From a CANVAS Facebook post

*******************************************

／

August 14 (Sun) Kids Creative Lab

We held a science program!

＼

"Aim to Be the Ultimate Magnet Master!!" in Takeshiba

Program Presented by: Professor Black Lab (Certified Science Communicator, National Museum of Nature and Science)

https://www.canvas.ws/kenkyujo/report/20220814intakeshiba.php

We hosted Professor Black Lab—who is both a university professor and a comedian—and held a science program!

A magnet that turned the impossible into reality! Developed by a Japanese scientist

If it's the most powerful magnet that changed the world, could it make water dent or even move vegetables??

That magnet might make my eyes water, so I'll just go ahead and do some intricate lacework!

■What Are Magnets?

The star of this story is the “magnet.”

What are magnets?

An experiment to see what it sticks to.

From among the various tools and materials lined up on the desk, we’ll look for things that stick to magnets.

Well, this is where the real action begins.

We'll use "neodymium magnets"—the world's strongest magnets—to move the boat.

■Can magnets make vegetables move…?

Boat racing athletes are vegetables.

Daikon radish, carrots, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, eggplant, watermelon, green peppers, potatoes, and shimeji mushrooms.

When you bring a neodymium magnet close to the vegetables on the boat,

The vegetables are starting to grow little by little.

Huh? I wonder why…

The vegetable athletes are moving slowly—very, very slowly.

Does the speed vary depending on how you cut the same vegetable?

Does it move faster if you hold a magnet against the part with the skin?

Driven by the desire to make the boat go faster!

Naturally

"Under what conditions does it move faster? (i.e., when do the neodymium magnets react?)"

This leads to a process of trial and error.

We spent some time chatting with the other kids in our group and the facilitator.

■Ready, set, go with our original veggie boats!!!

After some trial and error, we choose the vegetables we think will move the fastest as our “athletes” and build our boats. We also pay close attention to the materials and shape of the boats.

Once everyone is ready, it's time for a team boat race competition.

What about the rules…?

Reach the finish line in ○○ seconds?

If I accidentally tap it, does it go back to the beginning?

What kind of rules would make it more fun?

If you try it once and think, “I should do it this way instead!”

We'll keep changing the rules as we go.

It was such a heated boat race that one child was so frustrated by the loss that tears of regret rolled down their cheeks.

Finally, Professor Black Lab reveals the secret.

How can neodymium magnets move vegetables?

So the neodymium magnet was repelled by the moisture in the vegetables, and that force was what made the vegetable boat move.

That's why the water content of the vegetables matters.

Well, next month we have an art program called “The Mechanics of Movement.”

I wonder what we'll be doing?

I look forward to meeting you.

● Registration is now open for the Research Institute Workshop!

https://www.canvas.ws/kenkyujo/