Book Launch

What you need

• A copy of Marvin and Milo’s Adventures in Science (available from bookshops and online retailers)
• A piece of paper smaller than the book

Instructions

1. Hold the book and the paper horizontally and drop both at the same time. Notice which one hits the ground first.
2. Now put the piece of paper flat against the bottom side of the book and drop them together. What happens?
3. Drop them again, but this time with the paper on top of the book. What happens?

Results and Explanation

Air resistance means that when dropped separately, the book and paper hit the ground at different times. But when they are dropped together, the larger book sweeps the air out of the way and the two fall at the same rate.

These experiments have not been specifically safety tested for home use but we believe them to be safe if the instructions are followed. Adult supervision or direction is recommended as appropriate. All experiments are carried out at your own risk.