|
|
This Week's Experiment - #233 Flexing Small Muscles
I used my muscles a lot this weekend, hauling heavy equipment cases through
airports, to TV stations for interviews, for outreach shows and to the power
plant. That got me thinking about an experiment that involved muscles. We
have so many different muscles, for doing so many different things. Finally
I decided on a group of muscles that are very small and often overlooked.
For this experiment, you will need:
some ice water or
a feather or
a strip of tissue paper and
a friend
For this experiment, we are going to give you goosebumps. You may also know
them as chill bumps, because they often appear when you are cold. That is
one way we can produce them. Put some water into a bowl and add several ice
cubes. Swirl it around to make the water very cold. Now comes the fun part.
You are going to get your friend to dribble some of the ice water down the
back of your neck. As you are waiting for the ice water, watch the skin on
your arms. As the ice water hits your neck, you should see tiny bumps appear
on your arms. These are goosebumps.
Another way to see them is to have someone tickle the back of your neck very
lightly with a feather or a strip of tissue paper. Have them just barely
touch the feather to the base of your neck and gently stroke it upwards.
This should send chills down your back and produce a nice crop of goosebumps.
OK, now that we have you all bumpy, lets think for a minute about what is
happening. You have about 5 million hairs on your skin, and each of them has
a tiny muscle attached to it. These are not voluntary muscles, which means
that you can't wiggle your hair whenever you want. (Wouldn't that be neat!)
Instead, the muscles tighten when you get cold, are scared or angry, or when
something tickles the back of your neck. When these muscles tighten, they
cause your hair to stand up. As the muscle contracts, it gets shorter and
thicker, producing a bump on your skin.
People are not the only ones that have these muscles. If you have ever seen
a cat that is angry or frightened, you probably saw that it puffed up to
almost twice its normal size. This is expecially visible on the tail, which
may look more like a bottle brush. Dogs also bristle their hair, especially
the hair around their neck and shoulders. This makes them look bigger and
more threatening to an enemy.
Even if you don't get enough reaction to get large goosebumps, you should
still be able to feel the strange, shivery sensation as these tiny muscles
flex and move the hairs on your arms. Of course, if you want to keep trying,
I am sure that your friend would be glad to pour lots of cold water down your
neck.
These experiments are from Robert Krampf - The Happy Scientist
Education Posters at AllPosters.com | Clearance Posters
|
|
|
|
|
Nicholas Academy Index
|
|
Roman numerals, addition, multiplication, order of statehood, state and world capitals, order of presidents, chemical elements, parts of speech, spanish numbers.
|
Explore animation, filmmaking, build online cities, create and share works of art, write stories, create your own web site, read creativity articles.
|
Math games, quizzes, fun websites, printable charts, coloring books, tools. Algebra, geometry, fractions, multiplication.
|
Science games and quizzes, fun science websites, posters, coloring books, experiments, forensics labs and more.
|
Play language arts games, improve your vocabulary, create customized puzzles, make your own book! Download free software in the form of shareware, freeware, and demos.
|
|
Play music games, take free music lessons, explore music theory and history, find great posters.
|
Test your knowledge with these fast, fun, and educational quizzes. Roman numeral addition, world capitals, presidents in order, the elements, world flags, and more.
|
Templates, ideas for personal, educational, children's, business sites, design tips and tools, registration and hosting information, step-by-step instructions, quick and easy web page, web building just for kids.
|
Coloring books, countries of the world, games and quizzes, software downloads, posters, computer jigsaw puzzles, printables.
|
Science can be fun and understandable. Free Experiment of the Week, featuring experiments that are unusual, safe, dramatic, cheap, and fun. From Robert Kramp's Science Education Co.
|
|
Online, via email or through the regular mail. College, accredited high school, free reading and phonics courses, foreign language, history, religion, and more.
|
Arabic, German, Japanese, Spanish, French, Italian, Latin, Russian. Games, free software downloads, free online lessons, newspapers, discussion groups, articles, history, culture, quizzes.
|
Coloring books for kids and adults. Civil war, plants, animals, states, middle ages, cultures, geometric designs, puzzles.
|
Fun and affordable space items for kids, including toys, games, food products, and more.
|
New and used low cost books and textbooks. Websites with open source books and loan programs.
|
|
Artists, wars, armour, castle games, recipes, geography, quizzes, fashions, pictures of weapons, music, old world maps, women of medieval times, medicine, language, and more.
|
Reading systems, loan programs, flashcard, worksheet and test makers, game creators, board games, percentage calculator, puzzle creator, timeline template.
|
SAT, GED, ACT, practice tests, exam preparation. Standardized test practice, content standards listed by state, sample items, scope and sequence, aptitude, essential skills.
|
Parts of speech, civil rights, medieval, periodic table of elements, music, astronomy, world maps with flags, literature, poetry, biology,
|
Books, posters, videos, software, curriculum, courses. Save on teaching supplies, receive free educational materials.
|
|
|
