Physics in Nature
Discover the physics principles at work all around us in everyday phenomena and natural occurrences.
Rainbows and Light Dispersion
When sunlight passes through water droplets in the air, it splits into its component colors, creating a rainbow. This demonstrates how white light contains all colors of the spectrum and how different wavelengths bend at slightly different angles.
Look for rainbows after rain showers when the sun is behind you, or create your own using a garden hose on a sunny day.
Falling Objects and Gravity
Drop a feather and a coin simultaneously - in air, the coin falls faster due to air resistance. But in a vacuum, they would fall at the same rate, demonstrating that gravity accelerates all objects equally regardless of their mass.
Observe how leaves of different shapes fall at different rates, and notice how their shape affects air resistance.
Surface Tension in Action
Watch water droplets form perfect spheres on a waxy surface, or observe how some insects can walk on water. Surface tension creates an invisible "skin" on water that acts like a stretched elastic membrane.
Notice how water beads up differently on various surfaces - this property is used in everything from waterproof clothing to car windshields.
Thermal Expansion
On hot days, notice how roads appear to shimmer or how metal playground equipment becomes too hot to touch. Materials expand when heated and contract when cooled, which is why bridges have expansion joints and thermometers work.
Observe how hot air rises from pavement, creating visible heat waves that distort your vision.
Resonance and Vibrations
Listen to how your voice sounds different in a large empty room compared to a small closet. The size and shape of spaces affect how sound waves bounce around, creating resonance that can amplify or dampen certain frequencies.
Tap different objects and notice how they produce different tones based on their material, size, and shape.