Resources by Veritasium

Which hits the ground first

A basketball and a 5kg medicine ball are dropped simultaneously. Which one hits the ground first? It seems obvious that the heavy one should accelerate at a greater rate and therefore land first because the force pulling it down is greater. But this is forgetting inertia - the tendency of mass to resist changes in...

Why are astronauts weightless?

The video begins by showing the misconceptions people have about weightlessness in space (space station). It explains how gravity exerts a force on the moon and so would also exert a force on the space station. It then shows that the astronaut is falling along with the space...

Why do venomous animals live in warm climates?

This video explains the distribution of venomous animals and explains the way venom affects us.

Why does the earth spin

The Earth spins on its axis, completing a full revolution every day. By why does it do this? One of the most common misconceptions in physics is the belief that constant motion requires a constant force. So many people believe there must be some force in the Earth (e.g. gravity, centrifugal force) that keeps it...

Why does the Moon orbit Earth?

This video does not offer an explanation, but asks several people the question and shows their answers.

Why is ice slippery?

The video explains that as pressure is exerted onto the ice it melts and it is the liquid water, in contact with the ice, that makes it so slippery.

Why women are stripey

This video explains the structure of DNA and the role of histones and methyl groups in deactivating one of the X chromosomes in a female.  The deactivation of one X chromosome is random. As mitosis reproduces cells, they may contain the X chromosome inherited from the father or the mother.  This can’t be seen in...

Will this go faster than light?

Derek Muller looks at various misconceptions around how something can travel faster than the speed of light. 

World's first electric generator

This video shows Derek Muller demonstrating the effects of an induced magnetic field caused by dropping a magnet through a copper tube. 

This effect can easily be demonstrated in the classroom.  We also see Faraday’s first electric generator.

World's longest vertical straw

This video explores how far a liquid can be sucked up a tube. The theoretical maximum if a vacuum is created above the liquid is 10.3m.  How well do they do and does the diameter of the tube affect the results?