Episode 10

ANIMAL CLASSIFICATION – On a large board are categories of animals with some of their major characteristics listed, but with the pictures of the animals covered. The two main groups are Backbone and No Backbone. Lorilee is to uncover each animal and place it in its proper category. DIPPING BIRDS – On the counter are seven so called dipping birds that bob back and forth dipping their beaks into a dish of water. Sarah has seen them before but doesn’t know what makes them move. Mr.Wizard shows her two bulbs joined together that contain a liquid that boils at a low temperature. The vapor bubbles up to the surface giving the appearance of boiling. He shows her a small tube with a similar liquid in it. She recognizes it as a Christmas tree ornament. Mr.Wizard shows her how it works. BLUE DUIKERS – Mr.Wizard narrates this study of South African mini antelopes used for a study in food consumption for larger animals. INSIDE A BATHROOM SCALE – Tarek and Mr.Wizard take apart a bathroom scale to see the levers and springs that transfer the weight on the plat­form to the movement of the dial that shows the weight. RISING LIQUID PUZZLE – A glass on the counter contains a blue liquid. An identical glass contains a red liquid. They are connected by vertical tubes that are joined at the top into a single tube. Andrew sucks gently on the single tube and notes that the red liquid goes up higher in its tube than the blue liquid does in its tube. When he blows gently into the single tube, bubbles are produced only in the red liquid. Mr. Wizard explains! FORKS INTO CHURCH BELLS – Brian holds a string tied to a fork to his ear as Mr. Wizard taps the fork with a spoon. Brian calls the louder sound ,, ,Weird. In order for them both to hear the sound, Mr. Wizard shows him a wrapping paper cone with three strings taped to it. At the ends of the strings are forks. Brian listens at the top of the cone while Mr. Wizard tap the forks. Brian agrees they have made forks into church bells. ALLIGATOR COURTSHIP – Mr.Wizard narrates: You’ve watched alligators at the zoo but you’ve probably never seen a man in the water with the alligators. Dr. Walter Offenberg of the Florida State Museum and Ken Bleet of the University of Florida get into the water with alligators to study their mating behavior. ICE BOMB – Brian fills a small cast iron container with water. He then screws on the top securely. 30 Feet away Mr.Wizard has a can filled with alcohol and dry ice. Safely away from the can Brian is instructed to lower the container into the can by way of a long rope and pulley. When the frozen liquid freezes the liquid in the container it explodes inside the can.

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