Nick Arnold - Experiment with Engineering: Fun Projects to Try at Home

Engineers are the brains behind everything from super-tall skyscrapers to cool computers, and the secret of their success is science. You dont need to be a science genius to follow in their footsteps. All you need are a few fun experiments...

CHAPTER 1:
BUILD IT OR BREAK IT

shows you how to build solid structures. Then have fun testing their strength by trying to knock them down!

CHAPTER 2:
MECHANICAL MARVELS

looks at the basic mechanics hidden inside some mighty machines, and the simple scientific ideas behind them.

CHAPTER 3:
ENERGY ENGINES

conducts some powerful experiments to prove that energy is the answer to getting things done!

CHAPTER 4:
GET A MOVE ON!

looks at how to build speedy machines that will get you from A to B when youre in a hurry.

CHAPTER 5:
TESTING TOMORROW

explores sustainable energy sources and other exciting engineering challenges for the future!

Golden rules
FOR SENSIBLE SCIENTISTS

Rule 1
BE ORGANIZED!

Before you start an experiment, read the instructions and make sure you have everything you need at hand.

Look out for the handy hints in circlesthey will help to make the experiments work.

Rule 2
BE SAFE!

Ask for adult help wherever you see this symbol. Always follow the advice in the red WARNING! boxes. Never experiment with flames, mains electricity, or gas. Younger children will need adult help using scissors.

ASK AN ADULT

WARNING!

Water may spill at stage 4.

Rule 3
BE TIDY!

Start and finish with a clean and tidy working area. Look out for the yellow MESS WARNING! boxes and follow the advice given.

MESS WARNING!

Food coloring stainswear old clothes!

THINK GREEN AND RECYCLE!

Many of the projects in this book provide a great way to recycle plastic and cardboard items; wherever possible, try to find the items you need at home rather than buying new products. When you have finished, recycle any plastic or cardboard items to keep them out of landfills.

You can try these experiments in any order, but the scientific explanations make more sense if you tackle them in the order they appear in this book.

You can find out about the science words in bold in the glossary on .

CHAPTER 1: BUILD IT OR BREAK IT

BUILD A GUMMY HOUSE

Heres how to build a super-strong structure shaped like a house using just a few candies and some sticks. Have fun testing its strength!

You will need...

• Toothpicks
• Gummy candies
• Short ruler
• 2 ounce weight

1. Take four wooden toothpicks and push a gummy candy onto each end of all four sticks.

1. Push eight more toothpicks into the gummy candies to make a cube, as shown. These are the walls of your house.

1. To test the strength of the walls, lay a ruler across the sticks and place a 2-ounce weight on top. What happens to the upright sticks?

1. To make the roof, remove the top square from the cube. Push four toothpicks into the corner candies of this square and hold them in place with another candy. Balance the weight on top. Is the structure strong enough to support the weight?