Physics fundamentals can be fun to teach with the right tools, and our collection of cool toys do just that! Instructional guides with simple activities accompany each cool toy.
COOL PHYSICS TOYS
Mechanics
Newtonian Demonstrator - Newton's Cradle
This familiar apparatus dramatizes Newton's Third Law!
For every force, there is an equal and opposite force. Use to illustrate that momentum and kinetic energy are conserved. Lift and drop one ball, and one shoots out from the opposite side; start with two balls, and two shoot out, etc. Apply all the logic and laws of physics you want to this little gadget - it's still amazing!
Heat & Thermodynamics
Drinking Bird
Almost everyone remembers this toy with at least a twinge of nostalgia. Now he's back, disguised as a great physics demonstration of heat and thermodynamics.
This lugubrious little lorikeet dips his beak into a glass of water as evaporative cooling induces the rise of a volatile liquid from his tail toward his head. As he dunks, the liquid returns to his tail, the bird rises, and the process begins again.
Electricity & Magnetism
Plasma Globe 8 inch
Safely create and explore lightning right in your classroom. The Plasma Globe offers you a safe, fascinating way to demonstrate how lightning works as well as explain the concepts of potential differences and electron orbital jumping.
A small Tesla coil produces a large potential difference between it and the glass of the surrounding globe. When the potential difference is large enough, the gas becomes ionized and electrons jump to the glass - just like when electrons jump from the clouds to the ground. The result? Bright, harmless, violet lightning bolts that respond to touch and sound.
Light & Optics
Other Cool Tools
Airzooka Air Cannon
A takeoff from the old Trashcan Air Cannon; this amazing new vortex launcher sends a strong blast of air all the way across the room!
It's great for:
- Showing that air is a form of matter
- Demonstrating the Bernoulli effect
- Blowing out candles from 20 feet away!
- Creating amazing vortices!
- Making 6-inch smoke rings (with a fog generator)!
- Waking daydreaming students!
