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Physics Lab in the Home

Introduction


You might be wondering, "How can there be a science lab at home? Home is home. I eat, sleep, play, and do homework there. A science lab is where scientists hang out, discovering even more things for me to learn in school. Besides, aren't all scientists guys with white coats and long gray beards, who mutter things like: 'E = mc2' or 'Ah ha! I've found the secret of living forever!'?"

Well, not exactly! Scientists don't always work in laboratories, don't necessarily wear white coats, and don't talk like they were starring in a sci-fi thriller. There are some scientists with long gray beards- usually they are older men.

Almost anyone can make scientific observations and do experiments, even kids. And anywhere that you make observations and perform experiments can be considered a science laboratory. Entomologists, scientists who study insects, do most of their work in forests, jungles, and backyards. Herpetologists, scientists who study reptiles such as snakes and lizards, hunt for their subjects where they live--in wooded areas, swamps, and fields.

Some astronomers, scientists who study planets, stars, galaxies, and everything else in the cosmos, setup telescopes in their backyards, in parks, or on mountaintops. These scientists study in "field laboratories," and so can Your home can be your field laboratory.

Did you ever wonder how certain things in your home worked? When I was a youngster (lots of years ago when the only good music was rock and roll, long before walkman-type tape players and CDs), I always wanted to know what made things work-things like light switches, refrigerators, dish- washers, washing machines, toilets, sinks, freezers, door locks, hinges, vacuum cleaners, coffee makers, juicers, windows, and plumbing pipes.

After disassembling (the easy part) and reassembling (the harder part) lots of household "stuff," I learned that even the most complex of these items worked on some very basic principles. All of them worked (when I was able to put them back together properly) because of science and applied science, which is called technology. Once I looked at the simple components that make these items work, they were easy--or at least easier-- to understand. This book will show you how to perform experiments and observations at home and help you figure out where and how science is used in your home.

98 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 1997

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About the author

Robert Friedhoffer

23 books1 follower

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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Profile Image for Bethanyanne.
241 reviews2 followers
April 14, 2024
Read with my 4th grader for science. We really enjoyed the experiments
Profile Image for Angie Libert.
342 reviews21 followers
June 29, 2016
I loved that these experiments were practical and applicable to daily life. Many science experiment book are random and unconnected, which I do not appreciate, so I am glad I have found a series that will bring science into daily life.
Profile Image for Rachel.
144 reviews1 follower
February 24, 2022
My 4th grader and I really loved this. We were able to do most of the experiments in our kitchen. The science was explained in a way that was easy for him to understand.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews