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19 topics · Preschool to Grade 8

How household machines work

What keeps the inside of a refrigerator cold, and where does the water go when a toilet flushes? These topics open up the machines that work quietly around the house. Children see the loop of refrigerant in a fridge and an air conditioner, the spinning drum of a washing machine, the fan and filter of a vacuum cleaner and the waves that heat food in a microwave. Smaller wonders get their turn too: the teeth of a zipper, the pins in a lock, the swing of a pendulum clock and the needle and bobbin of a sewing machine. Each topic has an animation, a part-by-part look inside, a simulation to try and a challenge to solve.

  1. 1Watch it
  2. 2Look inside
  3. 3Try it
  4. 4Solve a challenge
  5. 5Go deeper

19 topics in Everyday machines

Everyday machines

#31 Everyday machines How does a refrigerator keep food cold? Explore a transparent refrigerator and follow heat moving from the food compartment into the room. Open its door and observe what changes. #32 Everyday machines How does a washing machine clean clothes? Load virtual laundry and watch the wash, rinse, drain, and spin stages. Look inside the drum and explore the roles of water, detergent, and movement. #33 Everyday machines How does a vacuum cleaner pick up dirt? Follow moving air and dust through the nozzle, filter, and collection bin. Compare airflow with a clean filter and a clogged filter. #34 Everyday machines How does a toilet flush? Press the handle on a cutaway toilet. Follow water from the tank through the bowl and waste pipe, then watch the tank refill. #35 Everyday machines How does a zipper work? Pull an oversized zipper slowly and watch the slider join or separate its teeth. Explore why alignment matters and what happens when fabric gets caught. #36 Everyday machines How do keys open locks? Look inside a simplified pin-tumbler lock. Match a key's shape to the pins and watch how correct alignment allows the lock to turn. #37 Everyday machines How does a pendulum clock keep time? Explore the pendulum, gears, hands, and controlled release of stored energy. Change the pendulum's length and observe how the clock's rhythm changes. #38 Everyday machines How does a sewing machine make stitches? Watch the needle, upper thread, and bobbin mechanism in slow motion. Join pieces of virtual fabric and compare stitch lengths and patterns. #39 Everyday machines How does a dishwasher clean dishes? Look inside during washing, rinsing, and drying. Follow water through rotating spray arms and arrange dishes so the spray can reach them. #40 Everyday machines How does a microwave heat food? View a simplified animation of microwaves transferring energy to food. Explore uneven heating patterns and investigate how a rotating plate helps. #143 Everyday machines How does an air conditioner cool a room? Follow heat moving outdoors while cooled air circulates inside a model room. #144 Everyday machines How do ceiling fans help us feel cooler? Change blade speed and follow airflow around a person in a room. #145 Everyday machines How does a hair dryer work? Trace air past a heating element and compare airflow, temperature, and drying. #146 Everyday machines How does a toaster brown bread? Watch heating elements warm bread and control browning with a virtual timer. #147 Everyday machines How does an iron remove wrinkles? Explore how heat, moisture, and pressure change the arrangement of fabric fibers. #148 Everyday machines How does a pressure cooker cook food? Watch pressure, temperature, and the valve in a simplified sealed-pot simulation. #149 Everyday machines How does an electric kettle switch itself off? Follow steam to a switching mechanism and watch the heating circuit disconnect. #162 Everyday machines How does an electric toothbrush move its head? Follow motor movement into rotating or vibrating brush mechanisms. #200 Everyday machines How does a steam cleaner work? Follow water through heating and delivery, then watch steam loosen simulated dirt.

Keep exploring

Games to play

  • Machine RepairFix levers, pulleys, gears and ramps so every contraption works.
  • Circuit Workshop 3DWire up batteries, bulbs and switches on a 3D workbench.
  • Clock TowerKeep the town on time: set the tower clock's hands just right.

Guide for grown-ups

Science games by grade

Science worksheets by grade