ScienceMakers Toolkit Manual - The History Makers

Science:
12. What do you think a physicist does? Would you like to be a physicist? Why?
13. If you were a physicist, what kinds of questions would you study?
14. How does Dr. Mickens describe science? (See Clip #5)
15. Physics is about understanding how the universe works. Can anything be known for sure? Why or why
not? (See Clip #5)
16. What kinds of questions can science help us answer? What kinds of questions can science never answer?
(See Clip #5)
17. Dr. Mickens states that mathematics is a language. What does he mean by this? Can you think of
examples? (See Clip #6)
18. Dr. Mickens explains particle physics. What example does he use? How would you describe particle
physics after listening to him? (See Clip #7)
19. Dr. Mickens talks about using mathematics to describe the relationship between two things, such as
something to observe and the energy needed to observe it. Describe the relationship between two things
using mathematical expressions. (See Clip #8)
20. Describe mathematical modeling. How would you use it? (See Clip #9)
21. Dr. Mickens talks about mathematical models. Create your own mathematical model to describe the
behavior of your class over a period of time. (See Clip #9)
Experiment - Singing Rod
This activity was developed by Physics Central.
Concerto #1 for the Singing Rod in AI# Major
While everyone knows that the world needs more cowbell, it is a little known fact that an aluminum rod can
sing to your heart’s content.
What you Need
• 1 ⁄4” Aluminum Rod from the hardware store that is about 2 feet or longer
• Violin or cello rosin
What to Do
Legend has it that the song of the singing rod summons the Physics Fairy. She
has been known to guide kids like you through physics problems and experiments.
It is thought that the physics fairy inspired a young patent clerk in 1905
to imagine what it would be like to ride on a beam of light. He then developed a
very special theory that changed the world of physics. If you aspire to greatness,
then keep reading and learn to play the singing rod.
To begin, you will need to fi nd the middle of the rod by balancing it across your
fi nger. Pinch the rod at that middle point and hold it up into the air like a fairy
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Physics