Science

Considered the father of electromagnetism, British scientist  Michael Faraday furthered the field of magnetism by leaps and bounds. Although his math skills were barely at the algebraic level, his understanding of electromagnetism and electrochemistry led to big-time scientific breakthroughs in the early 1800’s. Oh, did we mention that he moonlighted as a chemist, discovering Benzene and inventing the Bunsen burner, among other amazing accomplishments?You can perform Faraday’s famous induction experiment at home with your kids, and introduce them to the magic of magnets and the amazing mysteries that can be solved by scientific exploration. It’s easiest than you might think:so go on, give it a try….First, ask your kids if they think there’s a way to make a non-magnetic object, like a nail, magnetic.Next, gather the following supplies:

• 1 Iron nail – roughly 3" long
• 3’ Thin coated copper wire
• New D battery
• Needle-nosed pliers or wire stripper
• Tape
• Several paper clips or other metal objects

Photo Courtesy Grandadscience.com

Now, follow these step-by-step instructions:

1. Leaving about 5"loose at the starting end, wrap the wire around the nail, being careful not to overlap anywhere.
2. Leaving 8" loose at the other end of the nail,cut the wire.
3. Use a wire stripper to peel back the plastic coating from both ends of the wire (many needle-nose pliers have a built-in wire stripper). You’ll only need to peel off about an inch of plastic from the wire – just enough to expose it and enable it to make contact with the ends of the battery.
4. Tape one end of the wire to one end of your battery and the other end to the other end of the battery. Be careful – the battery can get hot!
5. Point your nail toward the pile of paper clips – it should pick them up!

Photo Courtesy Grandadscience.com

Amazing, right? Here’s how it works:

Most magnets are permanent, meaning they are always magnetic (think about the ones on your fridge). This is because of the way their molecules are arranged. Electromagnets, however, are only magnetic when electricity, like what you provided with your battery, is flowing. When electricity is attached to a non-magnetic metal object, the molecules in the object are rearranged so that they are attracted to other metals—in other words, they become magnetic—until the electrical supply is cut off. For this reason, it’s extremely important to keep the wires of an electromagnet away from any electrical outlets.

Congratulations—you just made an electromagnet! Michael Faraday would be proud.  

Get up close and personal with nature, through the amazing power of magnification! There are truly unbelievable details in nearly everything you find outdoors (and in, for that matter!), and magnifying glass activities are fun for the whole family. Teach your kids to look deeper by examining natural finds with a microscope or other magnifiers! EI’s GeoSafari® Jr. Science Utility Vehicle™ is a fun way to introduce magnification to young children, and our GeoSafari Adventure Pens are the perfect, portable scientific tool for older kids.Some particularly spectacular, every day outdoor objects to magnify include:Leaves – look for the veins!Bark – check out the texture!Snake or spider skin – is it translucent? Transparent?Feathers - are the edges smooth or frayed? Can you see a pattern?Blades of grass – are the edges smooth or rough?Sand – see the millions of mini granules?Dirt – what is dirt made of? What colors do you see?Moss – can you find a stem? Leaves?Insects – how many body parts does it have?Pond or Ocean water – is there anything swimming in your specimen?Your kids won’t believe the discoveries they can make when they take a closer look. And if you really want to take an even closer look, check out these images from the GeoSafari Talking Electron Microscope™ – you won’t believe your eyes!At EI, we believe in sharing, and we bet you do, too, so please don’t forget to share this post with your friends!

A scavenger hunt is a great way to add some structure to outdoor exploration – and kids love it! Make a list of natural springtime finds, arm your child with a magnifying glass, binoculars and a marker (they love to check things off as they find them!), and get out there! Be sure to include natural items that are easy to spot in your neighborhood, as well as a few more challenging finds. Below is a list of kid’s scavenger hunt ideas to get you started:1. Bird feathers2. Bird nests (No need to disturb it! Just spot it and check it off!)3. Grass seedlings or other new growth4. New leaves5. Flower blooms6. Moss7. Caterpillars8. Cocoons9. Butterflies10. Baby animals (ducklings, squirrels, gophers…)Encourage creative observation and discovery by adding open-ended prompts to your list, such as:

• Something golden (or any other color)
• Something huge
• Something tiny
• Something new
• Something old
• Something in nature that starts with the letter A, B, C, etc.

You can even bring some finds home for magnified observation under a microscope – just be sure you aren’t disturbing anything living. Talk about your discoveries, using scientific vocabulary, or take it one step further by writing about what you’ve found. And don’t forget to take the same route next season and compare and contrast!At EI, we believe in sharing, and we bet you do, too, so please don’t forget to share this post with your friends!

Will you be on "Supermoon" watch this Sunday? You're sure in for a treat. Experts say stargazers can expect to see the Supermoon followed by meteor showers beginning 2:09 p.m. (EST) through early Monday morning. Meteor showers will peak on August 13th.Below are some activities from the Sky Gazer's Activity Journal of the Moonscope™ set for the kids to print out and try:Find locations on the moon using the "Moon Map" (page 9). Using the Moonscope™ or binoculars, have them identify different parts of the moon. Also, try "Moon Faces" (page 10). Can you find a face on the moon? Have them doodle it on the sheet provided. Download the activities here: SupermoonActivityThere are four to six super moons every year, and during those times, the moon is 30,000 miles closer to the Earth than the normal distance.Have fun!

Sources: abcnews.go.com fox43.com

You know, of course, that liquid detergent is great for washing dishes. But did you know that you can use liquid detergent to stage a unique boat race? Grab some pals and let the games begin in this fun at-home science experiment. Stuff you’ll need:• Paper clip• Toothpick• Liquid dish-washing detergent• Cup or glass filled with waterNow, get ready, set go! Get instructions on the Soap Boat Derby science experiment, here.

What are the characteristics of a Brown Widow spider? Find out in this exciting segment of Backyard Bug Adventures. In this clip, Brent makes a daring exploration in his backyard to find Brown Widows, the cousins of Black Widows.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR1ATlf2Hf8

It's Sci-Friday, and we're back with the Slushy Science experiment. Have you ever slurped a flavored slushy cup of ice before? Why doesn’t it freeze solid like an ice cube? Find out, using items right at home, about freezing points — and how to change them — in this experiment! Get the details, HERE.

It’s Sci-Friday! Try Defying Gravity with this easy at-home experiment.Is it easier to float in an ocean or a lake? Why is there a difference? The force of gravity pulls your body to Earth. But water exerts an upward force, called buoyancy (BOY-uhn-see) on your body. This buoyancy works against the force of gravity. Ocean water has something special in it — salt! Does salt water have a greater buoyant force than fresh water?

Did you know there are several species of bugs living in your backyard? In this segment of Backyard Bug Adventures, Brent trekked through his backyard to find baby Ladybugs. Check out his awesome discovery in the video below. http://youtu.be/rmYh9qhTaSI