Ep 9. Refraction, Attraction & Beakmania

In Beakman's World season 1 episode 9 "Refraction, Attraction & Beakmania," Beakman explores the concept of refraction and attraction in science. He is joined by his trusty sidekick, Lester, as they conduct several experiments to showcase these principles in action.

The episode kicks off with Beakman demonstrating the properties of refraction by using a laser beam and a glass of water. He explains how the light bends as it passes through the water, which causes the laser beam to appear to deviate from its original path. Beakman then moves on to demonstrate how light is refracted in lenses, using a simple magnifying glass.

Next, the focus turns to attraction, and Beakman shows how different objects can attract or repel each other based on their electrical charges. He uses a Van de Graaff generator to create static electricity and demonstrates how this can cause objects to stick to each other or repel each other. Lester gets in on the action as Beakman rubs a balloon against his hair, causing it to stick to the wall.

The episode then takes a break from the scientific demonstrations as Beakman plays host to a Beakmania quiz show. Two young contestants compete to answer questions about science and win prizes. Beakman serves as the host and tries to keep the contestants on their toes with some tricky questions.

Back to the science experiments, Beakman introduces the concept of sound waves and shows how they can be visualized using a Chladni plate. He sprinkles some salt on the plate and then vibrates it with a tuning fork, causing the salt to form intricate patterns. Beakman explains how these patterns represent different frequencies and pitches of sound.

The episode concludes with a demonstration of magnetic attraction. Beakman shows how magnets can attract or repel metals based on their polarities. He also demonstrates the concept of magnetic fields, showing how they surround magnets and can be visualized using iron filings.

Throughout the episode, Beakman provides clear explanations of each concept and encourages viewers to try the experiments at home. His energetic personality and comedic antics make learning about science fun and engaging for viewers of all ages. "Refraction, Attraction & Beakmania" is a great example of the fun and educational programming that Beakman's World has become known for.