How to Make a Simple Caterpillar That Crawls on the Table

Petya and Lena always loved conducting experiments in their workshop. This time, they decided to create something special – a real “living” caterpillar that would crawl across the table. But instead of using regular toys or cars, they decided to make it themselves using simple materials and the principles of physics.

— You know, Petya, I read that heat can make objects move, — Lena began, flipping through a physics book. — We can make a caterpillar that will crawl across the table if we use heat correctly!

Petya looked at his sister in surprise:

— Is that possible? Can a caterpillar really move from heat? How will it crawl?

Lena explained:

— It’s very simple! We will make the caterpillar out of ordinary materials, and the heat will make it move. It’s based on thermal expansion. When we heat the caterpillar, its parts will expand, causing it to move across the table. It’s an interesting physical effect!

Petya immediately became excited about the idea:

— Cool! Let’s make it! What do we need for this?

Lena smiled:

— We need a few things. For the body of the caterpillar, we’ll use plastic straws so they’re light and flexible. We’ll cut them into pieces to make segments. We’ll also need small pieces of modeling clay to hold the straws and make the caterpillar more stable. And of course, we’ll need hot and cold sources to demonstrate the effect.

The kids started gathering materials. Lena brought the plastic straws, scissors, and modeling clay, while Petya poured some hot water into a cup. They began constructing their caterpillar, carefully positioning the straws to form the body. First, they made a few small “segments,” from which they formed a long, flexible “body” for their caterpillar.

— Now let’s make it so the caterpillar can move, — Petya said, watching as Lena attached modeling clay to the ends of the straws to keep the caterpillar stable.

— Okay, now we’ll add a few drops of water on one side to create a temperature difference, — replied Lena, carefully pouring hot water onto one side of the caterpillar.

As soon as they added the water, something amazing happened. The caterpillar began to move! One of its segments expanded slightly when heated, causing it to lift and move forward. Petya was totally amazed!

— Wow, it’s really crawling! This is incredible! — he exclaimed, watching as the caterpillar slowly crawled across the table.

— Yes, it’s the magic of science! — Lena said, pleased with the result. — See how thermal expansion works? When we heat one side of the caterpillar, it starts moving because the air inside the straws expands and pushes it forward.

Petya curiously suggested:

— What happens if we try to cool the other side of the caterpillar?

Lena decided to conduct this experiment. They took cold water and carefully poured it onto the other side of the caterpillar. And then something interesting happened: the other half of the body contracted, and the caterpillar started moving faster, as if it were being “pushed” by two different temperatures!

— This is like a real scientific trick! — Petya said. — We’ve created a “moving caterpillar” with heat and cold!

Now the kids began experimenting with temperature. They placed the caterpillar on a hot stove and noticed that it moved faster, and when they put it in cold water, its movement slowed down. Petya suggested using different heat sources to see how it affected the speed of the caterpillar’s movement.

— Let’s put the caterpillar on a hot frying pan! — Petya suggested.

— Okay, but be careful, — Lena said. — We need to make sure we don’t overheat it!

When the caterpillar was placed on the frying pan, it literally “flew” across the table, and the kids watched in amazement as it moved quickly. It was a great experiment that showed how important it is to use different temperatures to change the physical properties of materials.

— Awesome! Now we can use our caterpillar to demonstrate the principles of thermal expansion and contraction! — Lena exclaimed, proud of the result of their work.

The kids realized that with simple materials like straws, water, and modeling clay, they could create something amazing, and that even simple experiments could be useful for learning physics and other sciences. They promised to continue conducting experiments and always look for new ways to make science interesting and accessible for everyone!