I'm known as Ms Whiz from my science magic show on TV in Atlanta, Georgia some years ago. I still share science magic during n-person OR virtual school visits. But you can invite your friends to a party and do some science magic too.
Start with AIR POWER MAGIC!
This could get messy so work over a sink the first time. Even better try this outdoors.
You'll need:
A study plastic plate
A paper towel
A sturdy plastic glass (juice size works best)
Fill the plastic glass nearly full of water. Fold the paper towel into fourths and place it on the middle of the plate. Next, turn the plate and towel over the cup like a lid. Hold the plate against the top of the cup with your fingers while you turn the whole system over.
Now the glass is on top. Be sure it is straight up and down. Hold on to the cup with the hand that isn't pressing up on the plate. Then--slowly--take your hand away from the plate. The plate won't fall and the water will stay inside the glass.
Air pressure makes this work because of air pressure. There is now more below the plate pushing up than inside the glass pushing down. Be sure and keep the glass straight or you will get a big splash!.
NO LEAKS
You'll need:
an empty 1 or 2 liter plastic soft drink bottle with a screw-on cap.
3 pushpins (the kind used to display things on a bulletin board)
Work outdoors or at the sink. Fill the bottle to the very top with water. Screw on the cap, making sure it's tightly sealed.
Next, stick the pushpins into the bottle, one at a time. Then have your adult partner hold the bottle by its cap while you carefully twist and tug out the pushpins.
Surprise! If water leaks out at all, it quickly stops or slows to a tiny trickle.
The magic is that air pressure is at work again. Air doesn't simply push down, it exerts force in all directions. The force of the air pushing in on the water at the holes you made is greater than that of the water inside the bottle pushing out.
What do you think will happen when you take the cap off the bottle? Try it--just be sure the bottle is over the sink. 😀
ONE MORE...
THE MAGIC FLOATING BALL
You'll need:
A blow-dryer
A Ping-Pong ball
Hold the blow-dryer with the nozzle aimed straight up. You may want your adult partner to do that for you. When the dryer is switched on to "high", place the ball in this column of fast-moving air so it's about 5 inches above the nozzle. Let go of the ball and quickly take your hand away.
As long as the air current is shooting striaght up, the Ping-Pong ball will float suspended above the dryer's nozzle.
This "magic" happens because fast-moving air has less pressure than more slowly moving air. So the Ping-Pong ball is trapped inside the column of fast-moving air. Here the ball is pushed upward by a jet of air with enough force to keep it from falling, but not enough to blow it any higher.
These science magic tricks are sure to be a party hit.
*By the way, be sure to come up with a cool name for yourself as the star of your party?
