Commercially available toy and novelty items have been incorporated into our chemistry programs because they are very effective teaching aids a t all levels of academic perfor- mance. The physical presence of the toys captures the stu- dents' interest and stimulates them to ask questions. The questions then lead to the learning of or review of the scientific principles involved. We have found this approach to be useful from the lowest high school general science classes to the top levels of chemistry. Of course, a t different levels of instruction the teacher provides different depths of sophistication.

We have found the use of the patent literature particularly germane to teaching with these toys. The students have had little or no experience with patents and this gives the teacher the opportunity to discuss what a patent is, what types are available, and this often leads to vigorous discussions as to what is and what is not protected by a patent.

We have summarized in tabular form a description of each toy, the principles involved, and some additional practical applications of those principles.

Gene R. Zlegler Upper Merlon Senior High School

Klng of Prussla, Pennsylvania 19406

Nearly all of the toys are available from Edmund Scientific Company' or through mail order housewares catalogs.

Toys in the Chemistry Classroom

'Edrnund Scientific Company, 544 Edscorp Bldg. Barrington, New Jersey 08007.

"or two articles on using a giant drinking bird ta irrigate the desert see: Lear, John, Sot. Reu., 49, (June 1957) and Murror, Richard B., Sot. Reu.. 51 (June 1957).

:'US Patent 3,387,396. WS Patents 3,576,987 and 3,597,362. 5For practical uses of these flares see: Dresner, Simon, Pop. Sci.,

64, (January 1975). 6Available from Walter Drake and Sons. Inc., 94 Drake Bldg.,

Colorado Springs, Colorado 80940. "For two general articles on liquid crystals see: Fergason, James L.,

Sci. Amer., 16 (August 1964); Heilmeier, George H., Sei. Amer., 100 (April 1970).

WS Patent 3,588,099. 9An interesting historical account of using solar energy is given in

"How Archimedes Stole Sun to Burn Foe's Fleet2'a stow of how Ar-

Drinking Bird-This much publl- clzed toy continues bobblng up and down as long as ns specially made beak Is kept wet.

Low Meter-Thls device c~nslpts of two glass bulbs connected by a splral 01 glass tublng. The vessel IktIIIed wlth a low bolllng liquid. The person holds the bollom bulb and the " M e r " the person Is the laster the liquid rises l o the upper bulb.

Lava Lamp-Spherlcal blobs ol a waxy material continuously move up and down In a water s o l ~ l l ~ n as heat Is applled lo the bottom ol the lamp.f

Chemlcal Hlghway Flares-Cold Llght-The plastlc tube Is bent lo break the Inner vial. The chembals react to eroduca

Other Prlnclples Appllcatlons

Vapor Pressure Wlnd-Chlll factor Heat of Vaporization Pressure Heat Engines Cooker

lrrlgatlon of the Desert'

Vapor Pressure Same as above Heat of Vaporlratlon for drlnklng Heal Englnes blrd

Mlsclblllty 01 Llqulds Water Thermal Expanslon Repellents Surface Tendon Expanslon Density jolnb

Convection Heatlng

Energy levels and Flreflias the transltlons Luminescent between them flsh and

Chemllumlnerence Dlanto

Dlgltat Thermometer-Diglta ap- pear as temperature changer7

Mood RW-Rlng m a w s COIOT~S the mood 01 the wearer changes.

D p a orver-mls is a modifled Carteslan d l w spe~lally made lo plck up objects lrom the hot- tom of the tank?

Solar Cloarelfe Llohtsr-A con- - - cave mlmr wllh a clamp at the locus lo kOld the clparene allows you ID light the clgarene In brlgM sun In about 15 8.O

Can7 Blow Out Candles-Once Ill the candles keep rellghtlng after you blow them out.

Prlnclple*

Liquld crystab Scatterlng of llght

Llquld crystals Scattering el Llght

Boyle's Law Pas~aI's Law Arehlmeder'

Principle

Llght Is energy Mlrror Laws from

physics

Flre trlangle

Other Appllcatlons

Other llqvid crystal devices

Submarlne Automobile

brakes Hydraulic llltr

Flre flghtlng teehnlques

Ilght3,5 Density Chsnglw Sun Glasses- Photochsmlstry and Photosynthesis Weather Predlclor-The simple Water of Hydrstlon Blue dyes In old When golng from dull llght to Photochromlsm Photo

devlce changes fmm red to blue Coordlnntlon pottery brlght sun the glasses turn dark, produced as lhe humldlty decrease% In the compounds "Magic" the reverse occurring when more complicated devlcer a LeChateller's wrltlng

mag aolna lndaarr. --~..-

series ol mixtures ol two salts. Prlnclple CoCb and NaCI, are used to pmduoe red to blue changes over a range ol h~mldlt ies.~

Magic Rocks-The rocks are Slllcata networks Mlnsral placed In the apeclal growlng lorm structures ~olullon and lhey torm stalag- lrom water mites. glass and

heavy metal sans

Super Faam-Mlx Ihe two parts Polymers and Polymers ol and In a few seconds a loam Is Polyurethanes general use produced. The loam hardens In less than one minute.

Castlng Resln-MIX the two parts Polymers and Polymers of and add the Initlator. In a few polymeth- general use mlnvtes a hard clear material acrylates forms.

Volume 54, Number 10, October 1977 / 629