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PlayOwl

Explore · Wonder · Discover

How Things Work

Ever wondered how airplanes fly, why popcorn pops or how your heart pumps? Pick a question, then watch it, look inside, try it, solve a challenge and go deeper. Every topic changes for Preschool, Elementary and Middle school.

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

500 topics to explore · showing 121–144

Every topic

#121 Forces & mechanisms How do suction cups stay attached? Press cups onto different surfaces and explore the pressure difference holding them in place. #122 Forces & mechanisms How do objects stay balanced without tipping? Move weights around model objects and predict when their centers of mass cause tipping. #123 Flight & transportation How do parachutes slow a fall? Change canopy size and cargo mass, then compare descent and landing in a simulation. #124 Flight & transportation How do hot-air balloons rise and descend? Heat or cool the balloon's air and observe changes in lift and height. #125 Flight & transportation How do hovercraft travel over land and water? Follow air into the cushion beneath a hovercraft and steer across different surfaces. #126 Flight & transportation How do sailboats use the wind? Adjust sail angle and rudder position to navigate with winds from different directions. #127 Flight & transportation How do jet engines produce thrust? Follow air through compression, heating, and expansion inside a transparent engine. #128 Flight & transportation How do propellers push vehicles forward? Rotate blades through air or water and inspect the direction of the resulting flow. #129 Flight & transportation How do disc brakes stop a vehicle? Press pads against a spinning disc and compare stopping under different simulated conditions. #130 Flight & transportation How does a car's steering system work? Trace steering-wheel movement through a rack, linkages, and the front wheels. #131 Flight & transportation How does a differential help a car turn? Drive around corners and compare the speeds of the inner and outer wheels. #132 Flight & transportation How do tires grip the road? Compare tread, road conditions, and tire pressure in a driving and braking simulation. #133 Flight & transportation How do seat belts protect passengers? Stop a model vehicle and observe how a belt restrains a passenger's continued motion. #134 Flight & transportation How do airbags cushion passengers? Watch a simulated collision and explore inflation, cushioning, and passenger movement. #135 Flight & transportation How do windshield wipers move back and forth? Follow a rotating motor's movement through the linkage that sweeps the wiper blades. #136 Flight & transportation How do tracked vehicles cross soft ground? Compare wheels and tracks while moving the same load across simulated mud or sand. #137 Flight & transportation How do snowmobiles move over snow? Explore the driving track and steering skis while navigating a snowy course. #138 Flight & transportation How do hydrofoil boats rise above the water? Increase speed and watch underwater wings lift a model boat's hull. #139 Flight & transportation How do paddles move and steer a kayak? Compare paddle strokes that propel, turn, slow, or reverse a virtual kayak. #140 Flight & transportation How do scuba regulators deliver breathing gas? Follow compressed gas through a simplified regulator as surrounding water pressure changes. #141 Flight & transportation How do self-righting lifeboats turn upright again? Tilt model boats and compare how hull shape and weight placement affect recovery. #142 Flight & transportation How do life jackets help people float? Explore buoyant material, body position, and stability around a floating character. #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.

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