1.Planet Picks - Planet-Super-Cast-Quiz
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Drum roll please …..... ta rarara tarara TA DA! It's the 11-14 Planet Super Powers competition winners. There were loads of entries and as The Judge said “All very good stuff! Super stuff in fact.”
The winner of the Best Design category is.....
The Unkown designed by Ryan Mendes
A streamlined mini head helmet with laser, electronic, x-ray vision AND magnification - the accessory to have! The novel flexible extendible super suit with string system allows the wearer to shape shift and the breathing hole absorbs oxygen in liquids. Plus interchangeable hands and shoe propellers.
The winner of Best Science Based Super Power is.....
Methane Man invented by Liam Mellon
Until he learned how to harness the hot air in his pants, days were spent idly breaking wind. Now his engineered back pack transforms his farts into flames. An endless supply of fuel makes his flame thrower a silent but violent super power!
Congratulations to Ryan and Liam who will receive a signed copy of Graham's drawing of their character and see their characters take part in the comic strip. Next time on Planet Science..... it's the second episode of Battle for Planet Science!
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2. Gear Giveaway - A desktop clock/calendar
This week we’re giving away a groovy little desktop clock and calendar from AstraZeneca Teaching Trust. It’ll even play you a tune on your birthday!
If you’d like to win it then email us with your name and address, and the words ‘TIME TO WIN’ in the subject line, to randomised.news@nesta.org.uk
The draw will take place at 5pm on Wednesday 4th February.
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3. Over 2U! - Science experiments for you to try at home...
Pouring Treacle
You will need:
1. A balloon.
2. A bin bag or old newspaper. In fact, make that several old newspapers...
3. A jar of treacle or pourable honey.
What to do:
1. Cover your table with the bin bag or sheets of newspaper. It wouldn't hurt to cover the floor too, just in case.
2. Blow the balloon up, and rub it on your hair or something woolly. With a bit of luck, you'll rub some electrons onto the balloon, and it'll become negatively electrically charged.
3. If you hold the balloon near a gently-running tap, you might just see the stream of water being deflected towards it. Sometimes this works rather well, but even so, it's not terribly exciting. Which is where the treacle comes in...
4. Hold the treacle jar high above the newspaper, and tip it so a very gentle stream of treacle drizzles out. Now, very carefully, bring the charged balloon near the flowing treacle.
5. You should see the stream of treacle bending right around the balloon. With a little practice, it's possible to make the treacle flow sideways and even slightly upwards, but you'll need a very steady hand. And yet more sheets of newspaper to catch the drips.
What's happening?
The balloon is made of rubber and is a great insulator: it does not let charges move around freely on its surface. When you rub the balloon, electrons which have previously been orbiting hair atoms are physically rubbed off and added to the surface of the balloon. The result is a small patch on the balloon which is negatively charged.
The treacle is a neutral: it doesn't have any excess positive or negative charges. However, the molecules that make up the treacle are polar: although neutral overall, each molecule has a positive and a negative 'side'.
When the negative balloon approaches the flow of treacle the molecules twist with their positive side facing the negative balloon. Since opposite charges attract the treacle moves towards the balloon. And because the treacle is so thick its slow motion allows the molecules to spend longer in the electric field, the treacle moves more than a thinner, faster moving liquid such as water.
The treacle will flow sideways and in some cases even upwards. It is interesting to note that only a charged up balloon can make the treacle defy gravity - showing that the electromagnetic force is considerably stronger than gravity.
Special safety advice
Although perfectly safe, there is a real risk of the treacle pouring onto the floor, and so carpeted rooms are best avoided for this experiment. If you intend to repeat the experiment, try to use a fresh balloon unless you want treacle in your hair.
Watch this experiemnt on Planet Scicast here
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4. Winners - Has your name been picked out of the bag?
Last time we were offering TWO packs of Christmas Sprout Crackers. The lucky winners are Jack Madgwick of Fowey and Louie Waldock of Middlesex.
We hope you enjoyed them!
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THAT'S ALL FOR NOW
You've been Randomised!
Send any questions, comments, jokes or experiment ideas to: randomised.news@nesta.org.uk
Bye for now!
