Break or Bounce?

One of our favorite physics experiments is called "Break or Bounce?" We collect a variety of objects, nautral and human made, such as pumpkins and gourds, logs, old unfixable instruments, wheels, pots and pans, chicken eggs -- and we all try to guess whether the object will break or bounce before a teacher throws it off the roof of the garage. This year the kids decided to add two new categories to this experiment after observing the way certain objects fell: float and spill.

This week we tested an accordion, vaccum, logs in various states of decay, ginkgo leaves, frying pans, eggs, tennis balls, cups of paint, a doll, hula hoop, among many other items. Some surprised us by bouncing instead of breaking (like the guitar) and a pan even embedded itself into the workbench when it landed! Leaves and sycamore bark floated softly to the ground.

Afterwards, we collected the broken pieces and used them to create sculptures with glue and scrap wood.