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Wouldn't you need an awfully long rope to do distances to planets :)

Depending on how old the school kids are, how about teaching one of them
to ride a bike in under 5 minutes?

There's a web site called pedalmagic.com.  The science is great.  What
the guy figured out (video is $20, well worth it) is that the intuitive
thing to do, when first learning, is to turn away from your fall.  What
he realized is that if you turn IN to the fall, you decrease the radius
of the circle, increasing the centripital force, uprighting the rider.

I was faced with teaching my 2nd grader how to (only one in his class
that didn't know how).  After running behind him for an hour, reassuring
him he would have to learn to fall - that it wouldn't hurt too bad,
running out of breath myself, realized there had to be a better way.
Watched the 15 minute video with him that night, took him out after
school the next day, did the recommended exercise for under 5 minutes,
launched him, and off he went.

Even if the kids already know how to ride, it would be a great demo.

Jeff Courtman
Exhibits & Special Projects Coordinator
251.208.6851
Exploreum Science Center
www.exploreum.net


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