Stimulate your scientific mind

Experiments to bring scientific topics to life

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Learning by doing

How do you produce hydrogen? How is fire used for rocket propulsion? How are satellites launched? What are composites?

These are some of the questions that Paul, Maxime and Clémentine are asking themselves… and which they will try to answer by performing scientific experiments!

Each video begins with a simple question related to aeronautics or aerospace, which makes the team want to find out the answer using the scientific method: researching the subject and then conducting experiments to check that the hypothesis works.

Parents and educators are encouraged to use the activity sheets and/or the lessons to provide a full explanation of the topic, and of course to lead some experiments at home or in the classroom.

First, watch the videos

  • How are satellites launched? How are satellites launched?

    — 00:04:09

    How are satellites launched?

    This video looks at how satellites launched from the Earth are then placed into orbit around the Earth. First, it’s worth pointing out that the word ‘satellite’ doesn’t refer solely to artificial satellites. Our moon, for example, is a satellite of the Earth!

  • What happens to the human body in a vacuum? What happens to the human body in a vacuum?

    — 00:04:00

    What happens to the human body in a vacuum?

    In this video, Clementine, Maxime and Paul are inspired by Maxime’s question of what would happen if a human found themselves in space without a spacesuit. This gets them thinking about the concept of a ‘vacuum’ and how to create one.

  • How do you propel an object upwards? How do you propel an object upwards?

    — 00:04:33

    How do you propel an object upwards?

    In this video, Maxime and Clementine try to understand different types of propulsion using things they already know about: helicopters and space rockets.
    Their experiments show them there are several ways to propel an object to make it take off.

  • How does air flow around a wing? How does air flow around a wing?

    — 00:03:25

    How does air flow around a wing?

    This video studies the standard diagram used to show how air flows around an aeroplane wing. The aim of the video is to test the diagram experimentally.

  • How is fire used for rocket propulsion? How is fire used for rocket propulsion?

    — 00:03:55

    How is fire used for rocket propulsion?

    In this video, Paul, Maxime and Clementine try to understand how fire is used for rocket propulsion. They experiment with a single flame before attempting to create a more directed flame that they think might be more effective.

  • What are composites? What are composites?

    — 00:02:50

    What are composites?

    This video deals with composite materials. Starting with questions about the materials used to make aeroplanes, we find out about composites and try to make some.

  • How do you produce hydrogen? How do you produce hydrogen?

    — 00:03:50

    How do you produce hydrogen?

    In this video, Paul realises that hydrogen gas can be used to power vehicles and discovers how to produce this gas and what its characteristics are.

Credits: Those videos have been created by TRACES.

Experiment at home

The experiments suggested in the videos are easy to reproduce at home, using the objects shown.
What’s important here is not so much the outcome of each experiment — which may or may not work! — but the reasoning used.
How can I test and implement my ideas simply in order to prove or disprove a theory?

Activities

Experience videos activities

Experience videos lessons

Experience videos activities

Experience videos lessons

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