Mechanics
A toy car slows down and stops on the floor, why does this happen
Friction between the car and the floor slows it down.
A metal spoon is placed in hot soup, why does the spoon become hot after a while?
Heat transfers from the hot soup to the spoon through conduction.
You rub a plastic comb and it attracts small paper bits, why does this occur?
Static electricity builds up and attracts some objects.
A white shirt looks white in sunlight, why?
It reflects all colors of light equally
How do you hear sounds?
Sound waves travel through air into your ears.
A bus suddenly moves forward, why do passengers feel pushed backward?
Inertia makes bodies resist sudden change in motion.
What happens to water when heated for a certain amount of time?
The water begins to boil and evaporate
A magnet attracts a paperclip, why does this happen?
The paperclip is made of metal that responds to magnetic fields.
Why can you see yourself in the mirror
Because light reflects off the mirror into your eyes
You shout in a cave and hear an echo, why does this occur?
Sound reflects off walls and returns to you.
A truck and a bicycle are both moving, why is the truck harder to stop?
The truck has more mass, so it resists changes in motion more.
A car tire heats up after a long drive, why does this happen?
Friction and air compression inside increase temperature.
Why does a compass always point north?
It uses the Earths Magnetic Field to find north
Why do sunglasses make things darker
They block some of the light from entering your eyes
A concert hall is designed to reduce echo, why is this important?
To make sound clearer and easier to understand.
Two people push a box with equal force in opposite directions, what happens to the box?
It stays still because the forces cancel out.
A refrigerator keeps the inside cold but the back becomes warm, why?
It removes heat from inside and releases it outside.
How does a speaker produce sound?
Electricity makes it vibrate
Why do objects look different while in water?
Because the water bends the light
Why do soft materials reduce noise?
They absorb vibrations instead of reflecting them
A moving bowling ball is harder to stop than a moving tennis ball, why?
The bowling ball has greater momentum because of its larger mass.
Why does rubbing your hands together produce heat?
As you rub your hands together the friction between them produce heat
A metal detector beeps when passed over buried metal, why does it detect metal?
Metal disturbs magnetic fields and induces currents.
Why do we see lightning before we hear it
Because light is faster than sound
Why does tightening a guitar string make the sound higher
It vibrates faster causing the pitch to go higher