Week 8 Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago Pegboard Zip ties Pipe cleaners Scissors Duct tape Food coloring (optional) (available at petstores) airline flexible tubing 25 feet ofclear aquarium plastic bottles Three ormore 20-ounce Two pails Materials Experiment then getcreative and make water move—even uphill!—by building awater wall. a sprinkler orplaying inafountain. Learn how water moves by experimenting withpressure, There’s nothing betterthan cooling offin water ona hot summer day, like running through Week 8:LetitFlow
a lengthof tubing comingfromthebottom. water from dripping out.Repeatwith theotherbottles sothey allhave tubing andtapeallaround theopeningwithducttape, tryingtostop side ofaplasticbottle, very closetothebottom.Insert oneendofthe scissors topokeasmallhole aboutthediameterof tubinginthe moves throughthree(or more!) plasticbottlesconnected bytubing.Use you’ve learnedaboutheightandpressuretodesign asystem wherewater Now getcreative,makingwatermovebybuildinga waterwall.Usewhat to thewaterflowasyouchangepositionof the pails. as the“receiving”pailislowerthan“source” pail. See whathappens tube. Thewaterwillflowthroughthetubinginto the emptypailaslong by movingtheemptypailtoalowerspot,creating alonger slopeinthe place thatendofthetubeintoemptypail.Get waterflowing over oneendofthetubeand the tube,putyourfinger so thatnoairisleftin tubing inthepailofwater Make asiphon—submergethe into theemptypail.Stumped? water tomovethroughthetube aquarium tubingandtrytogetthe a table.Cut61-centimeterpieceof and setthetwopailsonaflatsurface,like with aquickchallenge.Fillonepailwater First, understandhowpressurehelpswatermove Instructions
of the tube is below the surface ofthe water. Once the flow of water has started, itwill continue as long as the end the source container and alower pressure inthe receiving container. in pressure (called apressure gradient), withahigher pressure in lower pressure. Elevating the source container creates adifference A liquidalways flows from anarea ofhigher pressure to one with will force water through the tube and into the receiving container. is filledwith water, atmospheric pressure onthe source container a field.Siphons operate by atmospheric pressure. When the tube pumping, like directing water from acanal over adike to irrigate Siphons are often used to move aliquidover anobstructionwithout What’s happening? starts flowing! adjust theplacementofyourbottlesandtubesuntil water into thenextbottle.Itmaynotworkfirsttime,so just pressure willbuildupandpushthewaterthroughtubing Test yourdesignbypouringwaterintothefirstbottle; cleaners. in placewithpipe holding thetubing making hillsorloops, of thetubing;try with theposition fore. Experiment than theonebe at alowerlevel tion eachbottle next bottle.Posi open topofthe end isinsidethe so thattheother drape thetubing of theboardand bottle atthetop Place thefirst board withzipties. bottles toapeg Attach theplastic
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Idea Factory Play withmoving water inMSI’s to cool offinabigsiphon system. Visit afountain orwater playground With Water More WaystoPlay at different levels. on stairs, orask peopleto hold them to apiece ofwood orawall, set them Instead ofapegboard, tape the bottles dripping. Add tape anywhere you see water Tips • water toy). • • challenges: each bottle. Ortryone ofthese design adding afew drops offood coloring in —and learn about color mixing—by Get abetter view ofthe moving water Game on! • Water Filtration Technician • Hydrologist • Water Park Designer • Civil Engineer You couldbea … Like thisactivity? wheresMyWater/ online game at http://disney.go.com/ in the Where’s My Water? app or Tackle water-moving challenges Make water flow uphill. Add awater wheel (or similar Use at least five bottles. .
Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago