Discrepant Event

DISCREPANT EVENT

A discrepant event is a phenomenon which has a surprising and paradoxical outcome that is not what the observer would normally expect. Discrepant events are occurrences which deny our understanding of the world by presenting unexpected outcomes. these is used to grab the attention of the audience and engage visual learners, particularly young children. It increases logical thinking in children. It creates wonder in minds of the children.

It is surprising
It amazes student because it is contrary to what they would expect to happen
It puzzles the observer and arouses curiosity.

Following are some of the discrepant events which I have done in the classroom.

1. Magic Balloon

Materials required:

• 2 balloons
• water
• Candle
• Matchbox

Procedure

1. Fill a balloon with some water and blow it.
2. Blow another balloon without adding any water to it.
3. Put on the candle.
4. Hold the balloon without water on the flame. It bursts immediately.
5. Now, hold the balloon with water on the flame. It does not burst.

Reason:

The reason a balloon filled with air pops when you put it over a flame is because the rubber of the balloon gets very hot and weak and then breaks. When you fill a balloon with water instead of air, the water absorbs most of the heat, so the rubber doesn't get very hot.

2. Super Bag

Materials required:

• Zip-lock bag
• water
• pencils
• tray

Procedure:

1. Fill the zip-lock bag with water.
2. Insert the pencils in this zip lock bags with the tip of the pencils. Water does not spills out.

Reason:

This zip-lock bags are made up of polymers called as LDPE. That is, Low Density Poly Ethylene. One of the most important property of these polymers is that it is very flexible. Putting the pencil through the polymers simply pushes them to the side. Their flexibility allows them to continue to form a strong seal around the pencil.

3. Standing Near The Wall

Procedure:

1. Place your left leg exactly parallel and close to the wall.
2. Stand straight such that your leg, hip and shoulders should touch the wall.
3. There should be some distance between two legs.
4. Now, try to move your right leg close to your left leg.

Reason:

When you're standing straight, your centre of gravity is somewhere around your belly button. When you change your body's shape, you shift the centre of gravity a bit. For example, when you move your left leg while your right side is against a wall, you need to shift your centre of gravity over your right foot. You cannot do this without moving the wall.

4. Dancing Arrow

Materials required:

• Transparent glass or bottle
• water
• Arrow drawn on a piece of paper

Procedure:

1. Draw an arrow on a piece of paper.
2. Hold this arrow behind the glass and observe it.
3. Fill the glass with water.
4. Observe the direction of the arrow.

Reason:

Light travels in a straight line until it hits an object. Then, the light may reflect, refract or absorbed by the object. The light is refracted as it passes through the transparent glass, the water, then through the back of the transparent glass, and finally through the air to the paper with the horizontal arrow. This refraction causes the horizontal arrow to appear as if it is reversed.

5. Magic Candle

Materials required:

• 2 candles
• Matchbox

Procedure:

1. Light both the candles using matchstick.
2. Blow off one of the candle.
3. Immediately, bring the second flame near the smoke of the first one. Relight it.

Reason:

When the candle is lit, the flame makes the wax melt. Some of the hot wax vaporizes and is carried up into the smoke. The bits f wax in the smoke are then caught by the second flame that you light in the smoke and the flame travels down to the wick.