Art of Play - Wonder by Design

Entertaining Science Experiments with Everyday Objects

Entertaining Science Experiments with Everyday Objects - Main image
$3 $6 In stock

Category: Architecture

To Martin Gardner, seeing is not just believing — it is understanding. This fundamental rule made him one of the most influential teachers and popularizers of science in modern times. With the simple instructions in this book and a few commonly available household objects, you can learn about fundamental scientific principles by directly experiencing how they work.

Gardner shows you how to recreate classic experiments with easily obtainable objects. Using just a flashlight, a pocket mirror, and a bowl of water, you can demonstrate the color composition of white light just as Newton did 300 years ago. With cardboard, colored paper, and wax paper you can perform "Meyer's experiment" with complementary colors. And two drinking glasses, some matches, and a piece paper reveal the force of atmospheric pressure so dramatically it feels like witchcraft.

A splendid companion for a rainy afternoon and an inspiring gift for any curious mind. Age 11 and up.

Customer Reviews (5.0 / 5 · 5 reviews)

Victoria ★★★★★

My kids and I tried the "seeing is understanding" approach from this book and it actually clicked for them—the experiments use stuff we already had in the kitchen, so we started the first one within five minutes of it arriving. The way Gardner frames each demonstration around observation rather than

Harper ★★★★★

We’ve finally got a book that turns the junk drawer into a lab. The way it ties seeing directly to understanding made the experiments click for our whole family, and the everyday-object angle means zero prep before we start.

Thomas T. ★★★★★

My kids and I grabbed some random stuff from the kitchen and suddenly we're bending light with a water glass. The experiments use stuff you already own, so it's zero prep and pure "wow" moments every time.

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