Demonstrate why we experience day and night using a ball and a lamp.
What you need:
- lamp/torch
- ball
What to do:
- Turn the lamp on and hold the ball up so the light is shining onto one side.
- Rotate the ball, imaging it is Earth rotating.
- Pick a unique spot on the ball and imagine it is Australia. Notice how “Australia” comes into the light as the ball turns, before it goes into shadow.
What happens:
The ball rotates just as Earth rotates in space. As the Earth turns, each part of the planet comes into the light from the sun (the lamp). As it continues to turn, each part falls into shadow, becoming nighttime.
Back to Home Science activities.