Comments on: The Quick 10: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Mr. Wizard

By: louis papciak

louis papciak — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:45:56 +0000

thx Stacy, brings back a lot of memories….

By: Eric

Eric — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:17:19 +0000

@ Ron and Allen
If Mr. Wizard wanted to explain why your shoulder hurts when you swing a bucket of water in a circle, he might describe that force of the bucket/water on your shoulder as centrifugal, but the force that keeps the bucket (and water in the bucket) going in a circle is a centripetal force. “It has not been more simply, or directly stated than by one Isaac Newton in his famous “Principia” (definition 5):
‘A centripetal force is that by which bodies are drawn or impelled, or any
way tend, towards a point as to a center.’” – Dr. Ken Mellendorf

I say “he might” because a centrifugal force is a “fictitious” force, and proper use would need to describe a rotational frame of reference, describe adherance to Newton’s 3rd law, and detract from the experimentation for which the kiddies are actually tuning in. Or mebbe Mr. Wizard never read Newton.

Thanks for the article, Stacy. As usual, your first inclination is usually right.

By: hmmmm

hmmmm — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:11:13 +0000

Sorry there rob…it actually is centripetal force. I know it sounds wrong…and you’re all going to start yelling at me…but centrifugal force doesn’t exist. seriously, google it. circular motion is defined by velocity with acceleration to the center, and that acceleration towards the center is centripetal. Yes, the felt motion is towards the outside…but any high school physics student knows centrifugal force doesn’t exist. Its a little bit more complex than that…but thats the simple version. just thought I’d clarify

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:14:33 +0000

My favorite experiment was simple….if you put your finger on a person’s forehead while they are trying to stand from a sitting position, then cannot get up….I don’t know why, that is one that stands out in my mind.

I loves Mr. Wizard when I was younger….Nickelodeon was the best!

(strange side bar: My reCAPTCHA is Adolf repulsed)

By: Kelly

Kelly — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 03:10:43 +0000

OMG I loved Mr. Wizard and was so upset when he died. I would stay up all night just to watch him, because he was AWESOME. I still think about his show from time to time.

It’s a shame that they don’t have shows like his on anymore. They should add him to the Nick at Nite line up (since it stinks now) I would SO totally watch it.

RIP Mr. Wizard :(

By: Amber

Amber — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 01:53:45 +0000

My favorite was when he filled his sink with dry ice and created a cloud in his kitchen!

By: PartiallyDeflected

PartiallyDeflected — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 01:09:09 +0000

Also loved him as the forensic scientist on “Police Squad”

By: Ryan Smiga

Ryan Smiga — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 23:29:35 +0000

Mr. Wizard was awesome!! I used to wake up at like 4:00am just to watch him on TV when I spent the night at my Grandma’s when she lived next door to us. I even have his old 50’s DVD’s that you can buy at Wal-mart for a dollar!

By: Stacy Conradt

Stacy Conradt — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:49:24 +0000

Sorry, guys. And THAT is why I am a writer, not a scientist. :)

recaptcha: the juice. Did you know today is the anniversary of the day Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson were murdered? Is RECAPTCHA trying to tell me something?! Or maybe it’s just encouraging me to try steroids.

By: Allen

Allen — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:42:00 +0000

Yeah, I cringed a bit at that one too Ron.

Anyway, between Mr. Wizard and Beakman’s World its no wonder I ended up working in a scientific/engineering field.