DISCOVERY SCIENCE

Our presenters explain the processes of science in an easy to understand format. We start with the four skills of science and discuss hw to experiment. Students will learn how scientists work and how to do experiments safely. The workshop ends with some hands-on experiments for the students to try ou their new skills.

The four skills of science are:

Questioning
Observing
Preparing
Testing

QUESTIONING
We look around us and we want to know why things are different, act the same. Most scientists have made amazing discoveries because they asked many questions about the world. What questions do you have?

OBSERVING
We need to pay careful attention to what we see and feel when we do experiments. Observing is more than seeing - it is seeing and thinking about what is happening. We will use our EYES as a tool to detect changes but we can also use our other senses to experience changes in science.

PREPARING
We need to make sure our experiments are safe and that we have prepared everything properly before we start. Accidents can happen if we are not SAFE & SENSIBLE with our experiments. If we act SENSIBLE, it will keep us SAFE.

TESTING
We need to do some experiments only once to see the results. Sometimes we need to do experiments a few times in order to see if anything changes each time. Sometimes experiments fail and we then ned to think about what went wrong and redo the experiment again. Scientists like getting things wrong because it helps them to get the answer done right the next time.

.........................................
PROGRAM

Demonstrations

1. The Two Rules of Science: Sensible and Safe
2. Dry Ice
3. Dry Ice And Coloured Water
4. Balloon & Skewer
5. Pencil and Plastic bag
6. Milk & Vinegar
7. Dry Ice And Hot Water

..................................

Hands-On Experiments

Tube Tunes
Experiments with sound and vibrations. Students assist our presenter in making some music with their muscles and our special musical tubes. The air vibrates as the tube rotates. The ridges inside the tube make he air shake at a certain speed and we hear a sound - the faster the tube rotated the higher he sound. Each sound is an octave higher than the next.

Cyclone Tubes
This experiment provides an example of a "vortex action". N initial small rotation about the opening gains speed as the molecules come closer to the centre. The resulting outwards force keeps the liquid out of the centre creating a funnel. Vortex action is found in cyclones, tornadoes and whirlpools. In liquids, the potential energy (mass) is converted to kinetic energy as it descends, pulled by gravity through the opening or vortex.

Gyro Wheel

Centripetal Force

Movie Magic