This quick-lab provides a concrete experience with crystal formation from saturated salt solutions that can help students make solubility problems more relevant to their experience.
Students work in groups to collect fossils and sediments from the Hamilton Group (Devonian), process their samples, and determine the paleocology and diversity metrics for each formation in the Hamilton Group. Analysis also includes comparing collection techniques (bulk vs. targeted) and diversity of each formation. Each student individually writes a paper summarizing their work.
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In this activity about light and reflection, learners use a special device called a Mirage Maker䋢 to create an illusion. What they perceive as an object is really an image in space, created by two concave mirrors. Learners will be surprised when they try to grab the object on the mirror and there's nothing there! Activity includes a light-ray diagram to help explain how the image is created.
How does an object's speed change as it falls through the atmosphere? When first learning about how objects fall, usually just one force--gravity--is considered. Such a simplification only accurately describes falling motion in a vacuum. This model of a parachute carrying a load incorporates a second force--air resistance--and allows experimentation with two variables that affect its speed: the size of the parachute and the mass of its load. This model graphs both the parachute's height above the Earth's surface and its speed after it is released. Motion continues until a constant speed is achieved, the terminal velocity.
Explore the factors that affect a pendulum's motion. A pendulum is a weight hung from a fixed point. Pendulums swing back and forth in a regular motion known as a period. The length of the period is affected by the pendulum itself. Experiment by changing the length of the string/rod, the mass of the weight, the angle at which the pendulum is released and the friction (or damping force) exerted on the pendulum. Which of these factors affect the period of the pendulum?
Middle school lab activity promoting physics and math learning.
Play with one or two pendulums and discover how the period of a simple pendulum depends on the length of the string, the mass of the pendulum bob, and the amplitude of the swing. It's easy to measure the period using the photogate timer. You can vary friction and the strength of gravity. Use the pendulum to find the value of g on planet X. Notice the anharmonic behavior at large amplitude.
Play with one or two pendulums and discover how the period of a simple pendulum depends on the length of the string, the mass of the pendulum bob, and the amplitude of the swing. It's easy to measure the period using the photogate timer. You can vary friction and the strength of gravity. Use the pendulum to find the value of g on planet X. Notice the anharmonic behavior at large amplitude.
Explore the motion of a pendulum suspended by a spring. A pendulum is a weight hung from a fixed point. Pendulums swing back and forth in a regular motion known as a period. The period of a pendulum is affected by the length of the string/rod. A spring is a resilient device that can be pressed or pulled but return to its original shape when released. Springs are commonly helical coiled metal devices. When a spring is compressed or stretched and then released, it will vibrate at a particular frequency. This frequency is called the period of the spring. The period of a spring is affected by the spring constant (a measure of the elasticity of the coils). How does a pendulum behave when the length of the spring that suspends the mass is constantly changing?
Fun demo to show Bernoulli's Principle in action.
A web page and interactive applet show how to compute the perimeter of a polygon. A polygon is shown that can be resized by dragging its vertices. As you drag, the perimeter is continuously recalculated. Text on the page explains that the perimeter is the sum of the sides. For those who prefer it, in a formula that is given. Applet can be enlarged to full screen size for use with a classroom projector. This resource is a component of the Math Open Reference interactive geometry reference book project at http://www.mathopenref.com.
Explore what happens at the molecular level during a phase change. The three common physical states of matter (also called phases) are solid, liquid and gas. Matter can change phase with the addition or subtraction of heat. Molecules are always in motion. The molecules in a solid move more slowly than those in a liquid. When molecules are heated, they gain kinetic energy (motion). Kinetic energy can be transferred through molecular collisions.
See how light knocks electrons off a metal target, and recreate the experiment that spawned the field of quantum mechanics.
See how light knocks electrons off a metal target, and recreate the experiment that spawned the field of quantum mechanics.
In this activity, students observe fluid motion and the formation of convection cells as a solution of soap and water is heated. This procedure can be performed as a demonstration by the teacher, or older students can conduct the experiment themselves. A list of materials, instructions, and a description of the convective process are included.
Piedras de Alta Tecnología. El Centro de Extensión y Educación en Ciencias Naturales colabora con la facultad de CSU, los Parques Nacionales y los programas de ciencia ciudadana para traducir su investigación científica actual en experiencias STEM únicas para los estudiantes en forma de kits educativos que se pueden prestar. Cada kit contiene casi todos los materiales necesarios (menos cosas comunes como agua y toallas de papel) para explorar algunos temas de investigación científica realmente interesantes. enviando un formulario de recogida local o un formulario de entrega disponible en el sitio web vinculado. Utilice la información de contacto en la página de descripción general del kit STEM para obtener más información. https://www.cns-eoc.colostate.edu/stem-kits/ Este kit se proporciona de forma gratuita para uso educativo.
Piscinas Anquialinas Equipo STEM. Este equipo proporciona recursos para socios del Parque Histórico Nacional Kaloko-Honokōhau en Hawái. El equipo incluye referencias al idioma nativo hawaiano y la ecología con una entrevista con el tío Fred Cachola, un ambientalista local. El Centro de Extensión y Educación en Ciencias Naturales colabora con la facultad de CSU, los Parques Nacionales y los programas de ciencia ciudadana para traducir su investigación científica actual en experiencias STEM únicas para los estudiantes en forma de kits educativos que se pueden prestar. Cada kit contiene casi todos los materiales necesarios (menos cosas comunes como agua y toallas de papel) para explorar algunos temas de investigación científica realmente interesantes. enviando un formulario de recogida local o un formulario de entrega disponible en el sitio web vinculado. Utilice la información de contacto en la página de descripción general del kit STEM para obtener más información. https://www.cns-eoc.colostate.edu/stem-kits/ Este kit se proporciona de forma gratuita para uso educativo.
How do scientists detect planets around distant stars? Use this model to explore how a star's movement and light intensity are affected by an orbiting planet. Explore the effects of changing the orbiting angle (tilt), type, and size of the planet on the star's velocity and light intensity. Use the habitability analyzer to determine whether the planet could harbor life.
Plankton to Plastic Pollution STEM Kit. The Natural Sciences Education & Outreach Center collaborates with CSU faculty, National Parks and citizen science programs to translate their current scientific research into unique STEM experiences for students in the form of Educational Kits that can be checked out. Each kit contains just about all of the materials needed (minus common things like water and paper towels) to explore some really interesting scientific research topics. The kits are available for teachers and informal educators in Colorado to check out for a duration of a week by submitting either a local pickup form or a delivery form available at the linked website. Please use the contact information on the STEM Kit overview page to learn more. https://www.cns-eoc.colostate.edu/stem-kits/ This kit is provided free for educational use. This resource is also available in Spanish in the linked file.
Explore what happens when a force is exerted on a polymeric plastic material. There are many different types of materials. Each material has a particular molecular structure, which is responsible for the material's mechanical properties. The molecular structure of each material affects how it responds to an applied force at the macroscopic level.