Scientists have known for a long time that things move in predictable patterns. It took an apple falling to help further their knowledge, though. We now know how things move and why. Scientists continue to study motion and the forces that cause it, and you can too! In this book, you’ll learn about pushes and pulls and different types of energy. The next time you play soccer, you’ll be able to use your new scientific knowledge to teach your friends and family why that soccer ball moves the way it does.

Everything moves! Kids run around the playground, cars drive on the road, and balls fly through the air. What causes all this motion? Physics! Forces and motion rule the way everything moves through space. In Explore Forces and Motion! With 25 Great Projects, readers ages 7 through 10 discover that the push and pull of every object on the planet and in space depends on how a force acts upon it. Things float because of a force called buoyancy, we stick to the ground because of a force called gravity, and we make footprints in sand because of a force called pressure. Physics becomes accessible and interactive through activities such as a experimenting with a water cup drop, building a bridge, and spotting magnetic field lines. Simple machines such as levers, pulleys, and wedges are used as vehicles for discovery and comprehension of the foundational concepts of physical science. Using a theme familiar to everyone—motion—this book captures the imagination and encourages young readers to push, pull, twist, turn, and spin their way to learning about forces and motion.

Babies crying, school bells ringing, cars roaring by, the ding signaling that a new text message has arrived . . . sounds are all around us, but how are they made? And how do we hear them? Sounds are created when air vibrates, and we hear them because our ears are specially developed to funnel in and process those vibrations. Through the activities and experiments in this book, you’ll take a hands-on look at how sounds are made and how they are heard. From salt drums to xylophones and sonic booms, you’ll have fun making music and noise—and learning a little along the way!

The water you drink. The air you breathe. This book you’re holding. Everything around you is made of matter. Learn more about what makes up matter, the forms it can take, and nature’s rules about it. With inexpensive items that you probably have lying around your home, you can do these easy and fun experiments on solids, liquids, and gases. Think like a chemist as you construct a tower of liquids, grow your own crystals, and even measure the speed of smell. Explore the powerful world of matter, from the visible to the invisible.

What do CDs, lamps, lasers, and microwave ovens all have in common? They all use the power of light and optics! From ancient times when scientists puzzled over the effects of the Sun on Earth to today, where scientists and engineers use lasers to make precise cuts in metal, people have been fascinated by light and optics. In this book, you’ll delve into this incredible subject and learn how light can bend and bounce. You’ll understand how scientists use light to send data from one side of the world to the other. And, you’ll have fun discovering new things to do with flashlights and mirrors. These experiments and activities can be used as a starting point for science fair projects, or you can do them just for fun. Either way, you’ll find out a lot about the properties of light!

Everything moves! Kids run around the playground, cars drive on the road, and balls fly through the air. What causes all this motion? Physics! Forces and motion rule the way everything moves through space. In Explore Forces and Motion! With 25 Great Projects, readers ages 7 through 10 discover that the push and pull of every object on the planet and in space depends on how a force acts upon it. Things float because of a force called buoyancy, we stick to the ground because of a force called gravity, and we make footprints in sand because of a force called pressure. Physics becomes accessible and interactive through activities such as a experimenting with a water cup drop, building a bridge, and spotting magnetic field lines. Simple machines such as levers, pulleys, and wedges are used as vehicles for discovery and comprehension of the foundational concepts of physical science. Using a theme familiar to everyone—motion—this book captures the imagination and encourages young readers to push, pull, twist, turn, and spin their way to learning about forces and motion.

"Humorous text and characters help teach kids about forces and motion" --