2DAge 9+15 min
Lever catapult: launch by a falling weight
A heavy weight drops onto the short arm of a lever and throws a light ball from the long one. A levers and energy experiment for kids 9+.
Projects gallery
Physics experiments
Interactive experiments for kids, students and teachers. Run each one right on the page, then open a copy in the Tymora editor and change mass, friction, elasticity or gravity. Every experiment comes with discussion questions and a version to try at home.
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Duration
Topic
Motion & forces
Collisions & energy
Balance
Oscillations & waves
Machines
Matter, current & light
Logic & chance
2DAge 7+10 min
Wrecking ball: energy of motion
A heavy ball on a rod swings down and smashes a brick wall. An energy and momentum experiment for kids 7+.
2DAge 7+10 min
Skis and wax: who glides farthest
Three skiers ride down the same hill: with good wax, poor wax and none. Compare who glides farthest on the flat.
2DAge 8+10 min
Skate halfpipe: energy back and forth
A wheel rolls into a half-round ramp and climbs the other side almost to the same height. A chart shows the energy.
2DAge 8+15 min
A Rube Goldberg machine: a chain of events
A ball rolls down a ramp, topples dominoes, the last one hits a lever, which tosses a ball — and the ‘bell’ rings.
2DAge 6+10 min
Trampoline: springs give the energy back
The same ball falls onto the floor, a soft trampoline and a stiff one. On the floor it stops dead; on the trampolines it bounces up again.
2DAge 6+10 min
Swings: push in rhythm
Three identical swings: no pushes, pushes along the motion and pushes against it. Rules push the seat as it passes the lowest point.
2DAge 8+10 min
Spring cannon: from spring energy to range
Three identical cannons with springs of different stiffness fire at 45°. The stiffer the spring, the farther the ball goes: twice as stiff, roughly twice as far.
3DAge 8+10 min
Braking distance: dry road, wet road and ice
Three identical cars with locked wheels slide at the same speed on dry asphalt, wet asphalt and ice. The stopping distance on ice is eight times longer.