Energy and thermal physics home experiments and simulations
Remote teaching support for 11-14 14-16
A selection of home experiments and simulations that are suitable to use remotely with your students.
These experiments and online resources are suitable for students aged 11-14 and 14-16:
- Marvin and Milo experiments are useful for teaching younger students. Marvin and Milo explore thermal energy in Melting Race, Flame Balloons, Psychic Paper and Heat's Rising.
- Colourful currents - clear instructions for investigating convection currents.
- Which freezes quickest: hot or cold water - clear instructions for a simple home experiment.
- Solar updraft - students are guided to build their own solar turbine which can link to further discussions about energy resources.
- Wind turbine investigation - worksheets to guide students through
- What powers the world? - an interactive site for discovering electricity production around the world.
- Gridwatch - electricity production data for Great Britain which can be discussed and analysed.
- Energy changes at a skate park - students can collect and analyse graphical data using this interactive simulation.
- Stopping distances - students can collect and analyse data using this interactive simulation.
- Coupled pendulums - a simple setup with lots of physics to discuss.
Health and Safety Guidance
These experiments have been selected by trained teachers as appropriate for use at home, but we have not specifically tested them for home use.
All experiments are carried out at your own risk.
To avoid risk of injury or damage, we recommend that you follow the instructions as shown, and that a responsible adult supervises all practical activity and considers the suitability of each task for their child.
Teachers proposing to recommend any resources to their students should:
- work within safety policies established by their school;
- use their professional judgement to assess the suitability of experiments for their own students;
- direct students and their parents/guardians to follow all stated instructions.
