A dizzy start to summer
Where does the time go? Just one more week and school is out for the summer! There are many of you that are SOOOOO excited for the break, and I know that there are many more of you who will be looking for something to do after a few weeks.
Well … do not forget about the summer science camps that will be at Medicine Hat College this summer. There is something for scientists of all ages; from the preschoolers up to the teenagers, not to mention an exciting range of topics. Should you want to learn about what lies in the night sky above; if you are a crazy scientist looking to explore (like me) or want to have your own spa at home, these camps are definitely for you. Once again, I thought I would give you a bit of a sneak peek into what you might experience at one of the absolutely AMAZING science camps. Let’s get started!
*Remember to ask an adult before doing this experiment.
Materials
— swivel chair — 2 science volunteers — open space to work in safely
— timer/stopwatch
Procedure
1. Place the chair in a safe place away from anything that might hurt your volunteer while it is spinning.
2. Have one volunteer sit in the chair. Have them slightly bend their head and rest their ear on their shoulder. Stick their legs out in front.
3. Have the other volunteer get ready to spin the chair.
4. Start the timer and spin the chair with the volunteer in it for 30 seconds. There is no need to go crazy or fast, just a steady spinning.
5. Stop the chair and immediately stand up with help from the other volunteer. Carefully try to walk. 6. What happens? What is going on? This experiment is fascinating as it really shows us how important our ears are. They do more for us than just hear sounds around us. They also help us balance. When the volunteer stood up, they should have either wobbled forwards or backwards — be careful you catch them and do not let them get hurt. The reason the volunteer was a bit wobbly was because of the fluid in the three tubes in the ear. These tubes are called semicircular canals. When we are just going about a normal day (and not spinning), these tubes help your brain know which way your head is pointing. When you move your head, the liquid in the tubes stay still and your head moves around it. Your brain is able to measure how far it has moved past the liquid and as a result how far forwards, backwards or upside down your head has turned and helping you stay balanced.
When you purposely sit in a chair and spin round and round for a long time, the fluid starts moving around within the tubes rather than staying still. When you stop spinning, the fluid continues to move, making you feel like you are still spinning on the chair. The conflicting information confuses your brain and makes you feel dizzy.
Patty Rooks, Senior Scientific Consultant PRAXIS, “Connecting Science To The Community”. Contact Praxis at praxis@praxismh.ca, www.praxismh.ca, Tweet or follow us @PraxisMedHat, or friend us on Facebook. NOTE our NEW address: #12 826 11 Street S. E., Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A 1T7 Phone: 403-527-5365, email: praxis@praxismh.ca.