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Mar 24, 2020 10 tweets 3 min read Read on X
#ScienceLessonAtHome of the day.
Making a Compass

You will need:
A small bowl
A scrap of paper
A magnet
A pin or needle
Take the pin or needle and stroke it with the magnet. Be sure to only stroke in one direction, lifting the magnet well away as you bring it back to the other end. Use the same pole (end) of the magnet throughout.
Top tip: If you don't have a handy magnet or fridge magnet. The sealing strip of your fridge is magnetic and you can stroke the pin against that.

You will need to stroke it for about 2-3 minutes.
Now fill the bowl with water.
Cut out a circle of paper, just big enough for the pin to rest on. Balance the pin / needle on the paper circle, and float it in the centre of the bowl of water.

The needle should slowly turn to point north. (If it doesn't, repeat the first step).
Stroking the pin with the magnet aligns the iron atoms inside in the same direction. This gives the pin a magnetic field. It will slowly lose this field over time as the atoms shift back. Permanent magnets (like the fridge magnet) have been specially heat treated to fix them.
Whilst you are looking at magnets. Get your child to find materials that will stick to magnets around the home. These materials will contain Iron, Nickle or (less commonly) cobalt.
Older children:

KS3 - Magnetic field lines. If you have some iron fillings, place a clear plastic lid over a magnet and sprinkle the fillings over it. Draw the pattern you see.

If you don't have iron filings at home, you can watch this video.

Also. Some breakfast cereals are magnetic because they have been fortified with iron.

See if you can get a floating cornflake or rice krispie to move across the surface of the milk when you bring a magnet near it.
Now have a look at the earth's magnetic field. Your compass needle is spinning around to align with it. That is why it points north.

This magnetic field is caused by iron and nickel in the earth's core. Image
KS4 - Find out about the magnetic fields of other planets and the sun.

Start here:
sciencefocus.com/space/do-all-p…

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More from @IdolScribblings

Mar 16, 2022
I heard in the ether that there was a Facebook group called "Christans Against Dinosaurs". So, I searched for it out of morbid curiosity. Please join me on a tour of the oryctodromeus hole I fell down. First, what I understand is the OG group.🧵 1/15
In response to the Christian threat the Dinosaurs have formed their own Facebook Group. Apparently the Dinosaurs outnumber the Christians 4:1. I am concerned that there may not be enough Christians to feed all the Dinosaurs. Hopefully, most of them are herbivores. 2/15
The Battle Royale is now in progress! Move over lions. The Christians have a new adversary entering the arena! The Raptor Resistance. 3/15
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Sep 30, 2020
This has reminded me of a tale, passed down through three generations of my family, about a weapons test that went humorously wrong. (Although not as spectacularly as the Panjandrum.)
My Grandfather Graham Lee was one of the scientists working on the Bouncing Bomb with Barnes Wallis (whatever the film might suggest, Wallis didn't do it all himself). He was a chemist specialising in explosives and furzes.

Here he is with my Grandma, Dad and Auntie Ann. Image
During the time when they were testing & training at Ladybower Reservoir in Derbyshire, they had to ensure each dummy bomb was confirmed at the bottom of the reservoir or recovered at dawn. This was to ensure enemy espionage did not get wind of the design or the plan of attack. Image
Read 7 tweets
Sep 27, 2020
As we once more restrict our movement to help save lives, here is a reminder of the deities in the Idol Scribblings pantheon who can help us get through this.

No.1
Quatentina - Goddess of Lockdowns
(Her nemesis is “Girl Swirled” the home haircut demon.)
idolscribblings.blog/2020/05/03/qua…
No.2
Twometer – Goddess of Social Distancing

Should you have to venture out. You would be wise to observe the rules of Twometer.

(The favourite game of most Twometerians is the retro classic “Personal Space Invaders”.)
idolscribblings.blog/2020/06/07/two…
No. 3
Sloth – God of Staying In

Nothing better to do? Try worshipping Sloth!

A worshipper of Sloth can flick through all 999 television channels like a Catholic prays their way around the rosary.
idolscribblings.blog/2020/03/29/slo…
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Sep 20, 2020
The Wine Marten

A short nose, with overtones of musk and a long finish.
This Majestic mustelid is occasionally found rifling through the Oddbin.

"Cheers!" to @ElectricBowman for suggesting the Wine Marten.
#Mustelid #PineMarten #Wine #wildlife

idolscribblings.blog/2020/09/20/win… Image
You can purchase a range of quality clothing and gifts with the Wine Marten artwork from my RedBubble shop.

For the image with black text for light coloured garments and gifts click here...
redbubble.com/shop/ap/579541…
If you would prefer your Wine Marten with white text for a dark coloured garment (which will hide the splashes of Claret), click here...
redbubble.com/shop/ap/579541…
Read 5 tweets
Sep 6, 2020
What I Did on My Holidays

It had been a year since I last went camping due to C-19. On Thursday I escaped to the Peak District for some much needed R&R.

You want to see the highlights?

Aaaaaas yoooooooou wiiiiiiiisssssssh! #PrincessBride Image
(I am always impressed that Buttercup pushes The Man in Black off Carl Wark so hard that he lands nine miles away in Cave Dale. That's a good angry shove you've got there girl.)
Anyway back to the holiday.

Played a bit of Historic Graveyard Bingo in Castleton.

I scored for, "The stonemason accidentally ran out of space". ImageImage
Read 16 tweets
Aug 30, 2020
Hello Idollers! It's a Second Bestiary week.

Please allow me to introduce the Muffin. A delicious sea bird that comes in blueberry, chocolate chip and sand eel flavour.

The Muffin was suggested by Amber Lee. Thank you Amber! Image
You can purchase a Muffin on a T-Shirt, Bag, Hoodie, Mug and lots of other lovely gift items here redbubble.com/shop/ap/562536… Image
Read 5 tweets

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