Alcatraz Escape, Duck Echo, Red Cross Microchip

This episode is not part of any Collection. It is the seventh episode of Season 2.

Myths tested:
Was it possible to survive an escape from Alcatraz?
Does a duck's quack echo?
Does the government implant secret chips in people and can stud finders be used to find them

The Science behind Alcatraz Escape
I took my students on a field trip to the Bay Area Model in Sausalito and we watched this episode before AND after, to extra learning. The key questions:
• Was it possible to survive the conditions on the night of their escape?
• How does using models help understand conditions that can’t be recreated?

Students can study the history of the actual escape and make their own predictions, build boats, learn about tides and even how to evade detection by crafting a fictional identity, but I find the lesson of this myth is more about the use of models for understanding complex systems, and the history of the Bay Area Model and its implications for computer-based modeling.

The Science behind Duck Echo
Sound waves and hearing are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• What is an echo, technically speaking?
• Why do ducks quack?

Students can explore the structure of sounds, and the variety of bird songs. My mind was blown when I learned about the evolutionary function of bird calls…

The Science behind Red Cross MicroChip
Tracking technology and the powers of magnets are the main science ideas here. The key questions:
• How do tracking microchips (like the kind injected into dogs at the SPCA) work?
• How do studfinders work? Can you map the studs in your classroom?

Students can explore the ever-changing world of microtech (and get all paranoid if they want to). Studfinders make fun hands-on tools for even very young students—its fun to detect the invisible!

Stinky Car, Raccoon Rocket

This episode is not part of any Collection. It is the seventh episode of Season 2.

Myths tested:
Is it possible to de-stink a car after being sealed up with a dead pig, and then sell it?
If gasoline is poured down a drain pipe and lit while a person is inside of it, will that person be launched as if from a cannon?

The Science behind Stinky Car
The main idea here is the power of biological smells. The key questions:
• What chemicals are released as pigs decompose?
• Is there ANYTHING that can remove those chemicals from the inside of the car?

Students can learn more about organic chemistry and about how humans are evolutionarily sensitized to detect rotten flesh (thiols). It can be helpful to talk about cleaning products and what they can and can’t do, and how different odors can be remedied (stinky shoes, underarms, bacon grease, spoiled eggs…). (My students love this myth, but I’m not sure it’s all that science-y) This myth is sort of related to the skunk myths (FIND EPISODE NAME).

The Science behind Raccoon Rocket
Controlled explosions and gasoline combustion are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• How do cannons work? What are the necessary parts?
• What is a sabot?
• How are gasoline and gunpowder different?

Students can explore the construction of cannons and the importance of a seal around the projectile. Also interesting: again the fire triangle for gasoline combustion, and the differences between gasoline and gunpowder. Possible research: what is a hillbilly?

Lightning Strikes Piercings, Tree Cannon, Beating the Breathalyzer

This episode is part of Collection 1, disc 2, episode 2. It is ALSO the sixth episode of Season 2.

NOTE: One of the myths in this episode is about alcohol.

Myths tested:
Is a person with a tongue piercing more likely to get struck by lightning?
Can a cannon be built out of a tree?
Can the breathalyzer be beaten through various methods?

The Science behind Lightning Strikes Tongue Piercings
The main ideas here are lightning strikes and what attracts them. The key questions:
• What attracts lightning?
• Does wet metal attract lightning more than other things in the area?

Students can learn more about lightning, injuries from lightning strikes, and the relative wisdom of tongue piercing. (My students love this myth, but I’m not sure it’s all that science-y)

The Science behind Tree Cannon
Controlled explosions, medieval woodworking, and the strength of wood are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• How do cannons work? What are the necessary parts?
• What does it take to appropriately mill a log into a cannon barrel?
• How much gunpowder can a tree trunk stand?

Students can explore the construction of cannons, medieval weaponry, and how much explosive force wood can take. I particularly recommend exploring the structural differences that come from using different grain patterns; in the episode, they core the middle out of the trunk, which is very different from using planks to build a tube. What other ways can wood’s grain be helpful/not helpful for different applications?

The Science behind Beating the Breathalyzer
Evading detection is the main idea here. The key questions:
• How do breathalyzers work?
• Is there any way to beat a breathalyzer?

Students can explore the chemistry of exhaled breath, and talk about the lungs as organs of waste removal. Also of interest: calculating BAC based on body mass, and how different people metabolize alcohol differently even at the same body mass (genetic variation, muscle vs. fat, gender…)

Buried Alive, Cola Myths, and Hammer Drop

This episode is part of Collection 1, disc 2, episode 1. It is ALSO the fifth episode of Season 2.

NOTE: This episode contains two scary myths (if you have sensitive students, like I do). One is about falling into water and another is about being buried alive. DON’T TRY THESE AT HOME. And one of the cola myths is about sperm.

Myths tested:
Is it possible to survive for days inside a coffin?
Does Cola have special properties?
Will throwing a hammer off a bridge to break the surface tension of the water save a person who jumped off the bridge?

The Science behind Buried Alive
The main ideas here are human respiration and the weight of dirt. The key questions:
• How much does dirt weight? How strong does the coffin need to be?
• How much air does a man need?

Students can explore the materials that coffins are made of (wood, aluminum…), respiration rates at rest/under stress, the volume of a coffin (and the displacement of the man inside the coffin….how much air is there room for?). Related would be a study of burial rituals (I think Japanese are traditionally buried sitting down not lying down).

The Science behind Cola Chemistry
The chemistry and potential uses of cola (and realizing that the familiar may be more than meets the eye) are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• What is cola made of?
• What are acids able to do?
• What conditions are best/worst for sperm?

Students can explore the chemistry of colas. This episode is connected to others about the chemistry of familiar fluids: Pirate Special, Vodka… (MORE HERE). It is also connected to the famous Diet Coke & Mentos episode.

The Science behind Hammer Drop
Gravity of falling, surface tension and viscosity are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• What is surface tension and how does breaking it change the energy of impact with water?
• How viscous is water?

Students can explore the properties of water, and examine the impact of different object profiles as they hit the surface (diving, for example).

Penny Drop/Deadly Microwaves/Radio Fillings

This episode is part of Collection 1, disc 1, episode 3. It is ALSO the fourth episode of Season 2.

NOTE: This episode is one of the richer ones, science curriculum-wise. I recommend it for those new to using Mythbusters in the classroom.

 

Myths tested:
Will a penny dropped from the top of the Empire State Building kill a person ?
Can a person's internal organs be cooked by a tanning booth?
Can tooth fillings receive radio waves?

The Science behind Penny Drop
I use this episode more than any other, because it so beautifully illustrates the idea of gravitational acceleration and terminal velocity. The main ideas here are gravity and terminal velocity. The key questions:
• How fast does something fall?

An object falling toward the surface of the Earth will fall 9.81 meters (or 32.18 feet) per second faster every second (an acceleration of 9.81 m/s² or 32.18 ft/s²).

Near the surface of the Earth, an object in free fall in a vacuum will accelerate at approximately 9.8 m/s², independent of its mass.

With air resistance acting upon an object that has been dropped, the object will eventually reach a terminal velocity, around 56 m/s (200 km/h or 120 mph) for a human body. Terminal velocity depends on many factors including mass, drag coefficient, and relative surface area, and will only be achieved if the fall is from sufficient altitude.

The penny, falling from the top of the Eiffel Tower, reaches a terminal velocity of

• What is terminal velocity?

A free-falling object achieves its terminal velocity when the downward force of gravity (F_g) equals the upward force of drag (F_d). This causes the net force on the object to be zero, resulting in an acceleration of zero. This doesn't mean it stops falling; this means the speed of its fall doesn't continue to increase over the length of the fall. The object doesn't fall faster and faster infinitely. It falls faster and faster UNTIL it stops increasing the speed of its fall. It's still falling, it's just falling at a constant speed.

As the object accelerates (usually downwards due to gravity), the drag force acting on the object increases, causing the acceleration to decrease. At a particular speed, the drag force produced will equal the object's weight (mg). At this point the object ceases to accelerate altogether and continues falling at a constant speed called terminal velocity (also called settling velocity). Terminal velocity varies directly with the ratio of weight to drag. More drag means a lower terminal velocity, while increased weight means a higher terminal velocity. An object moving downward with greater than terminal velocity (for example because it was affected by a downward force or it fell from a thinner part of the atmosphere or it changed shape) will slow until it reaches terminal velocity.

What causes drag? Friction. Bigger surface area = higher drag. Think parachute.

• What does mass have to do with it?

Students can explore the impact of objects dropped or thrown, and the relative impact of objects of varying mass. There is a strong connection between this myth and “Bullet Dropped/Shot” in Knock Your Socks Off, Episode 12, Season 7, and with “Bullets Fired Up” in Season 4, Episode 7.

The Science behind Deadly Microwaves
The mystery of life that is the microwave is the main idea here. The key questions:
• How do microwaves work anyway?
• Why is it not OK to put metal in a microwave?
• Why does water heated in a microwave sometimes “explode” (boil over really quickly)?
• Adam and Jaime choose not to test the dog in the microwave myth. How is this an ethical decision, and what is the role of ethics in science? In TV shows?

Students can explore the electromagnetic spectrum and frequency/wavelength relationship, the anatomy of a microwave, compare foods cooked in a microwave vs. a regular oven, learn about convection ovens, and any of their own ideas about microwaves. This episode is connected to others about microwaves and EMF phenomena: Season 2, Episode 6, MRI Rays and Tattoos; (MORE HERE)

The Science behind Tanning Booth Cooking
Still more mysteries of the EMF spectrum… UV light is the main idea here. The key questions:
• How do tanning booths work anyway?
• What temperature is required to cook chicken?
• Why does skin turn brown when exposed to UV light? Why do tanning booths cause skin cancer?

Students can explore the electromagnetic spectrum and different kinds of UV light, melanin and skin coloring in various human genotypes (my students are boggled by the evolutionary roots of what they call “race”), sunscreens (fun with UV light sensitive beads!), and safe cooking techniques for chicken.

The Science behind Radio Tooth Fillings
The properties of dental fillings and radio station signals are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• What are dental fillings made of?
• What materials are able to act as receivers for radio signals?

Students can explore how radios work (cheap crystal radio kits are available), and can learn about dental fillings (do old fillings contain mercury?).

Barrel of Bricks, Third Rail, Eelskin Wallet Demagnetize

This episode is part of Collection 1, disc 1, episode 3. It is ALSO the fourth episode of Season 2.


Myths tested:
The story of a man being hit multiple times by the same barrel of bricks.
Can a person be electrocuted by urinating on the third rail?
Can an eel skin wallet erase a credit card?

The Science behind Barrel of Bricks
The main ideas here gravity and pulleys. The key questions:
• (MORE HERE)

Students can explore using pulleys to lift different objects.

The Science behind Third Rail
The ability of electricity to travel through fluids is the main idea here. The key questions:
• What are the ingredients of urine?
• How likely is “laminar flow”?
• How does electricity travel in solutions?
Students can explore the behavior of electricity in different fluids, and the behavior of fluids as they flow or are poured from different heights. The chemistry of urine is another option. I’m not going to get into the anatomy of men urinating…



The Science behind Electric Eel Wallet
The properties of leather made from the skin of electric eels and the durability of magnetized credit card information strips are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• What is an electric eel anyway?
• How is information stored on credit cards? (You can get a neat science gizmo that indicates magnetic fields…)
Students can explore how animals generate electric fields, how information is stored on magnetic media, and how leather is made.

Cell Phone Destruction, Silicone Implants, CD Shatter

This episode is part of Collection 1, disc 1, episode 3. It is ALSO the third episode of Season 2.


Myths tested:
Will using a cell phone near a gas pump cause an explosion?
Will silicone breast implants explode or expand in low pressure?
Can a standard CD-ROM drive shatter a CD?

The Science behind Cell Phone Destruction
The main ideas here involve cell phone power, static electricity and gasoline combustion. The key questions:
• How much of a spark can a cell phone generate?
• How much of a spark is required to ignite gas fumes?
• Can static electricity sparks ignite gas fumes?
Students can explore creating sparks with static electricity, how cell phones are powered/insulated, and the fire triangle in the context of gasoline combustion. (See Episode 14 for a followup.)

The Science behind Blow Up Boobs
The effects of air pressure on contained fluids are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• What are the ingredients/components of breast implants?
• How does air pressure change in flight?
• How do changes in air pressure affect contained liquids?
Students can explore the behavior of silicone, contained fluids under various air pressures, and learn more about
pressurization on airplanes. (See Episode 14 for a followup.)

The Science behind CD Shatter
The speed of CD-ROM drives and the durability of CD-ROM discs are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• How fast do CD-ROM drives move? What forces are generated?
• What does it take to shatter a CD-ROM disc? What are they made of?

Students can explore how CD-ROM drives work, and what CD-ROM discs are made of. (How are CDs different from DVDs? How is computer data stored?).

Exploding Toilet, Ice Bullet, Who Gets Wetter (in the rain)?

This episode is part of Collection 1, disc 1, episode 1. It is ALSO the first episode of Season 2.

Myths tested:
Can a person be propelled off a toilet seat by dropping a lit cigarette into a toilet bowl when filled with various combustible materials?
Is running better than walking to keep dry in the rain?
Is it possible to make a "magic bullet" out of ice?

The Science behind Ice Bullet
The main ideas here involve materials, the physics of how bullets are fired, and the amazing strength of human skin. The key questions:
• How does a gun fire a bullet? How hot does it get inside a gun?
• How strong is water ice? Can a usable bullet be made of frozen water, meat or gelatin?
• What does it take to penetrate human skin with a projectile?
Students can explore the properties of frozen water/meat/gelatin, how guns work, and human skin analogs. (This myth is revisited in Episode 14.)

The Science behind Umbrella Gun
The disguising of firearms and poisoning of bullets are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• Is it possible to disguise a gun as an umbrella?
• How can a bullet carry poison?
• Is it possible to kill someone using such a weapon?
Students can explore spy technologies, hidden weapons, poisons, and the history of the Cold War.

The Science behind Outrunning the Rain
The speed of falling rain and measuring accurately are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• Is it possible to outrun raindrops?
• How fast does rain fall?
• How fast can a human run?
Students can explore the speed of falling drops of water, and how fast humans can run. (This myth is revisited in Episode 38.)

The Science behind Gasoline Toilet
The flammability/combustion of gasoline and the strength of porcelain are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• Under what conditions is gasoline flammable/combustible?
• What does it take to make a toilet explode?
Students can explore the fire triangle (fuel/air/heat), and the durability of porcelain fixtures.

Poppyseed Drug Test, Larry's Lawn Chair, Goldfinger Body Paint

This episode is part of Collection 3, disc 1, episode 3. It is ALSO the third episode of Season 1.


Myths tested:
Can a person take to the skies using only a lawn chair and weather balloons?
Can someone test positive for heroin by eating a large amount of poppy seeds?
Can being painted with gold paint actually be deadly?


The Science behind Lawnchair Balloons
Lift and buoyancy are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• How much lift is necessary to leave the ground?
• How much mass does one balloon lift?
• Can a stable flying lawnchair rig be engineered?


Students can explore the relationship between mass and lift, density of gasses, and the issue of feasibility (things that are possible but not realistic). Budgeting this myth is a good applied math activity. Stability is another relevant topic for exploration.


The Science behind Poppyseed Pee
The chemistry of opiods in human urine and drug testing are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• How do drug tests work?
• How are poppy seeds and opiods (morphine, heroin, etc.) related?
• What is the physiology of ingesting poppy seeds and taking opium-based drugs related?


Students can explore the chemistry of different urine tests (pregnancy, drugs, protein, pH...), the physiological effects of opiods, research the history of many uses of the poppy plant. Another interesting issue to discuss: the ethics of drug testing.


The Science behind Goldfinger's Body Paint
The role of skin in human respiration and the risks of blocking all of someone's pores are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• Can latex body paint affect body temperature?
• What functions does the skin perform that are necessary for life?
• What percentage of respiration/thermoregulation is skin-dependent?


Students can explore the physiological effects of sealing skin (maybe paint a 1 cm square of skin with a latex body paint and leave it on overnight?).

Biscuit Bazooka, Vacuum Toilet, Leaping Lawyer

This episode is part of Collection 3, disc 1, episode 2. It is ALSO the second episode of Season 1.

Myths tested:
Can an airplane toilet create enough suction to cause a person to become stuck on it?
Can a can of biscuit dough explode in a hot car?
Can a person throw himself through a skyscraper window?

The Science behind Stuck on an Airplane ToiletSuction/vaccuum, seals and air pressure are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• How much suction is generated by an airplane toilet flush?
• Can a human butt seal the opening of an airplane toilet seat?
• How much suction can human flesh take without damage?
Students can explore the relationship between suction and air pressure, and the amazing tensile strength of human flesh.

The Science behind Exploding Biscuit Dough The chemistry of canned biscuits and the hardness of the human skull are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• What is the chemistry of canned self-rising biscuits?
• How much pressure is generated by a can of self-rising biscuits rupturing?
• How much heat is required to rupture a can of self-rising biscuits?
• What is required to rupture someone's skull?

Students can explore the chemistry of canned and self-rising foods, and the amazing hardness of the human skull.

The Science behind Leaping Lawyer
The hardness of skyscraper glass, the speed of the runner, and the speed of a bullet are the main ideas here. The key questions:
• What is the speed of the runner? is it sufficient to break skyscraper window glass?
• How fast does a bullet travel? is it sufficient to break skyscraper window glass?
• What is required to build a rig to test this myth?

Students can explore the different qualities of different kinds of window glass, the different speeds of different bullets shot from different guns, and terminal velocity (how fast someone would fall from a window).