analysing | Kelly St. Scientists

Well we finally got to try and make a rainbow!

We returned to our scientific method of predicting, experimenting and reporting in our logbooks.

The question I posed was what would happen to the light from a torch if we shone it through a glass of water? I didn’t want to mention colour as I didn’t want to lead the children in their predictions. As a result the predictions showed that the children drew on their previous knowledge and experiences. (Applying knowledge is a higher order thought process – showing deep learning!)

“I don’t know………maybe a gas?” – Gabriel

(click on each picture to see whose is whose).

“It’ll just besplode this size” (gestures about 20 cm)

“It’ll make dark in the water because torches make shaddows.”

Charlie’s was the most poetic prediction however:

It will "get a bit gleamy" — It will “get a bit gleamy”

Fisrt we checked what the torchlight looked like normally:

There was some debate as to the colour of the light – silver, white, bluey or grey!

Then we took turns to shine the light through the glass of water…..

These photos don’t really capture what we noticed. So take it

from Caoimhe:

or Zach:

"It looked like a rocket!" — “It looked like a rocket!”

and others (again click on the pictures to see who said what)

“The light changed into blue and yellow on the paper”

“It turned into a moon shape and it was brown-y blue colour”

Again Charlie described it well:

“It’s like 10 different shapes and colours!”

Or have a look for yourself – how would you describe it?

So why? Where did the colours come from?

“the water changed the light”! – Gabi

“It bends, it was pushing it away” – Innes

The water bends the beam of light which has a affect on each different colour that makes up white light, all bending at a different angle. In other words the water seperates the colours that make white light. This is called refraction. It is what happens to sunlight reflected on raindrops which creates a rainbow in the sky.

The experiment didn’t impress everyone. Every session ends with a question:

“What could we do better?”

Normally I just get shrugs and “don’t know”s but today I got a couple of good replies:

“I prefer the spray experiment” – Charlie

“Maybe changing the colours a different way” – Gabi

So now we have evaluating to add to our skills that we practice with our science!

Smart cookies!

You may have heard and seen onTwitter that the children in the main building have been learning about space recently. Some of this has been by watching clips of Commander Chris Hadfield in the International Space Station

During these clips we have looked at the effect of being away from most of Earth’s gravity, and how this effects daily routines such as washing etc. So we know that little gravity means things float but what does gravity mean on Earth, where it is stronger, and why is it stronger on Earth?

We set out to explore gravity. We started by experimenting to see if all objects are effected the same way – does everything fall? Do some things fall faster/ slower?

We chose our objects and made predictions:

Caoimhe chose to compare the ball and the tiny pom pom. Her prediction was that the ball would hit the ground first.

Caiomhe predicted the ball would land first because "It is bumpy" — Caiomhe predicted the ball would land first because “It is bumpy”

Patrick discovered that it had to be a fair test and that the objects needed to start from the same height and at the same time. His experiment had to be redone twice over to ensure a fair test!

Caoimhe recorded that the height would need to stay the same.

He predicted the swing would land first as "It's heavier". — He predicted the swing would land first as “It’s heavier”.

We tested our hypothesis.

Frazer chose two different sized pine cones. He predicted they would "go together". — Frazer chose two different sized pine cones. He predicted they would “go together”.

"The 2 balls hit the ground first!" — “The 2 balls hit the ground first!”

"They fell together" — “They fell together”

But why don’t you have a look at the predictions and experiments themselves! Look at Holly’s prediction and Ryan’s prediction.

Have a look at Lauren’s experiment, Holly’s experiment, Gaby’s experiment , Amy D’s experiment and the experiments of Finn , Brandon , and An, who goes at 2!

So what happened?

Maybe we should ask for Ryan’s conclusions, Lyall’s gravity explanation or Isla’s conclusion.

“they all fall at the same time ’cause of gravity!” Eve

We reviewed our predictions:

"I'll just do a cross because I was wrong" — “I’ll just do a cross because I was wrong”

Then we looked at hankies – two hankies the same should land at the same time – just as everything else right? Wrong! If one was scrunched up and the other flat, the air resistance made a difference, slowing the flat one.

So everything fell at the same speed unless the air drag slowed it down. The air drag acts as an opposing force.

Hmmmm…………. what else could make an opposing force to gravity?

Want to find out more about gravity? Have a look here or here.

Why not try your own experiments and let us know how you get on!

Science blog from the children and staff of Kelly St. Children's Centre.