Magnetic-Levitation Spinning Top

1. Magnetic-Levitation Spinning Top Materials: Commercial magnetic levitation top/Levitron-type toy What you do: Spin top over magnetic base and tune position. What students see: Top hovers while spinning. Question: Why does it need to spin to stay up? 2. Pyrolytic Graphite Floats Over Magnets Materials: Pyrolytic graphite square; 4 strong magnets in checkerboard What you do: Place graphite above magnet array. What students see: Thin black square visibly levitates. Question: How can something be repelled by both magnet poles? 3. Thermochromic Pigment Changes Color Materials: Thermochromic strip/pigment item; warm and cool packs What you do: Warm and cool the item. What students see: Its color changes and returns. Question: Is the color permanently changing?

Predict → observe three demonstrations → compare what changed → choose independent activity station → cleanup/share. Guiding questions: Question: Why does it need to spin to stay up? Question: How can something be repelled by both magnet poles? Question: Is the color permanently changing?