Physics Supplies
Many of the activities in our Physics Workbooks utilize toys and other items that are not usually found in your typical science equipment supply companies. This has the advantage of making the physics lessons more approachable, affordable, and of course fun.
Here is a list of many matterials needed and links to where you can purchase them. (in order of appearance in the workbook)
| Item | Quantity |
| Mass Sets (100g - 1kg) | class set |
| String Assortment | a few spools |
| Meter Sticks | class set |
| Stopwatches | class set |
| Bathroom Scale (reading force not mass) 1 |
|
| Thermometers a few |
|
| Marbles or Ball Bearings | class set |
| Ball Assortment (tennis, racquet, foam, inflatable, etc) a few |
|
| Wooden Blocks (2x4 scraps to clap together to create sound) Make friends with whoever runs the school wood shop |
class set |
| Hand Powered Copters | 1 per student |
| Moving Objects (toy cars, powered and unpowered) | several |
| Dot Timers or Spark Timers & Tape (preferably 60 Hz) | a few |
| Sonic Ranger (TI CBL recommended) (only used for one lab in this book, but can be used for so much more) | a few |
| Poppers (little half sphere jumpy things) | 1 gross |
| Plastic Rulers with groove down the middle | class set |
| Frisbee (traditional, and soft fabric Frisbee) | 1 of each |
| Aerobie | 1 |
| Boomerang (traditional u-shape) | 1 |
| Blow Pipe toys | 1 per student |
| Celophane Tape |
many rolls |
| Paper (for paper airplanes) |
1 ream |
| Glue Sticks |
several sticks |
| Scissors |
a few |
| Clay |
a few packages |
| Straws (regular and flexi) |
many packages |
| Paper-clips a few boxes |
|
| Thread |
a few spools |
| Spring Scales (read in Newtons) | class set |
| Wood blocks with screw eyes | class set |
| Interactive Physics (not required but highly recommended software) | 1copy |
| Assorted Tools (wrenches, screw drivers, hammers, pliers, etc) | 1 set |
| The Way Things Work by David Macaulay (ISBN 0-395-42857-2) | 1-20 copies |
| Lego Dacta Gears set |
2-5 sets |
| Hotwheels cars and track(plain track recommended too) |
class set |
| Connecting Leads class set |
|
| Clear & White Plastic Strips and Wool (standard electrostatics supplies) | class set |
| Aluminum Pie Plates (8” - 10” diameter) | class set |
| Blue Styrofoam Plates (1’x1’x1” cut from household insulation sheets) |
class set |
| Styrofoam Cups | 2 per lab group |
| Aluminum Foil | 1 roll |
| Assorted Springs class set |
|
| DC Voltmeters (analog is preferred) | class set |
| DC Ammeters (analog is preferred) | class set |
| 5 ohm & 10 ohm resistors (or similar 1:2 ratio) | class set |
| C or D cells (batteries, recommend rechargeables) class set |
|
| Battery Holders (strong rubber bands work ok) class set |
|
| Power Strips plugged into ammeter and voltmeter | class set |
| Air Core Solenoids | class set |
| Compasses (magnetic) | class set |
| Electric Motor Kits (available from Science First, phone 716-874-0133) | 1 per student |
| Sand Paper several sheets | |
| Copper wire (bell wire) | a few spools |
| Assorted Magnets (various shapes, sizes and strengths) | class set |
| Plastic Cups (serve as speaker cones) | 1 per student |
| Compasses (for drawing circles) | class set |
| Long Springs (~3” diameter, like a long slinky) | a few |
| Long Springs (~1” diameter) | a few |
| Small Rectangular Mirrors (no longer than 3”) | 3 |
| Protractors class set |
|
| Lucite or acrylic Lens Assortment | class set |
| Laser (recommend a class set of laser pointers, <$20) | 4-8 |
This is a semi complete list of what is needed for labs and activities. It does not include items needed for lectures and presentations. The teacher is expected to decide what is needed for these.
