Exploding Disk Cannons, Slimemobiles, and 32 Other Projects for Saturday Science Book

Preface     ix
Projectiles     1
Exploding Disk Cannon     3
Learn about fracture propagation and launch projectiles
Designer Demolition     15
Balloon Detonator     18
Finish your party with a bang, not a whimper
Slowly Exploding Bolts     26
Boost your next moon rocket
New Motors     35
Vacuum Engine, or Negative Steam Engine     37
Transmit power with nothing
Rope Ratchet Motor     47
Power a motor with a piece of string
The 50-Cent Stepper Motor     53
Learn how modern motors work
Pushing String     61
The Pull-me-to-push-me     64
Pull a lot of string backward, and you can push a bit of string forward
Land Jiggers     70
Alternatively, try ice jiggers and go fishing with Inuit
Power Strings     75
What could be more annoying than rows of electricity pylons?
Whistling electricity pylons!
Peculiar Vehiculars     85
Ekranoplan     87
The close-shaving aircraft: is it a razor or an airplane?
Slimemobile     101
Keep your prop turning and don't run out of slime
Ball River Bobsled     107
This vehicle coasts on ball bearings
Skidmobile     113
Drive everywhere in a skid
Curious Controls     119
WetBlanket Valve Flow Control     121
Try to control this enthusiastic valve
Electrolytic Gas Pedal     126
Adapt an Edison loudspeaker as a speed control
Piezistor: A Victorian Amplifier     133
Madame Curie could have invented this transistor
Granules and Particules     141
Rice Grain Ski Jump     143
Try these sporting activities for cereals
Niagara Meter     149
Shadows show flow
Magical Magnetic Valveless Valves     155
Stir a little magnetism into your hourglass
A Balance of Air Blasts     164
Sweep gold dust from your carpet, leave the dog hairs behind
Perceptive Illusions     169
Hovering Images     171
Mirages appear with the aid of rotating lenses and mirrors
Moire Microscope     177
All you need are grids of tiny holes
Laser Light Shows     185
Exploding Laser Spots     187
Watch this laser-scattering light show
Instant Parabola Spots     192
It's all done with smoke and mirrors (and a laser)
Of Morse and Men     197
Messages in Wriggling Lines     200
Communicate with Morse pens and chartagrams
Helidoodle     207
Transmit images in spirals
Calculator Communicator     214
Send messages using this binary teleprinter
Instruments      221
Posture Meter     223
Are you sitting comfortably? This meter will tell you
No Smoke without Gas     228
Assemble the world's cheapest nucleonic gas analyzer
Spongy Gas     236
Soak up sounds with certain gases
Soda Water Gas Analyzer     243
Try the world's only drinkable gas analyzer
Electric Plastic     249
Turn a piece of packaging into a mini-chemistry lab
Chemical Corner     257
Electric Sand     259
Use triboelectricity for flow metering
Electric Invisible Ink     267
Print your designs in deep blue with electrolysis
Hints and Tips     273
Suggested Further Reading     283
Index     289