Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Chemistry of Water

9th - 10th
Video that explores the properties of the water molecule as a "universal" solvent. Content is explained in plain, easy-to-understand language with simple analogies for young chemistry students. [4:46]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Winter Olympics: Aerial Physics

9th - 10th
In the sport of freestyle aerials, skiers are judged on their ability to perform complex jumps in the air. Emily Cook, a 12-year veteran of the U.S. Freestyle team, and Paul Doherty, a Senior Scientist at the Exploratorium in San...
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Winter Olympics: Slapshot Physics

9th - 10th
One of the most popular team sports in the Winter Olympics is hockey. More than just a physical game, for scientists, it's a showcase for physics on ice - especially when it comes to the slapshot. Three-time Olympian Julie Chu, Thomas...
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Winter Olympics: Figure Skating

9th - 10th
Every four years, we watch the stakes for Olympic figure skaters get higher, as they try to increase rotation in the air with their triple axels and quadruple toe loops. How do they do that? It's a scientific principle that Olympic...
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Winter Olympics: Science of Skates

9th - 10th
The ice skates worn by hockey players, figure skaters and speed skaters are vastly different from what were once used. Melissa Hines, the Director of the Cornell University Center for Materials Research, and Sam Colbeck, a retired...
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Winter Olympics: Blade Runners

9th - 10th
Speed skating is all about force and movement - what, in physics, are known as Newton's First Three Laws of Motion. J.R. Celski, a U.S. speed skater, and physicist George Tuthill of Plymouth State University explain.
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Winter Olympics: Banking on Speed

9th - 10th
The winter games in Vancouver provided a chance for the United States' four-man bobsled team to win its first gold medal in more than 60 years. With the help of Paul Doherty, senior scientist at the Exploratorium in San Francisco,...
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Winter Olympics: The Science of Skis

9th - 10th
In skiing events like the downhill, slalom or ski jump, it's often the skis that are bound to an athlete's feet - and the materials used to make them - that give these athletes an edge over the competition. U.S. Ski Team members Julia...
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of Winter Olympics: Science of Snowboarding

9th - 10th
To get "max air" off the half-pipe without losing their balance, snowboarders might want to check out this experiment that Paul Doherty, a senior scientist at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, cooked up, using a skateboard and a glass...
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Winter Olympics: Mathletes

9th - 10th
It's been called "the Queen of Sciences" - mathematics. It might not be as obvious in Olympic sports as physics or materials-engineering, but math - from simple arithmetic to calculus - is part of every jump, every spin, every move the...
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Winter Olympics: Internal Athletes

9th - 10th
Cross-country skiers are among the fittest athletes in the world. Deborah King, an associate professor in the Department of Exercise and Sports Sciences at Ithaca College and Joseph Francisco, president of the American Chemical Society,...
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Winter Olympics: Science Friction

9th - 10th
Curling has been in the Winter Olympics for a while now, but it still seems a little strange to most of us. John Shuster, the captain - or "skip" - of the U.S. Curling Team in the Vancouver Winter Olympics, explains this unusual sport,...
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Winter Olympics: Competition Suits

9th - 10th
Olympic athletes have long worn special competition clothing to gain an edge. Science and technology continue to improve on what they wear. Hear from Olympians Chad Hedrick, Steve Holcomb and Erin Hamlin, and Melissa Hines, the director...
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of Nfl Football

9th - 10th
A collection of ten videos that examine the physics and math behind NFL football. They cover topics such as Newton's Laws of Motion, the Pythagorean Theory, kinematics, and projectile motion.
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Olympics: Engineering in Sports

9th - 10th
A collection of 36 videos that examine the science behind different sports of the Olympics.
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Winter Olympics

9th - 10th
A collection of twenty six videos that examine the science behind different sports of the Winter Olympics.
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Projectile Motion & Parabolas

9th - 10th
Students learn about the science of NFL football. The video discusses projectile motion, parabolas, and the significance of velocity on the trajectory every time an NFL punter kicks a football into the sky. [4:16]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Geometric Shapes: Spheres, Ellipses and Spheroids

9th - 10th
Students learn about the science of NFL football. The video [4:10] discusses how the three-dimensional shape of a football helps an NFL quarterback throw a hard, accurate pass.
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Batty for Bats

9th - 10th
A look at bats including physical structure, food, and habitats. More specifically, their structure for flight may provide an aerodynamic model for future air crafts. Video is included as are links to related topics. [2:34] (April 12, 2010)
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science Nation: Citizen Science

9th - 10th
A video that explores how volunteers collect data and make observations to help scientist understand birds and their changing habitats. [2:33]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Wind Power Careers in Wyoming

9th - 10th
A look at new careers offered in wind energy at community colleges in the state of Wyoming. The role of wind power technicians is discussed as is the program they take. A video clip is included. [2:34]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Home Sensors Enable Seniors to Live Independently

9th - 10th
Researchers are developing smart home technologies to enhance the safety of residents and monitor their health conditions using sensors and other devices. [2:48]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: One Day We May Fill the Tank With Fungi Fuel

9th - 10th
Scientists have discovered a way to use microorganisms to generate hydrocarbons. It is hoped that this idea could eventually be used to create fuel. [2:45]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Killing Cancer: Novel Brain Tumor Treatment Inspires Hope

9th - 10th
Describes a new type of treatment for deadly brain cancer that uses white blood cells to transport anticancer drugs to tumors. [4:45]