Paper Airplanes, Marshmellow Burn and more

S5 E11: SIPHON CHALLENGE - Mr. Wizard explains to Shan how the principle of siphoning works by using measured beakers of liquid connected by a curved tube. MICROSCOPIC HYDRA - Erin and Mr. Wizard examine a hydra on a microscope slide and see smaller animals moving over its surface. A water flea is caught temporarily and eventually escapes. Mr. Wizard explains something about the hydra’s structure and some of the experiments scientists have conducted on the unusual pond animals that look like trees. STRING IN STRAW TRICK - Mr.Wizard shows Eliana a string through a drinking straw. He folds the straw and she cuts through it with a scissors. When he pulls on the string, it is uncut! Watch Mr.Wizard explain this trick! GIANT ATOM SMASHER – Mr.Wizard narrates : This is not a giant race track. But everything about it is huge. Fifty ton electromagnets and tunnels that go on and on. It uses enough electricity for a city of 30,000 to explore parts of atoms by producing pictures that are clues to their structure. At the Ferme National Accelerator Laboratory this is the main atom smasher, one of the largest scientific instruments in the world, used to study some of the smallest things in the world, the atom. PAPER AIRPLANES - Mr.Wizard sails a paper airplane across the room to Kellie. He then shows her The Great International Paper Airplane Book published by the Scientific American. In it are designs for paper airplanes. Kellie takes the book home and on her return shows Mr.Wizard her favorite airplane. GLOWING PENNY - Mr.Wizard describes the working of a propane lantern. The mantle burns up, but continues to glow. He and Tarek are going to repeat the chemical reaction. Tarek heats two small pieces of copper until they are red hot and then carefully places each on a beaker. One beaker contains only air, the other liquid fuel (acetone). The metal plate in the beaker with air cools rapidly and returns to the dark metal color. The metal plate above the fuel continues to glow red. The reaction of hot copper with liquid in the beaker produces heat with keeps the copper hot. SHEEP TRANSPLANT – Mr.Wizard narrates : Scientists and other wildlife experts from Cali­fornia’s Department of Fish and Game, the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service have come to Sand Moun­tain in the rugged foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to carry out what is called a transplant. They plan to capture big horn sheep to move them to a new area north of their present range. GLUING 2 GLASSES TOGETHER - Mr.Wizard challenges Sarah to glue two glasses together with a piece of paper toweling. She is doubtful that it can be done. They pour warm water into the 2 glasses then emptying them and using a wet paper towel between them he pours cold water over them. When she picks up the top glass, they are stuck together. She explains that the warm air inside the glasses was cooled by the cold water and condensed to form a partial vacuum. Outside air pressure holds the glasses together. MARSHMALLOW BURN - Brian lights a fuse connected to a marshmallow, it doesn't burn. Mr. Wizard sprinkles sodium peroxide on the marshmallow and lights a new fuse connected to the marshmallow. This time it toasts to a crisp.