Science Fix

Video Demo: Fire Piston

2010-09-01T15:00:42Z

I bought this fire syringe from the Science Outlet. The video above shows that when the piston is forced down rapidly, the air molecules compress causing a huge increase in temperature. This causes the piece of cotton in the syringe to ignite. This is very similar to what happens with the reentry of the space shuttle into the Earth's atmosphere.

Video Demo: Apple Inertia

2010-08-22T15:48:06Z

Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist a change in its motion. An apple and a knife are moving downward. The counter-top applies an unbalanced force upward on the knife. The knife decelerates, but the apple does not. The apple decelerates only when the knife handle applies a force upward on it.

Video Demo: Forces and Motion

2010-08-06T15:05:28Z

According to Newton's first law of motion, an object moving at constant velocity will continue to move at constant velocity unless an outside unbalanced force is applied. This is why moving objects on Earth will always slow down and stop. The outside unbalanced force that does it is friction. Watch the video to see how friction affects the motion of a marble on a track.

Video Demo: Constant Speed Car

2010-07-25T21:47:52Z

Speed is the rate at which an object covers a distance. How do you know if that rate changes or not? The video shows how to determine if the speed of an object is constant.

Video Demo: Accelerometer

2010-07-21T05:37:28Z

Velocity is speed in a given direction. How is a change in velocity (acceleration) detected? Accelerometers. Most smartphones have accelerometers to detect changes in velocity to monitor certain tasks. The video demonstrates a very basic accelerometer and how it works.

Video Demo: Centripetal Force

2010-06-17T22:50:45Z

A simple demonstration of centripetal force. A marble is moving in a circular path. The wall of the roll of tape is applying a force on the marble toward the center of the circular path. That is centripetal force. Once the force is removed, the marble, because it has inertia, moves in a straight line.

Video Demo: Fishing Weight Inertia

2010-06-17T17:14:33Z

The more mass an object has, the more inertia it has. Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist a change in motion. There are two fishing weights. One has more mass than the other. A string applies an unbalanced force to the different weights. Which one resists a change in motion? Watch the video.

Video Demo: Beaker Inertia

2010-06-10T21:28:27Z

Another demo on inertia? Yup, and this time I have enlisted the help of one of my favorite science guys: Beaker. Beaker, books, and a rolling chair are moving at constant velocity until an outside unbalanced force is applied. Watch what happens!

Video Demo: Ring Inertia

2010-06-05T13:38:19Z

I shot a lot of video before the end of school, and here is a favorite but simple one of mine. All you need is some chalk (or pennies), a wooden ring (from a craft store), and a flask. Watch the video.

Video Demo: Egg Inertia

2010-05-30T22:36:35Z

I've posted this demo on the site before, but now I have it in high definition. It's a classic experiment showing the principle of inertia in action. Watch the video!