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Simply the Best Bits of Science

Go to the named exhibit and do the activities in this booklet. See how much you can learn today about science. There is a floor plan of Winchester Science Centre on the Education page of the web site that will help you find exhibits.

Vortex This is a whirling movement that happens in fluids such as water or air. It draws everything near it towards its centre. Turn the handle in the direction of the arrow. As the water spins, the heavy water is forced a…………….from the centre and air is dragged d…………. into the centre. Where might you see a vortex at home? ………………………………………………………………………...

Simple Circuits There are 3 circuit tables to the exhibit with the following components:- Wires, fans, bulbs, buzzers and two types of switches. 1) When you have found each component

tick it off the list above. 2) Use the coloured wires to make a simple

circuit as shown below. 3) Make different circuits using the

switches, buzzer and motors. 4) Draw one of the circuits you have made.

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Hit the Target Hit the Target looks at forces and how they impact on moving objects.

Try to bounce the ball onto the metal plate and into the hole.

FACTS-Air Resistance Friction force is the force which acts against the movement of an object. This will make the object slow down or stop. Rub your hands together. What happens and what do you feel? So what does friction cause? Air resistance is the friction force on bodies moving through air. The force of the air acts in the opposite direction to the movement of the object.

Floating and sinking A famous scientist called Archimedes did a lot of work looking at how objects behaved in water. Floating objects are pulled down by the force of gravity. A push upwards from the water makes some objects float. The shape of an object is important in deciding whether it floats or sinks. The material from which the object is made also affects whether it will float or sink. The density (how much matter is in an object) of the object and the liquid it is on will also affect how well it will float.

What are the forces acting on the ball? Circle the correct answers Talk about what forces are moving the ball with your adult helper.

Gravity Upthrust Air resistance

What could be changed in order to change the distance of the ball? Tick the box. Angle of plate Weight of ball Position of metal blocks

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Air Table Friction is a force which tries to stop one surface sliding against another. Push the circle shape across the table and then push it again this time with the air flowing. Is it easy to push the circle across the table: Without the air on? With air flowing? Yes

No

Yes

No

Air Stream

Air Stream Place the parachute in the air stream. Why does the parachute go up? What force causes the parachute to come down? What force slows the parachute down?

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Larger than life

Have a look at the slides and objects on the table under the microscope. Choose the object you like best and draw it in the circle.

What else can you use to see small objects?

Volume/Mass There are 2 parts to this exhibit. Look carefully at the blocks on the right-hand-side of the exhibit. Try to lift each one and then answer the question. What is the same about the blocks? ................................................ What is different about the blocks? .................................................. Look carefully at the blocks on the left-hand-side of the exhibit. Try to lift each one and then answer the question. What is the same about the blocks? What is different about the blocks?

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Watch your Waste Find out more about your rubbish and try the Waste Buster Challenge. Do you know what types of materials can be recycled? Tick the box if you think these things can be recycled.

Glass

Paper

Plastics

Metals

Clothing How did you do? Talk to an adult helper.

Weight Lifter

What happens when you turn the handle connected to the blue /white rope ? ................................................................... What happens when you turn the handle connected to the red/white rope?

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

Tell your adult helper what stops the crane from falling over and why this is important?

Pan Pipes To make a sound hit the end of the tube with the flip flop. Listen carefully to the sounds they make. Talk about why each pipe makes a different sound. Why is this? Now finish this sentence. The smaller the pipe, the ..................... the sound.

Word bank higher lower louder softer

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Sound Waves Press the buttons one at a time and listen to the sounds. Which is the loudest sound? Which is the quietest sound? What material would you use to help stop the sound of a 747 Jet plane? Investigate using the different samples of materials. REMEMBER to make it a FAIR TEST

Light Table

Use the mirrors and the plastic blocks to make a light path round the table. Finish drawing the path of the beam of light.

What do you notice about the angles? ................................. What do you think will happen if you change the angle that the light hits the surface? ............................................................ ...................................................................................................

Use the prism to split the light ray into the colours of the rainbow. Write the colours you can see here.

Facts - Sound Sounds are made when objects vibrate. Sounds are heard because they travel to our ears. The loudness and pitch of musical instruments can be changed by adjusting the length of pipes or strings and the material the instrument is made from.

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Viscosity Tubes Pump a bubble though one of the tubes. Draw the shape of the bubble. Time each tube to see how long a bubble takes to travel up.

A B C D E F Which bubble travelled the fastest? ................. Which bubble was the slowest? .................... From this information which do you think is the most viscose (thick) liquid?

secs secs secs secs secs secs

Up and Down To make the glass ball float you need to pump................... into it. When a submarine wants to rise to the sur-face .............. is used to fill its tanks. When the submarine wants to dive under the water it floods its tanks with.................

Word bank water air sand

FACTS-Light

Light always travels in straight lines. Shadows are formed where the light does not shine. We see things because light is reflected into our eyes.

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Aerated Water What happens to the objects when air is bubbled into the tubes? The objects do not move. The objects float. The objects sink. In your group talk to each other about why this might happen. Extension

What forces are acting on a floating object? .............................................................................. Draw these forces on the diagram.

Tornado What type of air do you need to form a tornado?

Can you turn the dials to make the right conditions for one to form? Air needs to move upwards quickly—then other air coming into the tornado causes more air to be sucked in. Can you name the shape a tornado makes? ……………………………………………...