WE BUILD CUSTOM KITS!
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Lesson Ideas
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How to put a Lil' Suctioner on a soda can:
Step 1: Put the (unopened) can upside-down.
Step 2: Slide the Lil' Suctioner over the bottom of the can fabric side first.
Step 3: Flip the rubber side down and nudge the Lil' Suctioner down to about 1/2 inch from the bottom edge of the can.
Step 4: Stick the can, with its Lil' Suctioner, to any flat, smooth, non-porous surface.
Try to pick it up, can you?
To pick up the can, simply peel up one edge of the Lil' Suctioner. There will be no resistance!
Simply slide the Lil' Suctioner over the bottom of any round object and place it onto a smooth surface. Sideways, slantways, even upside-down, it will stick! Get years of use from this high-grade, durable, engineered rubber 'suction' device! This unique product has been successfully tested at over 85MPH on the bow of a 42' offshore racing boat and it returned intact!
With hundreds of uses, the Lil' Suctioner minimizes spills and makes a great hands-on demonstration for any age! Use the Lil' Suctioner with: Soda cans, drinking glasses, baby bottles, soda bottles, spray paint cans, coffee cups, hair spray, shampoo bottles, or anywhere you don't want a spill to happen!
READ INSTRUCTIONS ON OPPOSITE SIDE. FOR USE ON SMOOTH, CLEAN, NON-POROUS SURFACES.
Invention and the 'Eureka! Moment' The Story of the Lil'Suctioner
The Lil'Suctioner was invented by Mike Adjeleian, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. Mike's primary area of interest was in designing products for law enforcement and the military. He holds several patents for products related to this field.
Mike noticed that police officers conducting searches frequently use a flashlight to peer into windows. The problem is that a portion of the light is reflected off the window and creates glare. In 1998, having identified the need, he had the idea of creating a flashlight hood or bellows that would block the glare and improve visibility.
After trying several more complicated ideas, he decided to try a simple, round pattern cut from a flexible, fabric-coated material. He slipped his 15 inch prototype onto his flashlight and walked to the window in his studio. The following is how Mike described the moment of discovery:
'This is when the unthinkable, and unattainable by traditional design methodology, happened. The flashlight pulled itself out of my grasp, and remained suspended perpendicular to the glass, while I checked my pulse and waited for the shivers down my spine to subside. It was still there when I revived myself. This was the Eureka moment for me personally…'
While it was not practical as a flashlight hood, Mike found scores of other uses. The Lil'Suctioner is most popular as a beverage holder that will adhere to any smooth surface.
Try to use your Lil'Suctioner to hold a can on a vertical surface. Carefully pull on it to feel the resistance. Imagine the grip that a 15 inch one would have!
How much pressure is holding down your Lil'Suctioner? Your Lil'Suctioner has a radius of approximately 2.19 inches. Calculate the area of the Lil'Suctioner and multiply it by the air pressure. You can measure the air pressure with a barometer like our Eco-celli Barometer (Item BAR-200) or use standard pressure of 14.7 psi. You don't need to worry about the hole in the center because you fill this space with your soda can.
pi (2.19)2 x 14.7 = ~221 lbs or 983 N
This weight of 221 lbs is, theoretically, the weight of the cylindrical column of air measured from the surface of your Lil'Suctioner to the edge of the outer atmosphere.
Common Units of Force and Pressure
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Students can use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time. Students can apply knowledge gained from the Lil' Sucker demonstration to understand the power of air pressure and its effects on weather. (See Lesson Ideas)
Students can ask questions to obtain information about the purpose of weather forecasting to prepare for, and respond to, severe weather. Students can apply knowledge gained from the Lil' Sucker demonstration to understand the power of air pressure and how air pressure is a factor in forecasting weather.
Students can analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose.
Students can represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season. Students can apply knowledge gained from the Lil' Sucker demonstration to understand the power of air pressure and its effects on weather/seasons. (See Lesson Ideas)
Students can use the Lil'Sucker in a plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object.
Students can develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact. Students can apply knowledge gained from the Lil'Sucker demonstration to understand the power of air pressure and how it interacts on Earth. (See Lesson Ideas.)
Students can use the Lil'Sucker to plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object's motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object.
Students can use the Lil'Sucker to develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determines regional climates. (See Lesson Ideas)
Students can apply knowledge gained from the Lil'Sucker demonstration to use a model to describe how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth systems results in changes in climate. (See Lesson Ideas.)
Slide this simple device over a can of soda or a beaker, place it down on a smooth, flat surface such as a lab bench and it sticks! A variation on the suction cup, it uses air pressure to hold containers and prevent them from tipping over. Use it to teach students the truth about air pressure: there is no suction!
1 atmosphere = 760 millimeters of mercury (Hg) = 1.013 x 105 pascals = 14.70 pounds per square inch 1 torr = 1 millimeter of mercury (Hg)
* NGSS is a registered trademark of Achieve. Neither Achieve nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of, and do not endorse, this product.
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