The Way Toys Work : The Science Behind the Magic 8 Ball, Etch A Sketch, Boomerang, and More

A Selection of the Scientific American Book Club Profiling 50 of the world’s most popular playthings—including their history, trivia, and the technology involved—this guide uncovers the hidden science of toys. Discover how an Etch A Sketch writes on its gray screen, why a boomerang returns after it is thrown, and how an RC car responds to a remote control device. Leaving no detail unrevealed, the guide includes original patent-application blueprints and photos of the “guts” of several devices. Inventors and museum curators also offer their observations of favorite gizmos while dispelling (or confirming) several toy legends. Complete with explanations of do-it-yourself experiments and tips on reverse engineering old toys to observe their interior mechanics, this entertaining and informative reference even provides pointers on how budding toy makers can build their own toys using only recycled materials and a little ingenuity. Front Cover ......Page 1 Table of Contents ......Page 8 Acknowledgments ......Page 10 Introduction ......Page 12 Aerobie ......Page 16 Air Hog ......Page 19 AstroBlaster ......Page 23 Balsa Wood Plane ......Page 26 Bicycle ......Page 30 Big Mouth Billy Bass ......Page 36 Boomerang ......Page 39 Bubble Gun ......Page 43 Die-Cast Toy ......Page 47 Diving Submarine ......Page 49 Dunking Bird ......Page 52 Electric Train ......Page 54 Erector Set ......Page 59 Etch A Sketch ......Page 61 Friction Car ......Page 64 Frisbee ......Page 67 Furby ......Page 71 Gyroscope ......Page 75 Helicopter ......Page 79 Hula Hoop ......Page 83 Jack-in-the-Box ......Page 86 Kaleidoscope ......Page 88 Magic 8 Ball ......Page 92 Magna Doodle ......Page 95 NERF Gun ......Page 98 Nintendo Entertainment System ......Page 102 Operation ......Page 106 Play-Doh ......Page 110 Playful Penguin Race ......Page 112 Pop-Pop Boat ......Page 115 Potato Gun ......Page 119 Pullback Car ......Page 122 Push 'n' Go Car ......Page 126 Radio-Controlled Car ......Page 130 Remote-Controlled Robot ......Page 134 Rubik's Cube ......Page 137 Silly Putty ......Page 140 Slinky ......Page 143 Stilts and Jumping Stilts ......Page 146 Stomp Rocket ......Page 150 Super Soaker ......Page 153 Video Game Light Gun ......Page 157 View-Master ......Page 160 Vortex Tornado ......Page 163 Water Pistol ......Page 167 Water Rocket ......Page 171 Wiffle Ball ......Page 176 Windup Toy ......Page 179 X-zylo ......Page 183 Yo-Yo ......Page 186 Bibliography ......Page 192

a Selection Of The Scientific American Book Club

profiling 50 Of The World’s Most Popular Playthings—including Their History, Trivia, And The Technology Involved—this Guide Uncovers The Hidden Science Of Toys. Discover How An Etch A Sketch Writes On Its Gray Screen, Why A Boomerang Returns After It Is Thrown, And How An Rc Car Responds To A Remote Control Device. Leaving No Detail Unrevealed, The Guide Includes Original Patent-application Blueprints And Photos Of The “guts” Of Several Devices. Inventors And Museum Curators Also Offer Their Observations Of Favorite Gizmos While Dispelling (or Confirming) Several Toy Legends. Complete With Explanations Of Do-it-yourself Experiments And Tips On Reverse Engineering Old Toys To Observe Their Interior Mechanics, This Entertaining And Informative Reference Even Provides Pointers On How Budding Toy Makers Can Build Their Own Toys Using Only Recycled Materials And A Little Ingenuity.

mamaspeaks.com

really Fun . . . Can Keep Little And Big Brains Occupied For Hours.

If you've ever wondered how an Etch A Sketch writes on its gray screen, or why a boomerang comes back, or how an R/C car responds to a radio controller, now you'll have your answers. The Way Toys Work explains the technology, history, and trivia behind 50 popular toys, with patent blueprints and photos of the “guts” of devices including:• Kaleidoscope • Magna Doodle • Slinky• Nintendo • Super Soaker • Big Mouth Billy Bass• Rubik's Cube • Silly Putty • Video Game Light Gun• Furby • Dunking Bird • View-Master• Yo-Yo • Push'n'Go Car • Wiffle Ball• Gyroscope • Operation • Hula HoopYou'll also find pointers on how to build your own versions using recycled materials and a little ingenuity, experiments that can be done with certain toys, and tips on reverse engineering old toys to get a better look at their interior mechanics. The only thing you won't learn is how the Magic 8 Ball is able to predict the future--some things are best left a mystery. "The child is father of the man": background and early life The search for artistic voice: opportunity and trouble The myth: escape into fantasy and creativity The Forevertron: the myth in iron The Bird band: whimsical fantasy The middle works: from the heart and other places The Mirror eye: the trickster's scheme The Dreamkeepers: dream and fantasy meet reality The rolling atelier: the Evermor circle The Twenty-eight intergalactic meditation points: mystery, poetry, steel Alien visitors: looking out Rhymes, riddles, treasure maps, and not necessarily coded messages. The author disassembles toys in order to explain how they work