarizers! Also, a surgically altered calculator which switches colors depends on the angle!
Light, like any wave, can be polarized. That is to say that the wave can wiggle in certain directions. See what happens when you filter out light that is wiggling in a certain direction!
Light, like any wave, can be polarized. That is to say that the wave can wiggle in certain directions. See what happens when you filter out light that is wiggling in a certain direction!
In this podcast we look at everyday objects using the entire rainbow — the spectrum of light! Then we see what’s missing when we shine light through different colored cups!
In this podcast we look at everyday objects using the entire rainbow — the spectrum of light! Then we see what’s missing when we shine light through different colored cups!
This is our first Podcast from the Everyday Science show called Discover a New Dimension. Brian introduces some students from Preston Middle School and illuminates fruit with light from sodium lamp!
Brian shows that nerves in people are electric. What kinds of foods are electric conductors?
We introduced Benjamin Franklin in an earlier podcast and now we look at one of his inventions, the lightning rod. How does a lightning rod work? We answer that question and more on this episode of EveryDay Science!
"Would you like to be shocked?" "Yes, please." Liam tries his hand at the Van de Graaff generator and learns a little about how it works. It's a hair raising good time!
Most often electricity is produced by a magnet rotating in a coil of wire, but something has to make that magnet rotate. There are many different ways to do this, we look at some of these in this podcast.
What can you do with a coil of wire and a magnet? Hint: It has something to do with electricity!
Are there any everyday household items that can make a battery? Yes there are! Want to learn what and how? Watch this podcast and find out!
Is lightning a form of electricity? Our historical scientist Benjamin Franklin found out in a very shocking way!
You are a conductor and so is water! Check out this podcast to learn more about why you are a conductor and about the conductivity of water.
Do you know how insulators and conductors are different? Do you know which one you are? Test your knowledge!
It's time to get sparky! In this podcast, we look at negative and positive charges and how they repel and attract.
This is our first podcast from a new EveryDay Science Show. Electricity is our topic and we start out by introducing static electricity.
We end our series on phase changes with a frosty treat! We use liquid nitrogen to make ice cream and have a very special guest help us out!
We use liquid nitrogen to create a superconductor, which has some amazing magnetic properties. This podcast is a must see!
Last time, we showed you how a bubble can float on gas. We have some special bubbles this time around and the result is pretty awesome! Don't miss out!
Meet our historical scientist, James Watt, an english inventor who used phase change to create a device that turns energy into useful work. Then, we take a look at how bubbles can float on gas!
In this segment, we learn how to cook with energy transfer from a phase transition. It's a melty chocolaty good time!
If something is frozen, does it feel hot or cold? This may seem like a silly question, but we freeze something that may change your answer!
We have looked at different phase changes, and now we are going to look at the energy that is involved, when we make those changes. When a liquid changes into a gas, do you put heat in or take heat out? Find out!
In this podcast, we learn how to make a fancy dessert using phase change. Also, we take a look at how condensation works on a warm, sunny day.
Liquid nitrogen is very cold but boils at room temperature. If liquid nitrogen is boiling, what happens when it condenses? The result is surprising and spectacular! Don't miss out!
To begin this series of podcasts about boiling and freezing, we melt spoons...don't think it's possible...watch and learn!
The Little Shop of Physics is teaming up with the Rockies 9News for Weather and Science day Wednesday, April 24th. We will have all kinds of cool experiments for the kids. We have been hard at work making BIGGER versions of some of our classic demonstrations. Check it out!!
We have a special treat for this week's podcast! A time lapse video of the Little Shop of Physics open house 2013. Not only can you watch the actual open house,but also get a behind the scenes look at all the work leading up to the day. Maybe you will see yourself or someone you know!
This podcast finishes out our Everyday Science episode on conservation and we end with an unconventional way of making hot cocoa.
When you drop a bowling ball, it has potential energy that changes into kinetic energy as the ball falls. What happens when the bowling ball lands? The answer may surprise you!
Thermal energy is something we use in our everyday lives and you might not even notice it! In this podcast, we use a thermal camera to learn more about how thermal energy is conserved.
Do you really know where the mass of a tree comes from? In this podcast, our historical scientist, Jan Baptista van Helmont answers that question. We also take a look at heat engines, which are pretty cool too!
Mass is conserved, it doesn't go away. In this podcast, we have a very exciting experiment that looks at how conservation of mass works. You don't want to miss this one!
When something is moving, it has momentum, when something is spinning it has angular momentum. In this podcast, we look at conservation of angular momentum and how it works!
Did you enjoy the last experiment with the water rocket car? Get ready for more! This time we use the rocket car to look at conservation of momentum, but with a twist!
What happens when you pump air into a rocket car full of water? How do hybrid cars work? Watch and learn!!!
Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be changed from one form to another. In this podcast, we use toy cars to show how energy can be stored and transferred.
Our bowling ball experiment is a test of courage! Check it out and learn more about different types of energy.
Today we start a new series of podcasts with an introduction to conservation of energy. There is one word that can describe this new series...AWESOME!!
In our last podcast, in this series about spin, we invited Nick Tindell from Celestino's to show us how spin is used when making pizza!
If the earth didn't spin, we would have really boring weather! Find out how the spin of the earth is responsible for the weather and how the axis of the spin is responsible for the seasons.
In this podcast we look at a physical model of the earth, a spinning disk of water that mirrors the spin of the planet, to see how weather patterns develop.
Have you ever seen a tornado bite its tail? Probably not, but in this podcast we create something that looks very similar to just that!
Check out our homemade spiral wishing well, and like everything we make in the Little Shop of Physics, it's made from everyday objects. Make a wish!
In this podcast we continue to look at conservation of angular momentum and how it works with Hoberman spheres.
Ever wondered how ice skaters can spin so fast? Check out this podcast to find out!--Bonus--Learn a science party trick!
Meet the inventor of the gyroscope and learn why spin is so important when riding your bike.
In this podcast we take a look at spinning coins and the "wobble" or precession of the spin.
Most people know that a top spins, but what about a gyroscope? Check out more about gyroscopes and how they work!
Why do you think spin is important in our world? The 6th grade students at Lesher Middle School shared their ideas and then joined us in the studio to discover more about spin and how it works in our everyday lives.
We always finish each show with a snack, and this time we baked a gooey treat using a very special oven.
We know that metal can deflect microwaves—but what about radio waves? Find out the answer, and why your cell phone heats up when you talk on it, on this week's EveryDay Science podcast!
Science can explain some of the household appliances we use EveryDay! Today we learn about how your microwave works and why that turntable inside is so important.
"Watson, come here I want to see you." Do you know who said these famous words and what is so special about them? Check out one of our favorite historical scientist segments and find out! Also, we introduce the concept of microwaves and how they work!
We use sound waves, light waves,a trumpet and a laser to show you how to record information using waves. Don't miss out!
Have you ever tried to yell through a straw? It doesn't work very well, check out some better ways to transmit sound waves.
Knowing how to amplify sound waves can help you cheer on your favorite sports team or rock out to your favorite song. Take a look at some different ways to amplify sound and how this is used in a gramophone!
Can you pop popcorn with the sun? Can you turn on a light with your voice? Little Shop of Physics and EveryDay Science answer those questions and more!
Waves carry energy and that energy can be captured. Check out our latest podcast to see exactly what happens when you capture light energy and focus it on a balloon!.
Waves carry energy from one place to another. Check out the cool stuff can be done with that energy!.
Nisse and Doug from our Little Shop of Physics/Science it up! team are moving on to new adventures. This last podcast features some of the clips that didn't make the cut. We hope you have enjoyed watching Science it up! as much as we enjoyed making it. Look for a new series of podcasts premiering next month!
Sound waves move through the air. Can sound waves move through anything else? Check out how sound waves move and see a musical way to "see" them.
Waves are part of every show that we do and now they have their own EveryDay Science episode! This starts a new series of EveryDay Science podcasts dedicated to all types of waves.
The Cycles show ends with a quick lesson about how microwave frequencies work and of course we have a snack!
You can move your center of mass, something most olympic athletes already know. What to find out more? Check out our newest Science it Up!
Ever wondered what the far side of the moon looks like and why we never see it? Ever wondered how microwaves heat up your food? Learn more about the cycles of the moon and how microwaves work!
How can you use metronome to demonstrate coupled resonance? We use this musician's tool to show you how!
All things vibrate and all things vibrate at different frequencies. In this segment we "see" good vibrations!
Magnets are really cool! The SIU crew and a few friends look at all the crazy cool things magnets can do!
Two scientists -- Plato and Jocelyn Bell -- worked in two very different eras to try to explain elements of the universe in terms of cycles. Then, by playing with cycles, we are able to create the illusion of a fan that looks still yet moves air!
How about cycles beyond the range of human senses? We've got an ultrasound device that we can use to get an idea of heartbeat and with which we can detect the use of vocal chords! You didn't think biology was going to come into it, did you?!!
Energy. It's a part of our daily lives. It's what makes this whole planet (universe, even!) so interesting. And if you're teaching science, you're probably talking about it. In this podcast, we address specifically the conversion of energy between its multiple types. Of course, since this is Science It Up!, we have fun with it! Enjoy...
This can be a challenging concept to get across to students. Frankly speaking, it’s one that we hear plenty of argument and disagreement about. To help your students get their minds primed for learning about Coriolis, we’ve got this activity all set up and ready for you!
In this segment, we've got fun demos dealing with sound. Here's an option for something dynamic!
What's something else that we use every single day that depends upon cycles? Electricity!
I'm just going to let you all know that this one is pretty flippin' sweet. I thought I should give you fair warning. You can thank me later, or just show this to everyone you know.
What to watch for: well, we're making waves, of course. The dancing water bowl in slow-motion is probably worth a podcast all of its own, but we also have a Ruben's tube (aka standing wave flame tube). Oh yes... we went there, just for you.
The cycles we think of most easily are cycles in nature -- day and night, a year, rain, etc. But some cycles are a bit more subtle. An example that most of us use every day can be found in engines. Every engine relies on some kind of cycle. In the studio, we create a very simple demonstration of the concept.
Bubbles and science? In the same podcast? Oh, you know we did! We've got bubbles, star- and square-shaped bubble blowers, helium, liquid nitrogen, and (of course) we just had to set some bubbles on fire. (Safely.)
Don't just tell your students about how liquid water can end up as vapor... make a game out of it!
Another important concept for getting into cycles is frequency -- it's the number of cycles per second. We've got our furry hamster pal to help us demonstrate a fun and easy way to measure cycles!
We begin our exploration of cycles by creating a simple (and big!) pendulum in the studio. Cycles are familiar to us already -- we see them in patterns that repeat.
Oh yeah, this is a good one! We’ve all kinds of fun ways to explore buoyancy. What makes something buoyant, anyway? What factors are involved? Here are some great ways to start thinking about those questions. Bubbles, a fish tank and molding clay are some of the easier-to-aquire items. But who has a liter of mercury just lying around?
(Answer: Little Shop of Physics’ Kenn Lonnquist.)
So Kenn joins us, Nisse and Doug, to explore buoyancy, and he graciously loans us his liquid metal. What doesn’t float in a quart of quicksilver?!
Tipping points occur in nature, too, and we've got some cool footage to prove it. Then, it's our custom to close the show with a snack. This time: cookies! Scale is important to baking, as we will see with cookies of various sizes baked for the same amount of time.
What do you need if you want to make something happen? Energy! And we've got all kinds of ways to demonstrate this concept in a very literal and easy-to-see way. (Not to mention fun!) Students can see us putting energy into something and causing some kind of effect -- of course, you can connect it to getting energy back out, too! And some of these things you can easily do at home or school!!
This episode is also appropriate for a chemistry-focused class as we look briefly at how chemicals give off different colors of light when burning.
What's cooler than lasers? Why, lasers combined with a Little Shop demo, that's what!! (And Cherie and Kenn, too!) We've got our Cloud in a Bottle -- which you can build with instructions from last month's podcast of the same name -- and Cherie and Kenn have added a modified laser to it. With the help of a hair dryer, we can see convection cells. Nice!
A dynamic example of scale and tipping point in nature is the avalanche! We've got a mini-avalanche machine to demonstrate what happens. Notice the pattern: the particles build, and build, and then they reach a tipping point and they fall.
When you change scale, you affect stability. We’ve seen this demonstrated with the clay animals — now here’s another fun way to see this concept in action!
What's the physics behind bouncing? Why do some things bounce better than others? What does all of this have to do with energy? If you're having any of these conversations, we've got a video full of bouncing for you and your students. Get their curiosity sparked with this week's episode of Science It Up!
A great activity for any class that talks about clouds, light, weather, or phases of water is our "Cloud in a Bottle." Kenn and Cherie show you how we do it and talk about what your students can learn from it.
When you change the scale of something, you can change its behavior! Here is a great way to demonstrate this concept using a board and a simple tool: a plane.
Robert Hooke amazed his contemporary scientific community with what he found while using a microscope. He looked at the world on a different scale, and you could say that he even looked at a different world! Modern-day scientist David Randall of CMMAP (Center for Multiscale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes) explains how he thinks of scale when doing his work on weather and climate.
With Science It Up!, we're always trying to pack as much science fun into just a couple of minutes as we feasibly can! This month it's no exception -- we're looking at the transfer of energy. We've got billiards, launching tennis balls, and a Newton's cradle.
What?! You've seen all that? Well we've got a few things we dug out of the vault in the Physics department that we know you haven't seen!
Energy is one of the most important topics for any physical science class to cover -- and we've got you covered with several activities, methods, and formative assessments for introducing students to energy! Concepts covered include: conservation of energy, types of energy, and efficiency.
The science of weather can be challenging because large changes can occur with a simple change on the molecular level. Case in point? These heat packs... they are in a liquid state, but have been supercooled. That is, they want to be solid, but don't know how to get there. However, if one tiny little crystal can be formed, all of the other molecules can use that point as a way to become solid. By snapping the metal tab inside of them, we can create a reaction and help the liquid become a solid. (As a fun side note, these are therefore heat packs because the phase change releases the stored energy in the liquid.)
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! In case that turkey and gravy wasn't salty enough, we've got you covered. Here's the scale of salt -- what do you notice when the size changes?
Fire requires heat, oxygen and fuel -- here are a few ways to show this. As we did the preparation and filming for this video on and around 5 Nov, and as we're looking at the science of fire, we decided to give it a Guy Fawkes theme!
As for the final demo in the video, you can see the fuel, and there must be oxygen in the chamber, but where does the heat come from?
Thanks to our armed forces on Veteran's Day! Little Shop's Cherie Bornhorst teams up with CSU Atmospheric Sciences professor Scott Denning to talk about -- and demonstrate -- great ways to teach students about carbon dioxide, atmospheric gases, and thermal radiation!
Tiny things too small for us to see can cause huge things that we have to view from far away! What are we talking about? Clouds, of course! A single dust particle can start the process that forms gigantic, puffy clouds in the sky. In this clip, we show the process on our own scale. You can't see the smoke particles, but you can definitely see the cloud!
Can something happen on a very small scale that changes things on a much larger scale? (Well, since we asked the question, you probably think the answer is YES.) We won’t give the answer away here, but for a clue, we will say that this particular clip has to do with carbon dioxide, colors, liquid and acidity.
How can you show projectile motion in action? We've got all kinds of things flying through the air and a high-speed camera, too. After the credits, there is a special surprise just for you!
Here are some great activities for demonstrating buoyancy! Balloons, soda cans, dry ice, and bubbles help show students the principles of floating.
So, size matters... except when it doesn't!! A great way to demonstrate this contradiction (or either concept, separately) is to make fruit explode. We like to do this by dropping it from a considerable height. We also can show this with buoyancy -- does it matter how much mass you have of the same material?
Here's another fun, interesting and hands-on way to explore how scale affects our world! If you double the size of something, you are effectively increasing its mass to eight times greater! We show how this works with molding clay. It's a great activity to do with your students or anyone interested in science!
We've got a great video about carbon dioxide and how it acts as a greenhouse gas to absorb and emit thermal radiation! Or, to put it in other words, we've got a video with hair dryers, big long equations, car exhaust, Captain Carbon himself, and a flight to the CSU power plant!
How can a mist reveal a laser? Why can't we breathe on the moon? Why is the sky dark even during the moon's daytime? And why does our sky here on earth change colors? It all has to do with atmosphere and scattering. In this episode, we have four experiments you can do with your students to explore scattering.
How does the size of something change how it behaves? Size matters, after all! We start with some simple experiments about scale. Is it possible to turn a cup of water upside down without it spilling out? What if you hold it perfectly still, no moving? The answer has to do with surface tension.
What's the weather like on Mars? How is it like and unlike Earth? And what will the closing snack be this time?
Newton's 3rd law -- to every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction -- can sometimes be puzzling. For instance... when you jump, what is pushing you up? When you push anything, does it push back? And how can you prove this? Well, we've got some great footage to try to show exactly what's going on!
It's important to understand different means of energy transfer. So, we have some fun activities for getting into thermal radiation with your students! They address Standard 1 Physical Science and Standard 3 Earth Systems Science. Be sure to tell us what you think or if you have other fun activities that you'd like to share!
Lightning is one of the most exciting weather phenomena on our planet. But what makes it happen? We can demonstrate where the charge comes from with some tubes and particles of different sizes: in this case, sand and beads.
Did you know that sometimes rain "falls" up?! It's true! Depending upon the size of the droplet, wind blows water droplets up. This has an impact on what kind of precipitation we get when the water eventually comes down to us on the ground. You can demonstrate this with some easily available materials... or by going to a skydiving simulator!!
What's this? It looks like a 10 litre dewar of liquid nitrogen... Wow, that's about minus 200 Celsius! Hey, let's do some phase change experiments and see what happens to things that get REALLY cold!
Kinesthetic activities are a great way to get more students involved. We like to find ways to make students part of the model, rather than just showing them one. Here, we have a few ways to get students into thinking about electricity and circuits!
With some commonly available items, it's easy to make rainbows and tornados! While we show you how to do it, we'll talk about the science behind these amazing phenomena.
What can you do with electrical charge? To find out, we've got socks, balloons, cheap plastic tape, foil pans, tinsel, some Van de Graaff generators... and most importantly, our own bodies!
There's more than one way to measure temperature! Infrared thermometers measure radiation -- here are some fun and active ways to use them with your students!
We've got more light scattering, and we have some ways to make and talk about rainbows!
Fun fact: Thomas Jefferson's contributions to American history extend beyond what we traditionally credit him with doing. Did you know that he kept detailed weather observations for half of a century? These records are the best among early data in North America.
Now, here's a question that Jefferson may have asked when looking up at the sky: "Why are clouds white?" We've got a demonstration that you can use at home or in the classroom to show what's happening up above — in a word, the answer is "scattering."
What's a phase change? What's it look like? What's happening? How can freezing something give us heat? These questions and more are explored in a series of exciting demos in this week's episode of Science It Up!
Why do rain drops fall the way that they do? Sometimes they land gently on the ground... and sometimes they splat! This has to do with the size of the raindrop, gravity, and air resistance, as we demonstrate in this video. We also show you how you can turn it into a classroom experiment!
Wind is a major factor in weather. How can you construct a device to measure wind speed using easily found objects?
What does humidity have to do with the weather, or more specifically, with the temperature? We've got a thermal camera, a humidifier and some thermometers to see if we can find out!
The Coriolis effect is something we hear a lot about. But what's a good way to show how it's working? We've got a few demos to show you just that in this latest episode of Science It Up!, called "twist it!"
Why are clouds white? This podcast explores physical science as well as earth systems science.
Where does weather come from? That's quite a question, so let's get started with tackling it. We'll begin by thinking about temperature. We've got some thermometers in the studio: one at the ceiling, and one by the floor. Will they have different readings? What do you think?
The next episode of Everyday Science is almost here! We're talking about weather -- where does it come from? Why does it happen? What is it? Here's a preview of what's coming your way!
Did you wake up hoping to find a dynamic, engaging and fun podcast about science? Either way you're in luck, because it's time for another episode of Science It Up! In "bend it! bag it!" we look at ways to play with air.
What are two ways that we can use air to move and lift things? Well, we can bend air, and we can bag air. Take a look!
At the Little Shop of Physics, we're always coming up with new things! And this week is no different -- we're rolling out a brand new podcast series! This one is called "Tips for Teachers," and it's designed for any teacher who works with Earth Systems Science and Physical Science. It's also a support for the Everyday Science show and for our summer Weather and Climate class for teachers. Episodes may cover concept development, possible standards met, and materials needed.
The premiere episode, "Carbon Dioxide Pumpkin," is based on an activity for helping students visualize the amount of CO2 produced by a gasoline-fueled car.
Remember the chaos pendulum from last time? Though we might not be able to predict where the pendulum goes, we can see a trend emerging when we look at the plot. This is a good way to think about weather and climate. While we can't always predict the weather, we are able to see some trends. Scientists can see trends over the years by taking core samples and looking at tree rings. Well, we've got a way to take a core sample as we finish our show.
Who's ready for some fun with angular momentum?! It's a Friday, and that means it's time for another podcast -- this week, it's a new episode of Science It Up! We show you several different ways to have a blast with the power of spin.
Chaos is when something becomes more and more unpredictable over time. This is true for weather, which we can predict maybe a few days in advance but not much longer than that. This means that weather isn't random, it's chaotic.
Here's another way to think about feedback: we've taken plastic drinking cups and connected them in two different ways, and we have a ramp. The one cup shape corrects itself -- negative feedback. But the other one goes out of control -- positive feedback!
Here we are with another fun episode of Science It Up! How can you use air pressure to move things? Well, we've got some great examples to try at home and to watch!
How does feedback play into climate? Well, first, let's talk about what feedback is. We can demonstrate it by using a hanging globe and some projectiles!
So, what happens to the warm air and cold air when the earth spins? We can demonstrate this with a "cold" source (ice), a heat source (heat lamp), a turntable, a round pan of water and some food coloring. The water simulates air, so we see what happens when the hot and cold "airflows" meet each other. This is a great way to make a hurricane!
Science It Up! is back! The newest episode is all about comparing density of common gases using household items (and some not so common items, too). Enjoy!
As we saw in the last segment, the earth's poles are cold and the equator is warm. So, if heat moves from warm spots to cold spots, why doesn't the earth's heat just move from the equator out to the poles? Basically, because the earth isn't exactly sitting still -- it's rotating at a high speed! (Think about how big the earth is, and the whole thing has to spin around once in 24 hours!!) This complicates matters, to say the least. Let's demonstrate what happens with a spinner, some paper and food coloring. Make a prediction: what will happen to the colors? How dramatic of an effect do you think you will see?
The sun radiates energy toward the earth, and the earth radiates much of that energy back. But some of it is blocked by carbon dioxide (CO2). The Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius theorized changing amounts of CO2 could therefore change the earth’s surface temperature. Now, the equator is warm and the poles are cold, and we can demonstrate why this is by using a heat-sensitive ball and a hot light bulb. This is a major piece of the climate puzzle which we’ll connect in the coming segments.
The next episode of Science It Up! is here for your enjoyment! Condense It! is all about clouds. How do you make a cloud? Water vapor, cooling (and particles) all can create a cloud. We show you a few ways that this can be done. The biggest way is with liquid nitrogen and boiling water, and it's pretty sweet! Enjoy!!
The physical principles of heat energy exchange determine climate. That is, if we understand how heat is transferred, we can start to understand climate. Water vapor plays a significant part in this energy exchange, and the following experiment demonstrates one way in which plants are important to climate.
How does the atmosphere affect thermal radiation? Well, for one thing, it can block it, trapping heat below. But when we have a cold, cloudless night sky, what happens to the thermal radiation? The two atmospheric elements which block heat -- water droplets (clouds) and carbon dioxide -- are not blocking the radiation as much. So, the cold night sky allows the thermal radiation to pass, cooling the surface of the planet.
It’s another episode of Science It Up! Atmospheric pressure is very strong! But how can we see just how strong it is? Let’s crush all kinds of things, just with air pressure! Marshmallows, soda cans, paint thinner cans, and to cap it all off, we’ll even crush a 55-gallon oil drum. Don’t miss it!
How can you show how thermal radiation affects climate? We have liquid crystal, a hot light bulb, some things that will or won't block thermal radiation, and a surface to simulate the earth. With an infrared camera, we can really see what's going on!
Climate is here! We kick off the show by working with some basic ideas about climate. One thing we should talk about is solar heat. We can use light bulbs, a sheet of liquid crystal, and a thermal radiation camera to get started!!
It's a new kind of podcast from your friends at the Little Shop of Physics! Fast-paced and full of fun, Science it Up! is all about the action in the physics experiments. So we'll show you how to do a very simple experiment with very simple materials... and then we'll super-size it! After all, when something here at Little Shop looks pretty cool, we always say, "Sweet... now how can we make it BIGGER??"
In our premier episode, "Snuff It!," we answer the question: "How can you show that carbon dioxide is more dense than air?" To do it, we snuff out the flames of candles invisibly -- with the help of some "dry ice." You can't see our carbon dioxide gas, but you can prove that it's there when you watch the flames go out.
(Soon, this podcast may be on a separate rollout from the Everyday Science podcasts... but for now, you can get them all right here!)
Coming soon: the new Climate episode! But if you just can't wait, we've got a sneak peek at what you'll see. The Climate episode focuses on the forces that affect our climate, which is the patterns of weather that we have. Stay tuned! It's coming your way!
In addition to being a plus for the environment, saving energy saves money. We use an electricity meter to see which devices in our homes are using the most energy. Prediction time: which are the culprits? You might be surprised!
As we've seen, energy is hidden in things. There's energy in batteries and fuel, but there's also energy in everyday items, such as aluminum cans -- so when you throw a can away, you're throwing away energy. The energy hidden in an aluminum can could run a television for as long as an hour!
Now it's time for Rachel's question. You might remember that she asked about converting lightning into energy for transportation. Well, first, let's think about energy.
It exists in all kinds of things -- hidden, sometimes. We don't always think about things as having energy (or as requiring energy for packaging or shipping), but there's energy everywhere. It just so happens that lightning (aside from being powerful itself) also returns nitrogen into the soil, which in turn goes into our food. So we already use the power of lightning, without having to lift a finger!
Jamie asks how batteries store energy -- let's find out by making a simple working model of one. We'll need a copper-coated penny, a zinc-coated nail, some wire and a battery-powered clock.
(Next: Rachel's question.)
So, why is a hybrid car more efficient than a traditional gasoline car? Efficiency is all about making the same things happen while using less energy — and a hybrid car does exactly that, by using less gasoline. A traditional car needs a lot of gasoline to accelerate, and it continues to burn large amounts of fuel even when it has reached a constant speed — but it doesn’t need to burn all of that extra fuel! This is where the hybrid comes in. A hybrid car stores the otherwise wasted energy into a battery, and uses the battery to help with acceleration. The result is that less fuel is used in order to do the same work.
How can we make cars more efficient? Well, sometimes the easiest way to answer a question is to flip the question upside down: so, how can we make them less efficient? The answer that Shannon and Kenny come across has to do with friction. An increase in friction means a decrease in efficiency... so, a decrease in friction means an increase in efficiency. (Remember the hovercraft?) Kenny also wants to know about the interaction between the car engine and the car battery. To answer that question, let's see how using headlights affects the car's use of energy.
Friction is one factor of energy-consumption in cars. Since our cars aren’t hovercrafts, they have friction with the ground as they roll. To keep them moving, and overcome the friction, we have to give them extra energy (i.e., push the gas pedal).
Thinking about efficiency during building construction saves energy for years to come! Bacon Elementary School in Ft. Collins, CO is a good example -- a visit to Bacon shows how intelligent construction can help save energy. But you don't have to build a new structure to save energy! We have some tips for everyday home life as well.
Last time we talked about heat loss and made a model for it. Now we have an infrared camera and can actually see it happening! Wearing more layers is like closing up the holes in a house -- it helps keep the heat in. And if you put water on something, how can it change that object's heat?
Here's a practical analogy to the home heating process that you can adapt for your classroom or kitchen. A container serves as the home, a pitcher as the furnace, water as the heat, and a hole as the holes through which heat leaves our homes.
Houses have all kinds of little holes here and there -- it's one of the big ways that heat leaves your house. So, how can you keep the heat inside? Naturally: stop the holes!
Erin wants to know why we still use incandescent light bulbs, now that we have a more efficient alternative. Great question! And the answer is that they haven't always been inefficient.
Thomas Edison invented the first practical incandescent bulb. One of the problems that he had to solve was finding the right kind of material to use for the filament. When he finally came up with using carbonized sewing thread, he made the incandescent bulb one of the most efficient light sources of his time.
Continuing from our last segment, we demonstrate how things look in normally visible light versus how they look in the infrared. It's a great way to start thinking about energy efficiency!
Let's start with our questions from Evan and Erin: how do we make an energy efficient bulb like an LED? The answer is that there are two ways to make light: by heating an object, or by exciting atoms with electricity. Basic light bulbs (i.e. incandescents) use heat, which is not very efficient since we really only want the light. LEDs are more efficient because they use electricity to excite atoms -- they don't waste energy on heat!
What is energy? How is it used? How can we think of it in terms of resources? In the Energy and the Environment episode, we're going to tackle these and other questions inspired by students at Bacon Elementary School in Ft. Collins, CO.
As we close the show, it's time for the customary snack. For a snack about time, let's talk about mixed nuts!
Usually, once something gets mixed up it's hard to "unmix" it. But this is exactly what happens with a can of mixed nuts: by the time you open it, it's been unmixed! The big nuts are on top and the little nuts are on the bottom. It's not hard to modify this one and try it in your home or classroom!
There's an "arrow of time" in nature. You already can see it. There is an order of how things move, and we don't see these things moving backwards. (Snowmen melting, for instance.) We have some fun time lapse footage to show this arrow of time!
Time for another look at the direction of time -- this time, we're looking at memory metal, which seems to go backwards in time! Of course, it doesn't really: it simply is able to return to its original shape when heated. It's one more way to think about entropy, about how things get mixed up as time passes. (Nikki and Ryan had to see it to believe it!)
As time goes forward things usually get more mixed up. We're going to be a bit sneaky here and make something unmixed while time goes forward. (It's sneaky because in reality, the dye is not truly being mixed in.)
Time only moves in one direction, right? So, can you tell what direction things are going in these video clips? It's not easy!!
The Pulfrich effect is a really cool optical illusion! It can be easily demonstrated with a pair of sunglasses with one lens missing. When a pendulum swings back and forth, it swings in a straight line. But your eyes can be fooled into thinking it's moving in a circle! This effect expands beyond the pendulum, as we show.
Want some 3D glasses so you can try this at home? Click the "3D Glasses!" link on the right side of our blog page, or visit "http://www.cmmap.org/everydayscience/" and let us know where to mail your glasses! (After it's mailed out, we don't save your contact information. We promise!)
Here are more clips that we saved just for the podcast! It's all slow motion and it's all really cool!
How are vision and reaction time related? It's harder to react to something when you can't see it! Nikki & Ryan demonstrate reaction speed in two different tests: one in which their vision is normal, and one in which dark glasses make it harder to see. We're preparing for a later segment which has an activity you can try at home along with Nikki and Ryan!
Time to check out the slow motion replays that we prepared in the last segment! We've got bouncing waves and exploding balloons in slow-mo! What happens in the instant that a balloon bursts? We see it whole, then we see it popped... but it's too fast for us to see how it gets there. We'll play these videos 10 times slower than they actually happened. Get ready!!
Is it too fast to see? Some things happen too quickly for us to see what's going on. If we use a special camera, we can use video techniques to see what's happening. So, we're preparing the video footage to slowwww down time and get a different perspective. We have balloons popping and waves bouncing. In this segment, we see them at normal speed.
Here's more footage that we kept for the podcast! Can you tell what's moving forwards or backwards in time?
The Italian scientist Galileo observed a swinging chandelier, and realized that there was a certain cycle to it: no matter the size of the swing, it took the same amount of time. He used this realization to build a clock with a pendulum. But this realization of how time has cycles in nature goes back before Galileo -- early sundials also made use of this idea. And we can also see it overnight, over the months, over the years and over millennia.
Time -- how do you measure it? What happens when things speed up, or slow down? In this segment, we build something that we can use as a clock -- a pendulum.
Have you ever wondered about time? What is it? How does it work? How does it affect other things? This episode of the EveryDay Science show is all about time. We make fast things look slow, and slow things look fast, so that you can see them from a different perspective. We also show things moving backwards in time (that is, we "rewind" the tape) and forwards in time -- can you tell the difference? It's a great show and we're excited to share it with you!
It's a good thing you're watching the podcast! Why? Because you get to see special footage that isn't on the TV show! We call it "Not on TV." Tell your friends!
In this segment, we get to see slow-motion video of koosh balls and water balloons as they fall, make impact and stretch.
We close the episode with two treats that rely on pressure: popcorn and juice boxes.
What do you use to drink from a juice box? A straw! And you use a straw by creating pressure differences: when you draw air into your mouth, you are creating lower pressure, which brings the liquid up the straw.
And how do you make popcorn? You increase the pressure in the kernels by heating them. When they are heated, the water inside tries to expand, and it "pops" the corn by doing so.
In the 1600s, Evangelista Toricelli developed a barometer -- a device used to measure air pressure. Toricelli put mercury inside a bent glass tube (shaped something like an "L" or a candy cane). The high end of the tube was capped; the low end was open. (Air pressure kept the mercury inside.) When the outside air pressure rose, air would push inside the low end, causing the mercury to rise.
Toricelli noticed that a change in the air pressure predicted a change in the weather. This principle is still used in meteorology today.
Don't worry, we're not done with the Pressure show yet! But you should know that the recently filmed Time show will be premiering soon! Here's a little something to get excited about while you wait: We speed things up, we slow things down (like an exploding water balloon). We use time-lapse filming to see the world in a different perspective! We show special films: can you tell if time is moving forwards or backwards? We ask: what is time? The Time show. It's ticking your way, in May.
So now that we've seen how pressure works, how much BIGGER can we go? How about a big, empty oil drum?
Recall that the air pressure outside the drum and inside are currently matched. But what will happen when the air (and thus the air pressure) INSIDE the drum is sucked out??
Air pressure at greater elevations is low, and here on the ground it’s high. (So at sea level, air pressure is higher than it is at Mount Everest.) We can’t feel the high air pressure here because it matches the pressure inside our bodies. We can see pressure demonstrated when we remove air pressure from the inside of a sealed bag: the contents get squeezed by the higher air pressure on the outside. And when an enthusiastic student — with a trained professional on hand — is vaccuum-packed, he can feel the air pressure, too! (Never put a bag on or over someone’s head, and do not vacuum-pack a person. The vacuum-pack demonstration that we use is very specifically tailored for safety issues and so Ellis was completely safe.)
What makes a balloon float? Well, there are three important forces acting on that balloon: gravity, pressure, and buoyancy. At Rice Elementary School in Wellington, Colorado, Brian demonstrates how these forces work on a balloon.
In the Channel 10 studio, GPS units are used for another cool pressure experiment. GPS units can display the current elevation. How? It's pressure!
Since air pressure is different at different elevations (high elevation means low pressure, and vice versa), the GPS units measure air pressure to estimate elevation. Want proof? When the units are placed in airtight containers, and the pressure is changed, the elevation changes. The units are "tricked" into calculating elevations several hundred meters lower and several thousand meters higher!
LEAF BLOWER ELEVATOR -- How can the air inside a tire support a tractor, or a school bus, or a semi trailer?! It's because of pressure differences between the inside of the tire and the outside. Want proof? Grace stands on a board which is on top of an airbag. When the bag is empty, the pressure isn't strong enough to do anything interesting. But when Brian fills the bag using air from the leaf blower, the pressure inside the bag increases dramatically! BUCKET BALLOON -- When the bucket is low, the balloon doesn't fill up -- but when it's high, the balloon does. Why? There are three important pressure zones here: the low pressure inside the bucket, the high pressure inside the balloon, and the low pressure outside the balloon. (The low pressure outside the balloon is in fact the same as that of the bucket, because it's the same air.) So, when the bucket is raised, gravity pulls the water down, making the pressure inside the balloon higher than the pressure outside of it. This allows the balloon to expand and fill.
Now that we have discussed what pressure is, let's find out what pressure does. First, Brian has a pair of translucent plates. He can remove all of the air from in between the plates. Now there is a very strong pressure difference! What will happen when Grace and Ellis try to pull them apart? Next, marshmallows. They're made with puffed air. What can we do to the air pressure to increase the size of the marshmallow?
At Rice Elementary in Colorado, students demonstrate how pressure works at the atomic level. Wearing bumper suits, they represent microscopic bits of matter that push against each other and their boundaries. When the number increases, or boundaries shrink, the collisions increase, increasing pressure.
What do you get when you mix balloons, liquid nitrogen, and eager young scientists (equipped with proper safety gear, of course)? It sounds like another exciting EveryDay Science experiment! As we saw in segment 2, heat and pressure are related. Brian, Ellis and Grace have set up a demonstration of just how dynamic pressure and temperature can be. Liquid nitrogen is at about -200 degrees Celcius, and boils at -196 C, so when it is introduced into room temperature air (about 20 C), it boils without fail. As the nitrogen becomes a gas, they use it to fill balloons. They then put the balloons back into the liquid nitrogen, which cools the nitrogen inside the balloons, reducing the inside pressure and shrinking the balloon. Removing it warms the inside and it expands once again.
Grace and Ellis help Brian demonstrate the source of pressure. They start with a canister containing pellets -- it has a speaker at its base. When the power for the speaker is turned on, it bounces the pellets, which in turn push on the lid. This simulates what is happening at the microscopic level with pressure. They then demonstrate how pressure effects liquids. Using a pitcher and a bottle with a tube attached, they build a barometer. When they increase the molecules, the pressure inside increases. They can also increase the pressure with heat.
The newest episode of EveryDay Science is showing up in podcasts now! Pressure II - it's a reimagining of the concept we explored in our first episode ever (titled, well... Pressure). Differences in pressure help you to drink from a straw, help your balloon to float, and help planes to soar in the sky. Let's start with some things to think about -- some questions to ponder while we get ready to watch each segment. Where does pressure come from? How can it be changed? How exactly do these pressure differences cause the effects we've listed? All of this and more will be explored in the newest EveryDay Science episode, Pressure II.
Often the most interesting scientific questions are the ones which are hardest to test. The challenge is to, like Albert Einstein, be very creative in the ways that we try to answer them. One such question is this: what lies beyond the event horizon of a black hole? (Think of the event horizon as the boundary of a black hole.) It's an interesting question, because we can't go into a black hole, and nothing within a black hole can come out. How can we think creatively to answer it?
What if you need to do experiments that go beyond the use of a lab? Some of the best scientists in history used only their imaginations for some problems! Among them stands the most famous Western scientist of the 20th century: Albert Einstein.
What's the best way to harness clean energy for cars? Well, solar power is the ultimate form of clean energy: once the light is gone, no waste remains. Let's do some experiments with solar-powered vehicles.
It's time to explore with some more questions. Can you magnify solar energy? What's the best way to harness clean energy? Brian, Alex and Charles perform experiments with solar panels to tackle these questions.
We've seen science in action: we ask questions and we perform experiments to answer them. But there's more to it: it's a process with guidelines. Let's see what scientists at Colorado State University have to say about the process.
How does a refrigerator work? Brian and company are ready with another experiment to figure it out! They demonstrate how water can be used to remove heat, which is part and parcel of the refrigeration process.
Why does a fan cool you down? What does evaporation have to do with it? With these ideas in mind, Brian, Chris and Dana demonstrate the scientific method by asking questions, setting hypotheses, and conducting experiments.
What is science? We go to several scientists at Colorado State University to learn what they do and what they have to say about science.
Microwaves bounce back and forth as, well, waves. Depending on the size of the wave, some spots are hot and some are cold. This is why most microwave ovens have turntables -- the heat is more evenly spread out. How can Brian, Sierra and Mary show that this is what's happening inside the microwave? It's time for another experiment!
The Little Shop of Physics travels with hands-on science experiments which we've shared with over 250,000 students. We don't just show students science -- we help them DO science! Our goal is to teach people that science is something anyone can do. Each year we see about 20,000 students—not including the 5,000+ folks who attend our yearly Open House at Colorado State University. We primarily work with students by visiting schools all over the region. But we also work with teachers through our teacher workshops and the community through our Everyday Science TV show.
Sierra, Mary and Brian continue working with microwaves. This time they have constructed a working model of a microwave. They have connected a CD player to a microwave emitter and speakers to a microwave receiver. The microwave emitter carries the music to the receiver, where it is transmitted to the speakers. How can we prove this? Let's watch and find out!
Science is something that you do. So rather than talk about science, we're going to take questions from young scientists and take action! How do microwaves work? Why does metal spark inside a microwave? With Mary and Sierra, Brian demonstrates what's going on inside that microwave oven.
What is science? It's a process. It's something you do. We're going to use the process to answer some questions from students at Lesher Junior High School.
It's been ten years since Everyday Science first captivated imaginations and gave us fun ways to think about and explore science. Now it's time to revisit the Pressure show to look at pressure in a whole new way! The Tenth Anniversay Show: Pressure is coming your way soon.
It's time to wrap up. If we could leave with one important idea, what would it be? How about, "What makes the wind blow? Pressure!" Finishing up with a tasty treat, Brian, Cierra and Samantha give a send-off to the Wind program.
Did you know that our system of wind speed measurement has roots in seafaring history? Understanding wind speed was critical for sailors. Historical scientist Francis Beaufort was a mariner who developed a scale for determining wind speed.
In this segment we explore extreme winds. Brian, Samantha and Cierra use dry ice and a fan to make a homemade tornado, demonstrating angular momentum's role in the creation of extreme winds.
Taka Ito, a researcher and oceanographer at CSU, demonstrates global circulation of wind and how the spin of the earth affects the wind. Using a spinning water tank with warm and cold water, he replicates the impacts on wind effected by the cold North Pole and the Warm equator.
Brian, Cierra and Samantha have been looking at winds on a small scale. Now, it's time to look at winds on a very large scale - that of the earth. Building off of their explorations into convection in segment 2, they ask some questions. Why doesn't the hot air from the equator move up and down to the earth's poles? What effect does the earth's spinning have on wind? They have some fun experiments in the Channel 10 studio to demonstrate and explore these effects.
In the Channel 10 studio, Brian, Samantha and Cierra experiment with the speed, direction and height of wind. Using their hand-made anemometers and wind indicators, they see what happens to wind speed and direction at different heights and around obstacles. Brian also looks at what happens to wind at different heights outdoors: surface level wind, the jet stream high in the sky, and everything in between!
Brian, Cierra and Samantha continue exploring wind in the Channel 10 studio. Now they are working on convection. What happens when air is heated or cooled? Where does it go? How does it move? See what happens when they explore using a converted fish tank and the Convection Cauldron!
Starting in the Channel 10 studio, Brian, along with Poudre students Samantha and Cierra, asks the most basic question about wind: what makes it blow? They begin by talking about how pressure plays a part.
Why does the wind blow? That’s one of the seemingly basic questions that we cover on this episode of the Everyday Science show, a joint production of the Little Shop of Physics and Poudre School District Channel 10. Here’s a preview of “Wind”—a taste of what’s to come.