Make a fun balloon powered DIY car from just a few peices …
Make a fun balloon powered DIY car from just a few peices of recycled materials, like a juice box and bottle tops. Chances are you have all the materials you need for this entertaining craft right at home. It's also an easy project that young chldren can make from start to finisih
Students control small electric motors with Arduino microcontrollers to make simple sticky-note …
Students control small electric motors with Arduino microcontrollers to make simple sticky-note spinning fans and then explore other variations of basic motor systems. Through this exercise, students create circuits that include transistors acting as switches. They alter and experiment with given basic motor code, learning about the Arduino analogWrite command and pulse width modulation (PWM). Students learn the motor system nuances that enable them to create their own motor-controlled projects. They are challenged to make their motor systems respond to temperature or light, to control speed with knob or soft potentiometers, and/or make their motors go in reverse (using a motor driver shield or an H-bridge). Electric motors are used extensively in industrial and consumer products and the fundamental principles that students learn can be applied to motors of all shapes and sizes.
Computer-controlled servos enable industrial robots to manufacture everything from vehicles to smartphones. …
Computer-controlled servos enable industrial robots to manufacture everything from vehicles to smartphones. For this maker challenge, students control a simple servo arm by sending commands with their computers to Arduinos using the serial communication protocol. This exercise walks students through the (sometimes) unintuitive nuances of this protocol, so by the end they can directly control the servo position with the computer. Once students master the serial protocol, they are ready to build some suggested interactive projects using the computer or “cut the cord” and get started with wireless Bluetooth or XBee communication.
Students learn about engineering applications in artistic venues by designing and creating …
Students learn about engineering applications in artistic venues by designing and creating eye masks that each contain three LEDs. They explore parallel circuits with their LEDs, and sew with conductive thread to create light-up displays on their masks, gaining hands-on experience in using engineering technologies as well as custom product design and assembly.
This video from KET traces the energy transformations that occur when coal …
This video from KET traces the energy transformations that occur when coal is burned to produce electricity. Some of the mechanical processes are also described.
As a weighted plastic egg is dropped into a tub of flour, …
As a weighted plastic egg is dropped into a tub of flour, students see the effect that different heights and masses of the same object have on the overall energy of that object while observing a classic example of potential (stored) energy transferred to kinetic energy (motion). The plastic egg's mass is altered by adding pennies inside it. Because the egg's shape remains constant, and only the mass and height are varied, students can directly visualize how these factors influence the amounts of energy that the eggs carry for each experiment, verified by measurement of the resulting impact craters. Students learn the equations for kinetic and potential energy and then make predictions about the depths of the resulting craters for drops of different masses and heights. They collect and graph their data, comparing it to their predictions, and verifying the relationships described by the equations. This classroom demonstration is also suitable as a small group activity.
Students apply sound-activated light-up EL wire to create personalized light-up clothing outfits. …
Students apply sound-activated light-up EL wire to create personalized light-up clothing outfits. During the project, students become familiar with the components, code and logic to complete circuits and employ their imaginations to real-world applications of technology. Acting as if they are engineers, students are challenged to incorporate electroluminescent wire to regular clothing to make attention-getting safety clothing for joggers and cyclists. Luminescent EL wire stays cool, making it ideal to sew into wearable projects. They use the SparkFun sound detector and the EL sequencer circuit board to flash the EL wire to the rhythm of ambient sound, such as music, clapping, talking—or roadway traffic sounds! The combination of sensors, microcontrollers and EL wire enables a wide range of feedback and control options.
Repeated motion is present everywhere in nature. Learn how to 'make waves' …
Repeated motion is present everywhere in nature. Learn how to 'make waves' with your own movements using a motion detector to plot your position as a function of time, and try to duplicate wave patterns presented in the activity. Investigate the concept of distance versus time graphs and see how your own movement can be represented on a graph.
In this activity, you will use recyclable materials to make your own …
In this activity, you will use recyclable materials to make your own wall marble run! A marble run is a fun toy and a great way to earn about physics concepts like kinetic and potential energy. Do you think your marble will make it to the end of the track?
This activity is a series of game-like lessons that assist the student …
This activity is a series of game-like lessons that assist the student in developing the logic skills needed to read mass spectrometer output and formulate the identity of an unknown molecule. As students endeavor to identify the unknown they must apply fundamental chemistry knowledge including formula mass, isotopes, periodic table, relative abundance, interpreting graphs, organic chemistry, ionization, bonding rules, and structural formulas. Based on an activity presented by Olaf Runquist, Professor, Hamline University.
Two astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) describe mass and weight …
Two astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) describe mass and weight and the differences between the two in this video from NASA’s Teaching From Space initiative.
Students learn about slope, determining slope, distance vs. time graphs through a …
Students learn about slope, determining slope, distance vs. time graphs through a motion-filled activity. Working in teams with calculators and CBL motion detectors, students attempt to match the provided graphs and equations with the output from the detector displayed on their calculators.
Students investigate the materials properties such as acoustical absorptivity, light reflectivity, thermal …
Students investigate the materials properties such as acoustical absorptivity, light reflectivity, thermal conductivity, hardness, and water resistance of various materials. They use sound, light and temperature sensors to collect data on various materials. They practice making design decisions about what materials would be best to use for specific purposes and projects, such as designing houses in certain environments to meet client requirements. After testing, they use the provided/tested materials to design and build model houses to meet client specifications.
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