Our house is currently covered in balloons--well, at least the floor of our house. Monkey has taken to setting them over the heater vent to see them float, which is pretty impressive I have to admit. He is also enjoying playing with a brand spankin' new Thomas the Train bouncy ball.
For whatever reason, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to teach him the science of "Heavy and Light."
Me: Hey Monkey, those balloons look so cool, do you think your ball will float?
Monkey: Yep.
Me: Let's try it.
(The ball doesn't float.)
Me: Why do you think it doesn't float?
Monkey: I don't know.
Me: Is it heavier than the balloons?
Monkey: Yep, it's heavier.
Me: The balloons are lighter.
Monkey: Oh yeah. We don't have dark balloons.
Me: No, I mean the ball is heavy, not light. The balloons are light, not heavy.
Monkey: Right, the ball isn't light like the Sun.
Me: Well, true. But it's heavy. That's why it doesn't float.
Monkey: Is the Sun heavy?
Me: Yes, the sun is actually very heavy.
Monkey: But it floats because it's light?
At this point I just sort of gave up and said something like, "Um, sure." I hope to fix this later in his scientific career. But as you've seen, he's more of an artist anyway.
For whatever reason, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to teach him the science of "Heavy and Light."
Me: Hey Monkey, those balloons look so cool, do you think your ball will float?
Monkey: Yep.
Me: Let's try it.
(The ball doesn't float.)
Me: Why do you think it doesn't float?
Monkey: I don't know.
Me: Is it heavier than the balloons?
Monkey: Yep, it's heavier.
Me: The balloons are lighter.
Monkey: Oh yeah. We don't have dark balloons.
Me: No, I mean the ball is heavy, not light. The balloons are light, not heavy.
Monkey: Right, the ball isn't light like the Sun.
Me: Well, true. But it's heavy. That's why it doesn't float.
Monkey: Is the Sun heavy?
Me: Yes, the sun is actually very heavy.
Monkey: But it floats because it's light?
At this point I just sort of gave up and said something like, "Um, sure." I hope to fix this later in his scientific career. But as you've seen, he's more of an artist anyway.
Comments