EXPERIMENT MANUAL
The FANTASTIC
Fun
stem
Projects and
EXPERIMENTS
IN
U
S
derwater
n
cience
VOYAGE
Franckh -Kosmos Verl ags-GmbH Co . KG, Pfizer str. -, Stut tgart, Germ any | + () - | www.ko smos.de
Thame s Kosmos, Frie ndship St., P rovidence , RI, , USA | - -- | www.th amesandkos mos.com
Thame s Kosmos UK LP, Stone St reet, Cranbr ook, Kent, T N HE , UK | | www.t hamesandk osmos.co.u k
Safety Information
Warning!
hazard — long tubes and cords may become wrapped around the neck.
WARNING!
to be observed. Keep the packaging and instructions as they contain important information.
SAFETY ADVICE FOR batteries
››› Two AA batteries (1.5 volt, type LR6) are required for operation.
››› Avoid short-circuiting the batteries. A short circuit can cause the
››› The supply terminals are not to be short-circuited.
››› Different types of batteries (e.g., rechargeable and standard) or
››› Do not mix old and new batteries.
››› Do not mix alkaline, standard (carbon-zinc), or rechargeable
›››
Not suitable for children under 3 years. Choking hazard — small parts may be swallowed or inhaled. Strangulation
Only for use by children aged 8 years and older. Instructions for parents or other supervising adults are included and have
››› Non-rechargeable batteries are not to be recharged. They could
These are not included in the kit because of their limited shelf
life.
wires to overheat and the batteries to explode.
new and used batteries are not to be mixed.
(nickel-cadmium) batteries.
Batteries are to be inserted with the correct polarity and
gently into the battery compartment. Instructions for inserting
and changing batteries are on page 29.
pressed
explode!
››› Rechargeable batteries are only to be charged under adult
supervision.
››› Rechargeable batteries are to be removed from the toy before being
charged.
››› Exhausted batteries are to be removed from the toy.
››› Wires must never be inserted into a power socket.
››› Warning! Do not manipulate the protective device in the battery
compartment (PTC). This could cause overheating of wires, eruption
of batteries and excessive heating.
››› Dispose of used batteries in accordance with environmental
provisions, not in the household trash.
››› Avoid deforming the batteries.
Notes on disposal of electrical and electronic components
The electronic components of this product are recyclable. For the sake of the environment, do not throw them into the
household trash at the end of their lifespan. They must be delivered to a collection location for electronic waste, as
indicated by the following symbol:
Please contact your local authorities for the appropriate disposal location.
Also from Pepper Mint
Join Pepper for a new adventure
in the rainforest
Assemble your jungle treehouse
together with Pepper and outfit it with
fun gadgets in nine cool experiments.
Build a pulley system to lift heavy
things up easily, defend your treehouse
with a homemade catapult, and light
it up with a string of LED lights.
thamesandkosmos.com
Alessandro Graf Volta
Once said: “You must be ready to give up even the most
•
aractive ideas when experiments show them to be wrong.”
Also from Italy, Volta was born in 1745.
•
He did not speak until he was 4 years old.
•
He invented the first battery (= “voltaic pile”).
•
ELECTROLYSIS OF WATER
Usin g a voltaic pile — the world’s first working battery — Volta
performed electrolysis on water for the very first time in
1800. The electrolysis of water i nvolves brea ki ng dow n water
molecules into their individual pa rts. This produces oxygen a nd
hydrogen gas. This technique is used to split chemical
compou nds into their component pa rts.
Agnes Pockels
•
Once said: “Only someone who is compassionate toward
herself can show compassion toward others.”
•
She was a German chemist born in
Venice in 1862.
•
She chose not to pursue form al education so
she could look after her par ents, and she
educated herself.
As we
saw on
page 16!
She investi gated su rface tension.
•
•
Her findin gs were i nitially ignored by Ger man scientists
a nd it was on ly with the help of an En glish phy sicist
th at they eventuall y becam e know n to the wider world.
Did you know?
Have you ever wondered why so many famous physicists of the
past were men, and only a few were women? It was because of the
strict rules of society back then. Agnes Pockels was unable to publish
her research findings because the scientific journals of the time
refused to publish anything that was wrien by a woman.
Fortunately, things have changed over the last years. Today,
women can choose to become whatever they want to be …
Believe in yourself!
It was really fun to have
shared this adventure
withyou! I hope you’d like
to have many more. Bye!
Dear Parents and Adu Supervisors
This STEM experiment kit gives your child a fun
way to discover the basic principles of physics.
The kit includes everything needed for the
experiments, except batteries and a few other
common household items.
The step-by-step instructions feature a story that
unfolds throughout each chapter. The heroine of
the story is Pepper Mint — an eleven-year-old
girl whose creativity and cleverness help her
find her way through a series of adventures and
overcome various challenges. The kit includes a
figurine of Pepper Mint herself as well as the
research vessel, so that your child can play
along with the story. This kit offers a total of
nine exciting experiments. Each experiment adds
another element to the research vessel and the
underwater station: a hydraulic crane, a
snapping mechanism, a ship’s propeller, and
much more. When your child reaches the end of
the instructions, he or she will find out how to
use all of the projects together.
Every construction project
provides a fun introduction to
the physics behind it. Along the
way, your child learns why
water can be used to transmit
force, what water is actually
made of, and how to safely
build an electric circuit.
I’m Pepper Mint.
I’ve got lots of good ideas — and I
love building things and taking
things apart to figure out how they
work. I’m about to set sail on an
expedition to the Bermuda Triangle.
Come along with me!
Children in this age group are at different stages
of development, so you can decide in advance
which experiments your child can do alone, and
where your help will be needed. Please make
sure you’re on hand to provide advice and
practical help, and to check the finished product
after each experiment.
Together with your child, decide on a suitable
place for conducting the experiments. Small
amounts of water (15 ml) may spill from time to
time, so it’s best to find a surface that won’t be
damaged by water.
As it contains electronics experiments, this
experiment kit is not suitable for children under
the age of eight. Please keep small children and
pets away from the experiment equipment, and
take time to read through the safety information
with your child. Keep the instructions handy for
reference at all times.
Have fun experimenting
and playing!
Here’s what to do:
1
Read the story or get someone to read it aloud
2
Carry out the experiment
3
Learn through playing
626037-02-180618
Kit Contents
1
3
14 15
17
13
10
12
8
11
9
18
4
6
19
7
16
2
5
Make sure you have all of the components of your kit and check them off:
No. Description Qty. Item No.
1 Wood sheet, plain 3 720575
2 Wood sheet with
printed illustrations 2 720575
3 Cardboard sheet 1 720571
4 Pepper Mint figure 1 720566
5 Syringe 8 720740
6 Tube, 150 cm 1 720741
7 String, 40 cm 1 720742
8 Propeller 1 720744
9 Motor 1 720745
10 Stirrer 2 720724
You will also need:
ruler, scissors, craft glue, tap water, paper, adhesive tape,
watercolor paint, 2 x AA batteries (1.5-volt, type LR6/
mignon), tablespoon, sugar, soap, dish towel, dishwashing
liquid or bubble-blowing solution, flat-head screwdriver,
paper clips, coins, pencil
No. Description Qty. Item No.
11 Bubble wand 1 720725
12 Axle, short 6 720726
13 Axle, long 1 720727
14 Stick 1 720728
15 Tub with cover 1 720572
16 Screw, two-piece 3 720723
17 Baery compartment
with cables 1 720743
18 Spring 2 713882
19 Sandpaper 1 720574
If you are missing any parts,
Tip!
US: techsupport@thamesandkosmos.com
UK: techsupport@thamesandkosmos.co.uk
please contact Thames
Kosmos customer service.
2
Ship’s crane
Pages 19 – 21
Table of Contents
Research veel
Pages 6–7
Tip!
you’ll find exciting
experiments all about
water and blowing
bubbles. For even more
background knowledge,
go to the last doublepage spread.
On pages
– and
Flag
Page 11
e wonder
of water
Pages 9 – 10
Rocking waves
Pages 13 – 14
Giant Snapper
Pages 24 – 25
Ship’s propeer
Pages 28 – 30
3
4
e Expedition Begins
Pepper headed into the local aquarium and walked straight over to
the new saltwater tank. A tall man with unruly hair and a clipboard
was standing in front of the empty tank. His name was Mr. Eisenbart,
and he was the director of the aquarium. He greeted Pepper
enthusiastically.
“Hi Pepper, have you packed all your things for the next three
weeks?” Mr. Eisenbart looked skeptically at the small bag that
Pepper had slung over her shoulder.
“I’ve got my diving gear and my tools. I’m all set!” said Pepper,
beaming. She was very excited about their expedition to the
Bermuda Triangle,
weeks preparing for. And Pepper, who had volunteered to spend
the past year
had been allowed to come along!
The empty tank in the aquarium had been prepared for the rare
species of fish that Mr. Eisenbart planned to catch on their
expedition and then investigate in the city aquarium
which Mr. Eisenbart had
cleaning every single pane of glass in the aquarium,
spent the last few
.
“How about we take a look at the research vessel?” asked Mr.
Eisenbart. Pepper nodded. Together, they walked down to the
pier next to the aquarium, where a small team was busy loading
the Kosmos. The biggest ship that Pepper had ever been allowed
to set foot on was
queasy sensation,
feeling a lile like an adventurous pirate.
her friend Andy’s canoe. With a slightly
Pepper stepped on board the enormous ship,
5
and the
YOU NEED …
2 x wood sheets
with illustrations
3 x plain wood
sheets
HERE’S HOW!
1
Push the purple-colored side panels onto the
base panel of the ship from the right and left.
You’ll need to push the tabs sticking out from
the sides of the base panel into the notches in
the side panels.
2
Pushing up from below, slide the wooden panel
with “KOSMOS” wrien on it onto the front of
the ship (the shorter side). The side panels have
slots in them for this purpose. Next, take the
upper deck panel, which has asmall hole in it,
and fit it over the base panel of the ship by
sliding it in from the front.
Research Veel
tab
1
2
If the pieces snag instead of sliding together
Tip!
lile narrower. Don’t force the pieces together — ask
your parents for help if you need it.
3
6
smoothly, you can use your sandpaper to
make the slots a lile wider or the tabs a
Now complete the front of the ship (the shorter
side) by adding the purple-colored railing,
which you can slide into the corresponding
slots from above. Finally, aach the back
panel across the back of the ship.
3
4
To build the lile cabin, assemble the three
teal-colored wooden pieces by sliding the
middle section down onto the two side walls.
The colored sides of the panels should be
facing inward. Next, slide the top horizontal
panel into the horizontal slots and push it in
fully.
5
You’re almost finished. Push the cabin down
into the corresponding slots in the base panel
of the ship. Hold your hand against the
underside of the base panel as you do so.
Your research vessel is now ready for you and
Pepper Mint to set sail on your expedition!
4
5
Bow (Front)
Port
To make sure you can conduct the following water-based experiments without worrying about making a mess,
you and your parents should find a suitable place for experimenting, ideally somewhere with a surface that won’t
be damaged by water. Even though you’ll only be using small amounts of water (6 ml in each syringe), you
should always have a towel or some paper towels nearby to mop up any spills. If the wood gets wet, you can blot
the wet parts with a towel and let the wood dry overnight.
Cabin
Bridge
Deck
Starboard
Stern (Back)
7
e Wonder of Water
Pepper stood wide-eyed on the deck, staring at Mr. Eisenbart’s pale,
hairy legs. The team had barely finished loading the ship with their
provisions for the next few weeks and moving into their cabins below
deck when the aquarium director had swapped his dusty suit for a pair
of colorful shorts and a light shirt.
A deep droning sound distracted Pepper from this unusual sight and,
after a lile lurch, the ship began to move away from the pier. The
others were all bustling about around her, doing a hundred different
jobs at lightning speed. The anchor was pulled in, the flag was raised,
and the last few objects on deck were secured. The expedition could
finally begin! The ship rocked lightly up and down on the waves, and
after a while, Pepper managed to ignore the queasy feeling in her
stomach and went out to explore the ship.
The cabins that the expedition team would be sleeping in were located
below deck. Pepper was lucky enough to have been assigned a cabin
with a porthole. Under the cabins was the ship’s hold, and behind that
was the engine room containing the ship’s propeller, which was
emiing a steady drone. Back on the deck of the ship, Pepper spent
the next hour watching the coast behind her growing smaller and
smaller, and she couldn’t help but be amazed
and heavy
simply sink. How was it even possible that a ship could float?
as the research vessel that she was standing on didn’t
that an object as big
8
and the
YOU NEED …
2 x plain wood
sheets
2 x syringes
10-cm tube
You will also need:
tap water, ruler,
scissors, watercolor
paint (or dye)
HERE’S HOW!
1
Assemble the syringe holder by sliding the
twolegs into the holder, one from the front and
theother from behind.
2
With the scissors, cut off a -cm piece of tube.
Make sure that you cut the end of the tube in
astraight line. Connect one end of the tube to
the opening at the boom of one of the syringes.
Todo this, position the end of the tube over the
nozzle, then push the tube onto the nozzle until
it can’t go any further. If it’s too tricky, ask your
parents for help.
3
Fill the syringe with tap water, as shown in the
drawing below. Fill the tub halfway with water.
Hang the end of the tube over the side of the tub
and pull out the plunger. The syringe is now filled
half with air, half with water. Hold the syringe
upright and push
too). Finally, pull the plunger out fully.
tube
all the air out (and out of the
Tub
Wonder of Water
1
2
3
If you like, you can also add color to the
Tip!
on inthe syringes and tubes.
water, make sure you stay away from carpets, curtains,
or other fabrics, and remember to wear old clothes.
water using some watercolor paint or dye.
This will make it easier to see
If you’re using colored
what’s going
9
4
Place the full syringe, with the plunger pulled
out, into the syringe holder. To do this, carefully
thread the tube through one of the holes, pulling
it down gently from above, until the syringe is
suspended from the holder. Place an empty
syringe, with the plunger fully pushed in, into a
hole at the other side of the holder and connect
the free end of the tube that’s filled with water to
the empty syringe.
4
WHAT IS WATER?
Like everything in the world, water is made up of tiny particles
that can’t be seen with the naked eye. We call these building
blocks “atoms.” The most basic building blocks are known as
“elements” and these can be combined
“molecules” as a result of chemical reactions. Water is made up
of many tiny water molecules, which in turn are made up of the
elements “oxygen“ and “hydrogen.” Each water molecule
consists of two hydrogen atoms aached to one oxygen atom.
into larger groups
called
WHY DO SHIPS FLOAT?
When an object enters a body of water, it pushes
water molecules aside as it enters the water. A ship
will float if the water that it displaces weighs more
than the vessel itself. Even though ships can weigh
many thousands of tons, their shapes are cleverly
designed to allow them to displace enough water to
allow them to float.
Try out this experiment: Fill your tub with water,
then take some modeling clay and shape some of it
into a ball and some of it into a small boat. The ball
will sink, while the boat will float on top of the
water. The boat displaces more water than the ball.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
When you carefully press the protruding
plunger down, water flows into the empty
syringe at the other end of the tube and
pushes the plunger up on the other side.
The initial movement you made is
transmied by the water. What happens
if you hold the plunger of the empty
syringe down,
pressing the plunger
down
Empty the two syringes and the tube
into a sink and try the same
experiment using air instead of
water this time. Can the air be
compressed?
GOOD TO KNOW
Water can transmit forces because it can’t be
compressed — unlike air, which can be compressed
up to a certain point. Water, and liquids in general,
aren’t compressible because the molecules are
packed closer together in a liquid than in a gas. The
branch of physics that studies this phenomenon is
known as “hydraulics.”
while also carefully
? Can the water be compressed?
?
of the full syringe
10
YOU NEED …
and the
Flag
Flag from
cardboard
sheet
Mast
20-cm string
You will also need: Ruler, scissors, and craft glue
HERE’S HOW!
1
Remove the Pepper Mint flag from the
cardboard sheet and lay it down with the
back side facing up. Fold the -cm piece of
string in half, so that each end is of equal
length, then place the string down the center
line of the flag, with the loop at the top.
2
Fold the flag along the center line and glue
the two identical sides together. Make sure
that the loop is still sticking out at the top.
Insert the mast through the loop and slide the
flag to the middle of the mast.
3
A knot directly below the flag will prevent it
from slipping: tie both ends of the string in a
pretzel-shape around the mast and tighten
the knot.
4
Take the mast with the flag aached and
insert it through the precut hole in the upper
deck at the front end of the ship, then hoist
the Pepper Mint flag!
2
1
3
4
WHAT’S
HAPPENING
Thanks to the adjustable knot, you can
move the flag up and down the mast. At
flags have a special meaning. Sailors
sea,
use paerns and colors of different flags to
send each other messages across long
distances. If someone goes overboard —
that is, accidentally ends up in the water
— sailors hoist an emergency flag that
signals to everybody that there is a “man
overboard!”
?
11
11
Storm on e Horizon
Having quickly tired of watching the rolling waves and unchanging
horizon, Pepper turned her gaze to the bridge. Now that she
understood why the ship wasn’t going to sink, she wondered how
itwas going to be able to find its way to the Bermuda Triangle. It
obviously couldn’t read a map, and the open ocean all looked the
same. Maybe she should pay the captain a visit on the bridge, and
take a closer look at all those buons and gadgets …
Without hesitation, Pepper climbed the steps to the bridge deck,
knocked briefly on the door to the control room and opened it. A
woman with an eye patch and a parrot on her shoulder
look at Pepper, who, at this unexpected sight, completely forgot
what she had wanted to ask. After a long silence, Pepper finally
announced: “Hello, I’m Pepper Mint.”
She didn’t get to hear the name of the captain, as some buons
suddenly began to flash redand a loud beeping noise aracted the
captain’s aention. Thewoman shooed Pepper out with a wave, as
her parrot cawed
looked up, she saw that the horizon
had begun to rock up and down more intensely. The Kosmos was
heading straight toward a bank of storm clouds!
“Pepperrrrr Mint” over and over. When Pepper
had changed, and that the ship
turned to
tall
12
YOU NEED …
30-cm
tube
You will also need: ruler, scissors, tap
water, adhesive tape, paper towels
and the
2 x syringes
Tub
Rocking Waves
HERE’S HOW!
1
Remove the mast and the cabin. Turn your
ship upside-down.
Use the scissors to cut a -cm length of
tube, with a straight edge at the end, and
then connect this tube to a syringe.
Completely fill the tube and syringe with tap
water, as described on page .
Insert the tube full of water through
the portholes in the side panel, then
down again through the hole in the base
panel of the ship, as shown. Have a towel
ready in case the tube leaks.
2
Slide an empty syringe (the plunger should
be pushed all the way down) into the big
hole in the base panel of the ship. The
handles on either side of the syringe should
be touching the underside of the base panel,
while the barrel of the syringe should be
pushed down through to the other side.
3
Turn the ship the right way up again. Connect
the open end of the tube to the empty syringe.
one of
insert it
1
Tip!
You can seal the open end of the tube
with a piece of adhesive tape, so that
it doesn’t drip during assembly.
3
13
4
Insert the cabin into the base panel, and
position the tube firmly between the syringe
and the top of the cabin so that it can’t move.
Make sure that there are no kinks in the
tube.Slowly push the plunger of the full
syringe inward.
WHAT’S
HAPPENING
Your entire ship will rise and fall, as
though it were sailing over a series of
waves. If you push one plunger inward,
the water will pass through the
the other syringe, pushing its plunger
same distance outward. The plunger
presses against the tabletop and lifts
the entire ship upward.
WHAT ARE HYDRAULICS?
The word hydraulics comes from Greek and
means water (“hydro”) and pipe (“aulos“). In
science, hydraulics is the study of the flow
behavior of liquids. That sounds prey
complicated, but you’ve actually already
explored what it means using your model, i.e.
how a liquid is used to transfer aforce. The
pressure that is exerted on a pump
istransmied to the water, and the water then
passes this pressure to a piston, which
performs some kind of work. This is a
hydraulic transmissionsystem.
?
tube into
the
4
If you leave your ship set up like this for a long
while, the water might evaporate and air bubbles
might appear in the tube. If that happens, you’ll
need to push the plunger very carefully inward,
otherwise
change the water
some air-based experiments!
WHERE ARE
HYDRAULICS USED?
Today, hydraulics are used for transferring
forces in very big machines. For example, they
are used in agriculture and construction for
forklifts, cranes, and diggers. Have you ever
noticed the tubes on your bike that run from
the handlebars right to the brakes? Even
there, you’re using a hydraulic system with
brake fluid. Instead of water, special oil is
often used
gets warm, or freeze when it gets cold.
the tube may burst. Make sure to
from time to time, or conduct
as
it doesn’t evaporate when it
14
In e Bermuda Triangle
Pepper spent the next few hours below deck, clinging to the frame of
her bunk bed as tightly as she could. Maybe now would be a good
time to call her mother and confess that she had been the one
responsible for the explosion in their cellar because her test tube
stand had fallen over. Or maybe she should tell her father that the
reason all the saw blades in the shed were dull was that she wanted
to build a soapbox cart for the race that fall. But when Pepper
glanced at her phone, she noticed that it had stopped working.
“Peculiar,” thought Pepper, as it suddenly occurred to her that the
deep drone from the engine room had also stopped. All she could
hear was the sea outside and the various members of the expedition
party calling out every now and then. She pressed the light switch
but her cabin remained in darkness.
Struggling to remain upright, Pepper
made her way down the swaying
corridor to Mr. Eisenbart’s cabin. If
anyone understood what was going
on here, it was Mr. Eisenbart, the old
deep-sea researcher! He was siing
at a folding table with a marine
chart spread out in front of him as
Pepper entered the cabin.
“Hello Pepper,” he said. “I hope our
lile adventure isn’t upseing
you. Countless sailors have recounted
strange stories about the Bermuda Triangle, stories about
machines and devices that have stopped working, bubbles of gas
that have risen up from the boom of the ocean, or impenetrable
fog descending and causing sailors to lose their way …”
15
AND THE
YOU NEED ...
You will also need: tap water,
paper clips, soap or dishwashing
liquid, coins
HERE’S HOW!
1
Fill two thirds of your tub with tap water.
Carefully place a paper clip or pin onto the
surface of the water.
2
Drop a lile dishwashing liquid into the water.
Tub
Nature of Water
1
WHAT’S
HAPPENING
?
WHY CAN’T WATER BE
COMPRESSED?
You’ve almost certainly noticed before that very cold
water below ° Celsius freezes and turns to ice, or that if
you boil water (over ° Celsius), it evaporates and
disappears. This is referred to as “states of maer.” Heat
plays a very special part in these changes from solid to
liquid to gas. The warmer water gets, the more its
molecules bounce around because they have more
energy. With ice, the molecules are frozen into a grid-
like laice structure. In water, this rigid structure comes
apart, and the molecules start moving about. In steam,
they shoot around all over the place, so much so that
they’re barely even connected to each other any more.
When water is in liquid form, the molecules move
about, however because of the forces of araction and
repulsion that exist between the individual molecules,
they stay at a set distance from each other. This is why
you can’t compress the water in your syringe.
16
The paper clip floats on the surface — until you
add soap and disturb the “surface tension” of the
water. Then it sinks to the
consists of a great number of molecules that
aract and repel each other. Ifa molecule is
surrounded by other water
interactions balance each other out. If a water
molecule comes in contact with air, because
it’s at the surface, the forces of araction can
no longer be balanced out, and the molecule is
drawn inward into the liquid. Water
form the smallest
relation to the substance that borders it. This
is why water forms round droplets, and why
it has asurface tension that allows small
creatures, like water striders for example, to
walk on it. The soap is made up of molecules
that push between water molecules on the
surface, disturbing the water’s surface
tension.
boom. Water
molecules, these
tries to
possible surface area in
3
Fill up your tub to the brim with clean
tap water.
4
Drop small coins into the tub one by one,
until the water overflows.
WHAT’S
HAPPENING
The coins displace the water and raise
the water’s surface so that it spills out
over the edge of the tub. You can see
how the surface of the water arches
upward until the surface tension
breaks down and the water flows
out over the edge of the tub.
?
THE BERMUDA
TRIANGLE
Very lile exploring has been done in this
coastal area off the southeastern coast of the
US. For many years, it has been a place of wild
speculation and eerie legends about ships being
swallowed up by the sea, and planes suddenly
crashing or vanishing without a trace. There
have even been tales of sea monsters and
aliens, accompanied by claims that they’re the
ones responsible for the many mysterious
occurrences in the Bermuda Triangle. The most
impressive case dates back to , when five
aircraft from the US Air Force disappeared from
the radar without a trace. The search and
rescue aircraft that was sent out to find them
also failed to return.
4
In the meantime, calculations have
shown that accidents are no more
common in the Bermuda Triangle than
anywhere else in the world, but the
legends refuse to die. Now at last
scientists are onto a possible reason that
would explain why ships sink in the
Bermuda Triangle: The ocean floor stores
enormous amounts of methane gas.
These bubbles of gas can burst and
because gas has a lower density than
water — meaning that it’s lighter — this
results in a massive quantity of gas
suddenly rising to the surface, and the
sea level dropping for a moment. Large
craters on the sea floor of the Bermuda
Triangle suggest that these theories
could indeed be correct.
17
Save e Expedition!
The storm brought the research ship into exactly the area
that Mr. Eisenbart had marked with a red “X” on his marine
chart. Somewhere in the vast expanse of water around
them swam a specimen of strange fish that they would
hopefully take home with them to study at the city
aquarium.
As Pepper stepped out onto the deck several hours
later, the team was standing around the ship’s
crane, soaked to the skin and completely
bewildered. “Did we run out of dessert or
something? Why do you all look so disappointed?”
“Well, you see,” began Mr.Eisenbart, “We can’t go
on a dive to find the fish. The crane that was to
lower the diving chamber into the sea and lift it
out again has stopped working. Just like every other
electronic device on board.”
18
“Even our radio is dead,” added the captain.
“Radiooooo deaaaad,” cawed the parrot on her shoulder in
agreement.
Pepper didn’t want to let the bad news spoil her mood. She had
spent a whole year scraping muck off panes of glass at the
aquarium so that she could come on this expedition.
She looked more closely at the crane, examining the joints and
wrinkling her forehead. No electronics? Well, so what … Surely
there are other ways to move the crane!
YOU NEED ...
3 x plain
wooden sheets
1 x 30-cm tube,
1 x 20-cm tube
and the
4 x syringes
Ship’s Cane
Cardboard
sheet
1
Tub
You will also need: ruler, scissors, adhesive tape,
tap water, large flat-head screwdriver
10-cm
string
3 x 2-piece
screws
HERE’S HOW!
1
Use one of the screws to aach the base of the
crane to the precut opening in the base panel
of the ship. The screw is made up of two pieces
that can be separated by turning them
counterclockwise and then screwed into each
other by turning them clockwise. Take one of
the screw pieces, and from above, insert it
down through the middle hole in the crane
base, and then down through the base panel of
the ship. From beneath, twist the other screw
piece up into the screw piece above. Tighten
the screw firmly using a flat-head screwdriver
if necessary. Warning: Make sure that the
longer slots in the crane base point toward
the front of the ship.
2
Now, with their tabs pointing downward, insert
the two sides of the crane into the crane base
The crane side with the hook on its lower end
must be inserted into the left-hand slot.
Long slot
2
Crane side with hook
.
3
With the remaining two screws, aach the
crane jib pieces to the inner sides of the crane.
Use a flat-head screwdriver if necessary.
3
19
and the
4
The crane will be operated using
twohydraulic
pictures
connector piece from the cardboard sheet.
Make sure that the thumb rest of the syringe
plunger is held securely within the
assembled connector. You can also aach the
cardboard tabs to the back and the front of
the thumb rest using two pieces of adhesive
tape. Finally, pass the wooden double hook
through the hole in the connector aached to
the syringe.
5
Aach the double hook, together with the
syringe hanging from it, securely to the top of
the crane. Behind this, place a wooden
support into the precut slot provided.
6
Slot two more wooden supports into the
sides of the crane, one from the back and one
from the front.
syringes. You can see in the
how to set up the syringes using the
Ship’s Cane
Connecting slot
4
7
Then aach a -cm piece of tube
syringe and fill them both with tap water, as
demonstrated on page . Pass the tube
through one of the port holes in the side
panel of the ship, then pass it under the base
panel and then up again, and out through the
hole at the back next to the crane. From
underneath, insert the end of the tube
through the hole in the lowest wooden
support and aach it to the other syringe
suspended from the crane.
8
Pull the tube taut, so that the end of the
syringe is inserted into the hole of the lowest
wooden support. Aach the hook to the end
of the crane using a -cm piece of string.
What happens if you carefully press down
the plunger of the syringe at the other end of
the tube?
20
to a second
5
6
7
9
You can now move the arm of your crane up
and down. Next you’ll install a hydraulic
system on the base panel to allow the crane
to rotate to the left and to the right. Turn
your ship upside down. Remove one of the
connectors from the cardboard sheet, aach
it to an empty syringe, and hook it onto the
underside of the crane.
10
Take another syringe with a -cm length of
tube aached (see page ), fill them both,
then pass the tube through the hole that is
farthest forward in the side panel and onto
where the empty syringe is. Aach the full
tube to the empty syringe and then secure
the tube in place using a U-shaped piece of
wood. Make sure that the tube is pulled taut.
11
Turn your ship right side up again. Finally
remove the pieces for the diving chamber from
the cardboard sheet, assemble the chamber,
and then hang it on the hook. Finished!
8
9
Farthest forward
U-shaped piece of wood
,
porthole
10
11
21
22
Giant Snapper Ahead
By that afternoon, the hydraulic crane was working again and
nothing stood in the way of their first dive at the Bermuda Triangle.
The fearless Mr. Eisenbart was to be the first to climb into the diving
chamber and let the crane lower him meters deep into the water.
And soon he was off. The crane lowered the diving chamber into the sea.
Within a few seconds, the viewing port framing Mr. Eisenbart’s slightly
greenish face vanished into the watery depths. The members of the
expedition stood in a circle around the crane and stared anxiously at
the cable. The diving chamber had reached a depth of meters ...
now ... now . After an
Pepper had to yawn,
Somehow, she had imagined that this would be more exciting.
But wait! Had the cable just jerked a bit? The cable suddenly went
taut and began to move to the right and left.
“Pull it up right now!” shouted the captain over her shoulder.
hour, the chamber was meters deep.
and quickly covered her mouth with her hand.
“Up, up!” repeated the parrot, and Pepper began to winch the cable
upward. “Up, up!” called the parrot, cheering Pepper on. Three
other sailors had to join her at the winch to help before the cable
started to roll back up, bit by bit.
As they finally hoisted the diving chamber out of the sea, a
sensational sight was revealed: a gigantic, yellow-green scaled
fish had clamped its jaws around the chamber, only leing go
when it had reached the crane above.
23
and the
Giant Snapper
YOU NEED ...
2 x
wood sheets with
illustrations
1 x long axle
20-cm tube
You will also need: ruler, scissors,
tap water, adhesive tape
6 x
short
axles
2 x plain wood
sheets
Cardboard
sheet
2 x Syringes
HERE’S HOW!
1
Remove all of the rectangular parts with three
precut holes in them from the wooden sheet. Lay
four of them out in two overlapping “X” shapes
and insert the ends of the six short axles plus the
long axle into the holes in the wooden rectangles.
Make sure that the long axle and the wooden
rectangle with the hook are in the right places.
Tub
1
Long axle
Hooks
2
2
Now place the remaining four wooden rectangles
onto the free ends of the axles, as shown in the
picture.
3
Push both pieces of the sea monster’s head
of the cardboard sheet and aach them to
the two wooden rectangles on the left.
4
Cut a -cm length of tube, connect it to a
syringe, and fill them both as described on page
. Aach the free end of the tube to an empty
syringe. Take a connector out of the cardboard
sheet, place it beneath the thumb rest of the
empty syringe plunger, and then fold the other
side of the connector over the plunger. Join the
two sides of the connector together by fiing the
slots on the sides one over the other.
24
3
out
4
5
Next, sandwich the handles on either side of the
syringe between two wooden supports; slide one
along the barrel of the syringe until it’s in front
of the handles, and slide the other over the
plunger behind the handles. Pass a wooden
rectangle with two hooks through the connector.
5
The connector must be in a vertical position. You
Tip!
gripping properly, you can aach it more securely by puing
twopieces of tape on each side of the plunger’s thumb rest.
can gently turn the plunger in the syringe until it’s
pointing in the right direction. If the connector isn’t
6
Insert the two wooden panels into the back of
the underwater reef.
7
Then aach the reef and the wooden panels to the
base panel that goes with them. Insert the two
pieces of coral into the precut holes in the base
panel.
8
Put your scissors mechanism in place on the base
panel. The sea monster should be pointing to the
left. Make sure that you set it up as shown in the
close-up pictures.
9
Your Giant Snapper is now ready to be used!
Carefully press the plunger of the full syringe
and watch what happens! Have a go at
down
snapping at
Pepper in the diving chamber!
9
6
8
WHAT’S
HAPPENING
This time, you’ve linked your hydraulic
system up to a mechanical system. As
the plunger moves, it extends the
scissors mechanism, causing the scissor
joints to close and move upward. You’ve
used a simple movement (pressing
down the plunger) to trigger a more
complex movement. Genius!
?
7
25
26
Shimmering Spheres
After an experience like that, anyone else might have reconsidered their
love of fish
than ever to the importance of his mission. Quite by accident he had
discovered a new species, and nothing was going to stop him from
presenting it to the world and outdoing his research colleagues once
and for all. The only problem was how to capture the fish. Even if he did
manage to entice the fish to come closer again, the Kosmos wouldn’t
have enough space to accommodate a deep-sea monster of that size on
board. Nor had they the slightest notion what the “Giant Snapper” (as
they affectionately called it) even ate — most likely something Pepper
herself would not have been happy about. After all, it had aempted
to swallow Mr. Eisenbart whole! Or maybe it had just mistaken the
shimmering glass of the diving chamber for a tasty treat?
Just then, a number of different things happened all at once. From the
engine room came the droning sound of the engine starting up again;
from the control room on the bridge came the sound of loud beeping;
and on the deck of the ship, the lights came on. They had electricity
again! And just in time for dinner too!
The ship’s propeller began to rotate around the axle again, whipping up
the water and creating bubbles of all shapes and sizes. Pepper moved
over to the railing and stood staring intensely into the water. What was
that? Was it a large, scaly shadow swimming up through the bubbles?
— but not Mr. Eisenbart, who now seemed more aached
“Hey!” shouted Pepper. “Could someone shine the light onto the
propeller?” In the blink of an eye, just as the light hit the Giant
Snapper, Pepper took a quick photo with her cell phone, mere seconds
before the fish submerged again and disappeared out of sight. Mr.
Eisenbart now had all the proof he needed. And Pepper would never
tell anyone that it was the shimmering, frothy bubbles that had
dazzled the fish and lured it in. The Giant Snapper would return to its
life of freedom, free to wreak havoc in the murky depths of the
Bermuda Triangle.
27
and the
Ship’s opeer
YOU NEED ...
Plain wood
sheets
Propeller
2 x springs
You will also need: 2 x AA batteries
(1.5-volt, type LR6/Mignon)
Illustrated
wooden
sheet
Motor
Battery
compartment
with wires
HERE’S HOW!
1
Slot the two side pieces onto the pins
protruding from either side of the motor casing.
2
Insert a cross panel by sliding it into the slots
on each side wall. Make sure that you keep the
wires from the motor on the top side
of the panel.
3
Insert the two springs into the precut holes,
narrow side down. If you move the springs to
one side with your finger, to make a lile gap,
you can insert the wire through the rings.
Connect the black wire to one spring, and the
red wire to the other spring. To finish, from
above, slide another panel downward in front
of the motor.
1
2
4
From behind, push the whole structure back
into the wooden piece printed with the
underwater volcano on it.
5
Then place the whole thing onto the base of the
ship. At the front of the ship, you’ll see an axle
protruding from the motor
you aach your propeller.
28
block. This is where
3
You don’t need to worry about touching the wire, the
springs, or the motor. The electrical current is so small
that nothing will happen. But never touch power
outlets or uncovered wires around your home — that
can be extremely dangerous.
6
Ask your parents to insert the baeries
into the baery compartment. The note
below shows how to do this.
Place the baery compartment into the
hollow space under the motor. Move the
switch to the “OFF” position and connect
the red wire from the baery
compartment to the spring that you
previously connected to the red wire from
the motor. You can do this by moving the
spring to one side with your finger, until a
gap forms between the individual rings.
Now connect the black wire to the other
spring — again making sure that
everything is positioned correctly. You
can now turn on your ship’s propeller by
moving the switch to the “ON” position.
4
5
Please ask an adult to insert or replace
the baeries:
• Open the cover of the baery compartment.
Insert two new AA baeries (.-volt, type
LR/Mignon), or remove the old baeries
and insert new ones. Make sure you put the
baeries in correctly by matching the + and
– polarity markings! Then close the baery
compartment again.
6
LR6 Mignon
A A DC 1.5V
LR6 Mignon
A A DC 1.5V
29
WHAT’S
HAPPENING
You have just created an electrical circuit.
Electricity flows from the baery through
the wires that you connected to the
springs, into the motor, and then back to
the baery again. The motor axle
rotates, which causes the propeller to
rotate on its own axle. Can you feel the
flow of air generated by the propeller?
?
WHAT IS ELECTRICITY?
An electrical current consists of moving
“electrons.” Electrons are tiny particles that
you can visualize as a crowd of tiny people
rushing through a tunnel. When they reach a
narrow spot in the tunnel, a jam occurs as
they all jostle together. The same thing
happens with the electrons in an electrical
wire. In this case, the wire gets really warm at
the narrow spot and may even start to glow.
That’s how light bulbs work.
Tip!
Don’t forget to switch off the baery
compartment when you’re not using the
propeller. To do this, just move the
switch to the “OFF” position or remove
the wires from the springs.
WHAT IS VOLTAGE?
We measure the tension of an electrical
current in volts. To continue the
metaphor, higher voltage corresponds
to stronger tiny people. They can push
the others more strongly through the
tunnel (the “conductor”). If the voltage
is too high, the electrons have too much
freedom to move around, and can even
fly through the air. That’s when you see
sparks fly.
ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT
An electrical circuit consists of a power source (baery), a conductor (wire), and a device that uses the
electricity (motor). For the electric current to be able to flow, the circuit must be complete. Another
thing that affects the flow of electrical current is how easy it is for the particles to travel through the
“tunnel” — in other words, it depends on how conductive the tunnel is. Some materials such as metals
(copper and silver, for example) are very conductive, so we call them conductors. Other materials such
as wood, rubber (elastic), and glass are non-conductors, or “insulators”.
30
YOU NEED ...
AND THE
Stirrer
Bubbles
Turn your ship’s propeller
into a bubble-blowing machine!
Tub
You will also need: tap water, table
dishwashing liquid (
or bubble-blowing solution
the “Dawn” brand works well),
Bubble
wand
spoon, sugar,
HERE’S HOW!
1
To make the bubble-blowing liquid:
Fill half of your tub with water, add three
level tablespoons of sugar and one
tablespoon of dishwashing liquid.
2
Use your stirrer to mix the solution until all
of the sugar has dissolved completely. Let
the solution sit for a couple of hours.
3
Switch on your ship’s propeller, dip the
bubble wand into the solution, then hold the
wand in front of the propeller.
1
If you cover the tub, you can keep
Tip!
your own homemade sticker. On a piece of paper,
write out the words “Bubble-blowing solution”
and then stick it to the outside of the tub using
adhesive tape. Keep the
animals and small children.
the solution for a couple of weeks.
You can also label the tub using
solution away from
You’ve now finished creating
your own underwater
wonderland! Have fun
experimenting as you play!
31
31
Superstars of
science
Leonardo da Vinci
•
Once said: “Water is the driving force of all nature”
and “The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding.”
•
He lived in Italy in the 15th century.
•
He was an anatomist, an architect, a sculptor, an inventor,
an engineer, a painter, and a musician — in short, a
universal genius.
•
He painted the “Mona Lisa” and used water to power many of his experiments:
LEONARDO’S INGENIOUS INVENTIONS
A water-propelled mechanical saw, which made spliing thick tree trunks much easier
•
A paddle boat propelled by pedals, at a time when all other boats used oars
•
A swing bridge that could be rotated to one side to allow large ships to travel on rivers
•
Archimedes
He shouted “Eureka” as he ran naked through the streets of the city
•
after discovering Archimedes’ principle while taking a bath.
He was born in Greece in 287 BC.
•
He was quite possibly the world’s first physicist.
•
THE LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN CROWN
Legend has it that a king called Hiero once commissioned a goldsmith to fashion a
new crown made from pure gold. Once finished, the golden crown weighed exactly
the same as the lump of gold that the king had given the goldsmith in order to create the crown.
However, the king still suspected that the goldsmith had deceived him. He called on Archimedes and asked him to verify
the purity of the crown, without damaging it in any way. Archimedes pondered this difficult task for a long time.
Then, as he was taking a bath, he was struck with a flash of inspiration. Gold was the heaviest known metal at that
time. This meant that a piece of gold weighing exactly the same as a piece of another metal would have a smaller
volume. Archimedes therefore concluded that if the goldsmith had substituted some of the gold for some other metal in
the crown, that the crown, when submerged in water, would displace more water than a lump of gold of equal weight.
Archimedes ran to the king with his news. He then measured the displacement of the crown and a lump of gold of equal
weight and discovered that the crown displaced more water and was therefore not pure gold. The experiment
confirmed that the goldsmith had indeed aempted to deceive the king.
You’ve almost certainly noticed that your arms and legs are lighter when you’re underwater. This is because
the water helps to support your weight. Archimedes called this “buoyancy.” If two objects have the same weight
but different volumes, the one with the higher volume will displace more water, which means that it will have
greater buoyancy. This phenomenon became known as Archimedes’ principle. You’ve come across it already, in
32
your adventures with Pepper Mint.
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More than one hundred years of expertise in publishing science
experiment kits stand behind every product that bears the Kosmos name.
Kosmos experiment kits are designed by an experienced team of
specialists and tested with the utmost care during development and
production. With regard to product safety, these experiment kits follow
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proprietary safety guidelines. By working closely with our
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Phone: +49 (0)711 2191-343, kosmos.de, service@kosmos.de
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Project Management: Swetlana Maier
Technical Product Development: Sarah Trautner, Elena Ryvkin
Background text and editing: Anna Nolde
Product design: Sarah Trautner
Design concept for instructions and packaging: Love Pavlov, Stuttgart; in medias res, Nürnberg
Layout for instructions and packaging: Annabell Goldacker, 599media, Leipzig
Illustrations for instructions and packaging: Tanja Donner, Riedlingen
Photos of models and parts: Michael Flaig, ProStudios, Stuttgart
Cover image rendering: Liwia Ostrowska, Hamburg
Instruction photos: JoJan (Leonardo Da Vinci); Domenico Fetti (Archimedes); anthroposophie.net (Alessandro Graf
Volta); TU Braunschweig (Agnes Pockels; all previous © Wikipedia, public domain); askaja (all paper clips);
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1st English Edition © 2018 Thames & Kosmos, LLC, Providence, RI, U.S.A.
® Thames & Kosmos is a registered trademark of Thames & Kosmos, LLC.
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