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Some of our visitors have sent emails with interesting questions, we decided to start having a space to answer them. In this space the blog "Restless Minds" will answer all questions you send us
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Science progress affects our daily life and "to know" means you are going to chose right, because it allows you to form your own opinion on scientific everyday issues. On the other hand, having an elegant and harmonious vision of the world where we live in leads to a feeling of intellectual satisfaction.
We believe this kind of scientific day to day knowledge should be encouraged from an early age, and that's why this project was born: science, culture, knowledge, crafts for your restless mind.
Showing posts with label winter activities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label winter activities. Show all posts

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Valentine's Restless Ideas

Valentine's Restless Ideas just for you
Et voilá!
Enjoy!

Monday, January 21, 2013

Floating lemmons, or not

Observation:
Peeled lemons sink, unpeeled lemons float.

Why is that? Maybe the lemon peel acts like a lifebuoy, keeping the lemon above the water line.  

What we need:
  • water,
  • small box or a glass container, transparent,
  • 1 lemon,
  • your lab notebook.
 How to:
  1. Fill the container with water, enough to float lemon;
  2. Place the lemon inside the container;
  3. Observe carefully what happens and record the results in your notebook;
  4. Remove the lemon from the water;
  5. Peel the lemon;
  6. Place it again on the water;
  7. Observe carefully what happens and record the results in your notebook.
Attention: Ask an adult o handle the knife

 

What happens?
Peeled lemon sink, unpeeled lemon float.

Why?
Notice that when the lemon was unpeeled it only sunk enough to stabilize its weight. In the picture you can see 1/4 of the lemon off water.

This is due to, at least, two factors, density and porosity.

Density, density depends on lemon weight and volume. But if we peel the lemon it becomes lighter nevertheless it sinks.

Porosity, Lemon peel is extremely porous and when placed in water, the air is trapped in these pores and can not escape, this makes the lemon float. Just enough to compensate its weight.

By simple observation we can see that the peel is made off two areas, a white and spongy one and a yellow and porous one. What if we separate this yellow and white areas?

  1. Place the lemon peel in the water. Does it float?
  2. Observe carefully what happens and record the results in your notebook;
  3. With a knife separate the yellow section from the white section;
  4. Try to place the white section in the container. Does it float?;
  5. Observe carefully what happens and record the results in your notebook;
  6. Now try with the yellow exterior section;
  7. Observe carefully what happens and record the results in your notebook.


"The peel white section" floats! The yellow one sinks!
If you look closer you can see that the white section is very spongy, and therefore very light, ie works as a buoy.

In terms of evolution, in which only the fittest survive, we see this floating lemon as a competitive advantage, the fruits may fall from the tree, float in a water course and travel to other destinations and lands where their seeds can proliferate at will.


A step further:
  • Use different citrus, like lime or orange.
  • Use different fruits like  apples or bananas.
  • In nature we can find different thicknesses of peels in lemons. Do the peel thickness affect the outcome?

Et voilá!
Archimedes in action.

Enjoy!

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Dancing raisins in soda


QUESTION:
Will the CO2 released from a water with gas bottle be strong enough to take to the surface 6 raisins?

What we need:
  • transparent glass,
  • water with gas, the strongest work best,
  • 6 raisins
How to:
  1. Chose a easy to clean zone near the sink;
  2. Fill the glass with the carbonated water, use a medium glass, if its too large the gas will escape to fast;
  3. Drop the raisins in the water;
  4. Observe.
What happens?
The raisins will go up and down in the water for a while.
Why?
The CO2 gas in water begins to free itself when we first open the bottle. This CO2 travels vertically through the glass until it comes into contact with the air, at this poit the gas is released into the atmosphere.

When the bubbles of carbon dioxide meet the raisins those are immediately trapped in the grape rough skin imperfections, which will do the raisin “move up” to the top. When they arrive at the top CO2 bubbles are released in the air and the raisin falls down o meet another set of CO2 bubbles and go up again, and the cycle repeats itself. This will happen until there is not enough CO2 in the water to elevate the raisins.

Make this demonstration a true experiment:
  • Use vinegar and baking soda. This mix will produce CO2. Do the raisins dance? Use plain vinegar with no additives
  • Use other carbonated beverages.
  • What drink is most effective?
  • Try to use drinks with sugar and with no sugar. Do you notice any difference in the dance?
  • Repeat the experiment using plain water and effervescent Alka-Seltzer® tablets.
Remember, record all your observations so you can quickly draw conclusions. Use a timer to tell time.

Et voilá!
Raisins dancing!

Enjoy! 

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Old socks can for your pencils craft DIY

Today we are going o see how to reuse and recycle old socks and old glass jars, pots or cans; it’s easy and creates a great effect.

This idea is from our restless mind Maria João, thank you

What we need:
  • old socks,
  • old glass jars, plastic cups, or metal cans,
  • super glue,
  • scissors.
How to:
  1. Cut the socks by the heel, about 1 inch above;
  2. Place the can/jar/cup inside the top half of the sock;
  3. Apply the glue on the top of the can/jar/cup;
  4. Press the sock against the glue;
  5. Use it to place your pencils, pens, marbles, pins...
Et voilá!
Simple things are the most beautiful!
Enjoy!

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Turtle recycled can to your pencils, great father's day idea

This is an idea o reduce and recycle the metal can's. With a bi of imagination we can use them to keep pens, pencils, paper clips, marbles... or you can offer it to your dad in father's day.

What we need:
  • empty can,
  • double tape or super glue,
  • scissors,
  • pliers,
  • pen,
  • charcoal pencil,
  • tracing paper,
  • craft knife, with a new blade,
  • felts, in your favorite colors.
How to:
  1. Clean the can, remove all the glue and paper;
  2. With the pliers fold the  sharp edges inwards, this is a easy procedure that can avoid accidents;
  3. Choose your base color, the one that will cover all the can;
  4. Cut out a felt rectangle, a 1/2 inch larger then the felt you will need to cover all the can, the easiest way to do his is to roll the can on the felt, and mark the spot where you have to cut;
  5. Trace the design on your tracing paper, use the pencil, in this tutorial the design is a turtle;
  6. Chose the colors, we are going to use 2 different shades of green;
  7. Trace the felts, like we did here;
  8. We are going to give depth to the turtle, trace the body, the shell and the spots, like in the picture;
  9. Cut out the pieces, note: cut all the pieces the same way, inside the line, outside the line or in the line, otherwise the puzzle will not fit;
  10. Assemble the turtle with super glue or double tape;
  11. Glue the assembled turtle on the rectangular felt you cut out on the step 4, glue it 1 inch above the base;
  12. Apply the glue /double tape on the can, in all area;
  13. Quilt the can with the base felt;
  14. Cut out the excess with the craft knife;
  15. Use it well :)

Attention:
Ask an adult to help you with the craft knife and the scissors! Be smart! Avoid accidents!

Et voilá!
It looks nice!

Enjoy!

Felt door sign DIY

Do you know those Hotel signs? Today we will learn how to do a felt sign to hang in your bedroom door. This is a great idea and you can recycle at the same time.

What we need:
  • felts of different colors, depending on the design,
  • scissors,
  • tracing paper,
  • charcoal pencil;
  • pen,
  • glue, or double side tape,
  • cereal box,
  • ruler,
  • roll of scotch tape.
How to:
  1. Choose your design;
  2. Trace it with the tracing paper, don't draw the background;
  3. Open the cereal box with the scissors;
  4. With the tape roll draw 2 circles, one interior and another one exterior;
  5. Use the ruler to draw a rectangle exactly with the scotch roll width, as in the picture;
  6. Cut the sign;
  7. With the charcoal pencil trace the draw to the cardboard;
  8. Use your imagination and add the background, we used horizontal strips;
  9. Trace the background elements to the tracing paper; ignore any other elements, like the pillow.
  10. Trace the bed sheet fold and the blanket strips;
  11. Choose the colors for those elements;
  12. Trace the felt, use felt back side;
  13. Cut them out;
  14. Apply the double side tape to glue the background elements, like the image;
  15. Do a new tracing for the pillow, chose the color, trace it, cut it out, and apply it in place;
  16. Repeat it all over again for the baby, baby elements are: face, hair, hands and body;
  17. With the pen draw the face elements, like eyes, mouth, nose, freckles....

NOTE: You can choose other designs; the important thing is to be able to separate the design into layers. First the background, second the middle elements, like the pillow, and finally the most important element, in this case, the baby. Of course you can do all the design, and make the pieces fit like a puzzle, but this will take a lot of time, precision and patience, and the design will not show depth.

Et voilá!
Write DO NOT DISTURB on it!

Enjoy!

Saturday, February 25, 2012

DIY Carnival masks


I found this molds here, and I tried to do it, the result is above.

What we need:
  • scissors,
  • pen,
  • felt, I used red ad black,
  • double tape.
How to:
  1. Print the draw you want to use to your mask. You can find a few at the end of this post, If you don't have a printer use tracing paper in your computer monitor;
  2. With the pen draw the outside lines of the mask on the felt;
  3. Cut the felt;
  4. Cut of the mask eyes;
  5. Repeat the steps 1-4 for the other mask elements (the black pieces on the pictures), use a different felt color;
  6. Apply double tape n the back of the small mask ornaments, like in pictures;
  7. Cut out the excess tape, use good scissors ;
  8. Apply the small pieces on the mask;
  9. Place the mask on your restless face and mark the holes to pass through the elastic;
  10. Use the paper punch or the scissors to do a small hole;
  11. Place the elastic; you may want to reinforce the hole with a small piece of felt.
Note:
  • You may apply glitter to give some light to your mask;
  • You can paint it;
  • Use more then 2 colors for a crazy look;
  • etc. 











Et voilá!

Enjoy!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Friday, February 10, 2012

DIY - Wax lantern

Want to impress your restless? Try to make some lanterns to decorate the table on Valentines Day.

We got the idea here, and looks really simple, but it requires some work.

We need:
  • paraffin, same we use here,
  • balloons, medium size,
  • old pot, you will never be able to use it again to cook,
  • aluminum foil.
How to:
  1. Melt the wax on the pot;
  2. Fill the balloon with warm water;
  3. Try to keep the wax at the same temperature all time;
  4. Dip the balloon in the wax, slow and just to the water level;
  5. Keep it there for 4 or 5 seconds;
  6. Pull it out;
  7. Wait 10 seconds;
  8. Repeat the steps 4 to 7 for 3 or 4 times;
  9. Let the balloon to cool on the aluminum foil, the bottom will cool with a straight surface;
  10. Repeat all over again (4 to 9) 3 or 4 times until the lantern has the  desired thickness;
  11. When the wax is completely cold, burst the balloon, do it in the bathroom!
  12. Heat up the aluminum foil in the stove and place you lantern on it, upside down.
It's ready! Use a small candle inside of it

NOTE: Don't dive the balloon above the water level!
Clean your lantern with a humid cloth, without detergent








You can:
  • Paint it,
  • Decorate it with a stencil, or geometric templates,
  • Use a small hot object to carve it,
  • Dye the wax like we did here,
  • ...
Et voilá!
It looks amazing!

Enjoy!

Valentine's finger puppets

Let's talk about cute things we can make for the valentines day. This craft is easy enought for our younger restless, i found it here.

We need:
  • thick cardboard,
  • pink and red cardboard,
  • hole paper punch,
  • scissors,
  • permanent markers, black, red and pink,
  • grafitti pencil,
  • eraser pen,
  • craft glue,
  • googly eyes.
How to:
  1. Draw a heart shape on the thick cardboard, use it as a template to make more.
  2. Punch a starter hole for each finger with the hole punch,
  3. Use the scissors to enlarge the circle; a child's fingers should fit snugly through the holes.
  4. Decorate the heart with a paint pen or marker, adding facial features;
  5. Write your message on the back. 
  6. Glue on googly eyes.
We leave 3 heart shapes templates you can use:





Et voilá!
Cute puppets

Enjoy!
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