Puzzels & Quizzes

Sounds Great—Bottled Music

YOU WILL NEED

Five identical plastic bottles
Water

HERE'S HOW

Fill five identical plastic bottles with varying amounts of water. Arrange the bottles in order from most to least full. Blow across the top of each bottle and compare the different sounds you make.

WHY?

Changing the amounts of air and water in the bottles lets you change the pitch—how high or low the sound is. When you blow across the tops of the bottles, you are making the air inside vibrate. In bottles with more air, vibrations are slower, so the pitch is lower.

All Charged Up

YOU WILL NEED

A comb
A water faucet

HERE’S HOW

Comb your hair on a dry day. Hold the comb near a thin trickle of water from the faucet. The water should bend toward the comb.

WHY?

Running a comb through your hair creates friction that moves electrons from your hair to the comb, charging the comb with static electricity. The comb now has a negative charge. When you move the comb near the water, its negative charge pushes away some of the negative charge in the water, leaving the water with a positive charge. Positive and negative charges attract, so the water bends toward the comb.

Create a Motion Ocean

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Water is denser than oil. Plus, the two liquids never mix. So when the water moves, it pushes the oil around, making shapes like waves.

YOU WILL NEED

Clear jar with lid
Water
Blue food coloring
Glitter
Baby oil
Plastic floating toys
1. Fill the jar halfway with water.
2. Add drops of food coloring until you like the color you see. Shake in a little glitter.
3. Pour in baby oil until the jar is three-quarters full.
4. Place a floating toy on top of the oil, then screw on the lid tightly.
5. Shake the jar gently to set your ocean in motion.

Reusable Grocery Bag

Decorate a canvas tote for your parents to use at the grocery store in place of plastic bags. Be creative and help the environment.

YOU WILL NEED

Canvas tote bag
Cookie cutters

Pencil
Fabric paint

HERE'S HOW

1. Lay the canvas bag flat.

2. Place a cookie cutter on the fabric and draw around it.

3. Paint the cookie-cutter shapes with fabric paint.

4. Allow paint to dry.

5. Give to mom or dad to use to use at the grocery store in place of plastic. Remember, bag the [plastic] bag!