Class 8–9 Physics Models: Step‑by‑Step Build

Guide
A practical, easy-to-follow manual for 10 innovative Physics working models. Each project includes:
concept, materials, step-by-step build, how it works, safety, demo tips, and smart upgrades.

Index
1. Magnetic Levitation Train (Mini Maglev)
2. Water Rocket with Pressure Launcher
3. Wireless Electricity (Induction) – Safe Classroom Versions
4. Hydraulic JCB/Crane Arm (Pascal’s Law)
5. Electricity from Fruits (Lemon/Potato Battery)
6. Mini Wind Turbine Generator (LED)
7. Balloon Hovercraft (Friction Demo)
8. Periscope with Mirrors (Reflection)
9. Rainwater Harvesting Model (Gravity & Flow)
10. Electromagnetic Crane (Temporary Magnet)

Estimated time per model: 45–120 minutes. All items use easily available school/home
materials.

1) Magnetic Levitation Train (Mini Maglev)

Concept: Magnetic repulsion reduces friction; the car floats above the track.

Materials - 20–30 small neodymium magnets (same size), marked N/S (use a marker) - Long ice-cream
sticks/cardboard or a foam board strip (track base) - Hot glue/strong tape - A light “car” (thermocol/
cardboard block) ~ 8–12 cm long - Optional: straw axles + bottle-cap wheels (if you want a rolling car
too); small fan or balloon for push

Build Steps 1. Mark poles: Stack all magnets; mark one face as N and the opposite as S on every piece.
2. Track rails: On the base, make two straight lines ~3 cm apart. Glue magnets along each line with N
facing up. Keep equal spacing and the same orientation. 3. Car magnets: On the bottom of the car,
glue two rows of magnets with N facing down so they repel the track magnets. Ensure the spacing
matches the rails. 4. Levitation test: Gently place the car centered on the rails. It should float slightly or
at least feel very low-friction. 5. Guide walls (optional): Add low cardboard walls to prevent the car
from sliding off. 6. Propulsion (optional): Tape a blown-up balloon on the car and release, or use a
small USB fan to push it.

How it Works - Like poles repel (N–N or S–S). Repulsion reduces normal contact → very low friction
motion.

Safety - Neodymium magnets are strong—keep away from electronics and small children. Don’t snap
them together near fingers.

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Demo Tips - Compare push distance of maglev car vs. a normal wheeled car to show reduced friction.

Upgrades - Alternate magnet arrays (Halbach-like): angle some magnets to increase lift at the center.

2) Water Rocket with Pressure Launcher

Concept: Newton’s 3rd law—expelling water downward pushes the rocket upward.

Materials - 1 or 1.5 L plastic bottle (PET) - Rubber stopper/cork (snug fit for bottle mouth) + ball valve or
drilled cap + valve stem - Bicycle pump with pressure gauge - Water, duct tape, fins & cone (cardboard),
launch stand (PVC/cup) - Safety goggles

Build Steps 1. Rocket body: Tape 3–4 cardboard fins to the bottle’s lower sides; add a light nose cone
on the base (the bottle will launch upside-down). 2. Launcher seal: Drill a tight hole in a cork to fit a
cycle pump valve stem (or use a commercially available launcher cap). Seal with glue. 3. Stand: Use a
wide cup or PVC T as a stand to hold the bottle vertically, nozzle down. 4. Fill: Pour water to ~1/3 of the
bottle volume. 5. Pressurize: Insert cork/valve, hold the stand firmly, pump to 20–40 psi (start low).
Wear goggles. 6. Launch: Quickly pull the cork/release the latch while everyone stands well back and
to the side.

How it Works - Air pressure forces water out; the reaction pushes the rocket up. Water gives more
thrust than just air because it has mass.

Safety - Outdoor only; point away from people/animals/windows. Eye protection mandatory. Don’t
exceed ~50 psi on typical PET bottles.

Demo Tips - Vary water fill (1/4, 1/3, 1/2) and record height to find the best ratio.

Upgrades - Add a simple parachute under the nose cone with a rubber-band release.

3) Wireless Electricity (Induction) – Safe Classroom Versions

Concept: Changing magnetic fields induce current in nearby coils (Faraday’s Law). No metal contact
needed.

Choose ONE of the safe versions below:

A) Hand‑Induction LED (No Electronics)

Materials: 2 coils of enamelled copper wire (~24–28 AWG), LED, strong neodymium magnet, cardboard
tube, tape.

Steps 1. Wind Coil 1: 50–150 turns on a cardboard tube; leave 5–7 cm leads. 2. Wind Coil 2: Same as Coil
1; connect an LED to its leads (long leg to one lead, short to the other). 3. Place Coil 2 flat on table; hold
Coil 1 above it (2–5 cm gap). 4. Move magnet quickly in and out of Coil 1 or quickly move Coil 1
towards/away from Coil 2. The LED in Coil 2 will blink as the field changes.

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How it works: Motion changes magnetic flux → induced voltage. Faster change = brighter blinks.

B) Inductive TX/RX Module (Ready‑made, Very Bright)

Materials: Low‑cost 5V inductive power TX/RX coil set (hobby shop), power bank/5V source, LED on
RX coil.

Steps 1. Power the TX module with 5V (power bank/USB adapter). 2. Place the RX coil 0–2 cm above the
TX coil; connect LED to RX output. 3. LED lights wirelessly; measure range and alignment effect.

Safety - Use only low voltage (≤5–9V). Avoid any high‑voltage “Tesla coil” circuits in school.

Upgrades - Add a cardboard stand with marked distances and plot brightness vs. distance.

4) Hydraulic JCB/Crane Arm (Pascal’s Law)

Concept: Pressure applied to an enclosed fluid transmits equally → motion multiplication.

Materials - 6–8 large syringes (10–20 ml), flexible IV tubing/straws that fit snugly - Cardboard/ice-cream
sticks, skewers, bolts or toothpicks for pivots - Colored water + food color; hot glue/tape; base board

Build Steps 1. Linkages: Make a 2‑ or 3‑segment arm from sticks/cardboard; drill/punch small pivot
holes. 2. Mount the base segment to a wooden/cardboard base. 3. Cylinders: Pair syringes with tubes
(no air bubbles). One syringe is the master (hand), the other the slave (on the arm). 4. Fix slave
syringes to arm segments so that pushing/pulling changes angles (like a real excavator). 5. Fill & bleed:
Fill tubes with colored water; push slowly until no bubbles remain; cap tightly. 6. Control: Operate
master syringes to lift/lower and curl the arm.

How it Works - Force = Pressure × Area. Small push on a large‑area syringe gives big force at the arm.

Safety - Don’t pull syringes too hard (air ingestion). Wipe spills quickly.

Upgrades - Add a grabber (two jaws) at the end operated by a third syringe.

5) Electricity from Fruits (Lemon/Potato Battery)

Concept: Chemical energy → electrical energy using two different metals.

Materials - 4–6 lemons or potatoes - Copper coins/wire pieces and zinc nails/galvanized screws (one
pair per fruit) - Jumper wires, small breadboard (optional), 5 mm LED or digital clock module

Build Steps 1. Insert one copper and one zinc into each fruit, 2–3 cm apart, not touching. 2. Wire fruits
in series: zinc of cell 1 → copper of cell 2 → zinc of cell 2 → copper of cell 3… 3. Connect free copper
(positive) and free zinc (negative) to the LED (long leg to +). Use 4–6 fruits for ~2–3 V. 4. If LED doesn’t
light, try a small LCD clock or use two LEDs in parallel with opposite direction, or reduce LED forward
voltage (use red LED).

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How it Works - Zinc oxidizes, copper is the other electrode; the fruit’s acid is the electrolyte.

Safety - Don’t eat the fruits after use. Wash hands.

Upgrades - Measure voltage/current with a multimeter; compare lemon vs. potato vs. vinegar cup.

6) Mini Wind Turbine Generator (LED)

Concept: Rotational kinetic energy → electrical energy.

Materials - Small DC toy motor (3–9V) – works as a generator - PET bottle or cardboard for blades; hub
(glue cap) - Wooden stick/rod tower, base board - LED, wires, hot glue, straw as bearing (optional)

Build Steps 1. Blades: Cut 3–6 blades from PET/cardboard, slightly curved. 2. Hub: Glue blades around
a small cap/hub at equal angles (120° for 3 blades). 3. Mount motor at top of the tower; attach hub to
motor shaft (glue carefully, keep centered). 4. Wire LED to motor leads (try both polarities; it lights only
one way). 5. Place near a fan or blow air; LED lights when spinning.

How it Works - Motor becomes a generator; motion of coils in magnetic field generates voltage.

Safety - Keep fingers away from spinning blades; sand edges smooth.

Upgrades - Add a rectifier + capacitor to smooth output and try charging a small capacitor.

7) Balloon Hovercraft (Friction Demo)

Concept: Air cushion reduces contact friction, allowing easy glide.

Materials - Old CD/DVD, balloon, pop‑top bottle cap (sports cap), glue gun

Build Steps 1. Glue the cap centered on the CD (airtight seal). Keep the cap closed. 2. Inflate balloon;
twist neck to hold air; stretch it over the cap. 3. Place on a smooth table; open the cap. The CD hovers
and glides.

How it Works - Air flows through the hole, creating a thin cushion that lifts the CD slightly and reduces
friction.

Safety - Don’t over‑inflate balloons.

Upgrades - Add a light cardboard hull on top and race two hovercrafts.

8) Periscope with Mirrors (Reflection)

Concept: Light reflects at equal angles; two 45° mirrors let you see over obstacles.

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Materials - Two plane mirrors (5×5 cm or similar), cardboard box/tube, cutter, tape, protractor

Build Steps 1. Cut two windows on opposite sides of the tube. 2. Inside, make two slits at 45° to the
tube’s length. 3. Slide mirrors into the slits so they face each other; tape securely. 4. Look through the
lower window; adjust angles for a clear view.

How it Works - Two reflections shift the line of sight upward while keeping image orientation.

Safety - Handle glass mirrors carefully; tape edges.

Upgrades - Make a rotating top with a turntable (bottle cap) to scan around.

9) Rainwater Harvesting Model (Gravity & Flow)

Concept: Collect roof runoff via gutters → filter → storage tank.

Materials - Cardboard house with sloped roof, plastic straws (gutters & downpipe) - Mesh (net/cloth) as
filter, small stones/sand (filter bed), 1–2 L bottle (tank) - Hot glue, tray to catch overflow, blue food color
(water)

Build Steps 1. Build a small house with a pitched roof from cardboard. 2. Glue straws along roof edges
as gutters; tilt slightly toward one corner. 3. Add a downpipe straw to a filter box (mesh + stones + sand
layers). 4. Connect filter output to the storage bottle (make an inlet near the top). 5. Pour colored water
from the roof; watch it travel, filter, and fill the tank.

How it Works - Gravity drives water along sloped gutters to storage; filtration removes debris.

Safety - Keep water away from electrical sockets on the table.

Upgrades - Add first‑flush diverter and an overflow pipe back to the tray.

10) Electromagnetic Crane (Temporary Magnet)

Concept: Electric current in a coil creates a magnetic field strong enough to lift iron objects.

Materials - Large iron nail/bolt (6–10 cm), enamelled copper wire (~26–28 AWG), 1–2 AA cells (or 3V coin
cell), on/off switch, tape - Paper clips, small iron nails as load; cardboard boom/arm

Build Steps 1. Coil: Leave 10 cm of free wire, then tightly wind 100–200 turns around the nail; leave 10
cm at the end. Scrape enamel off the last 1 cm of both wire ends. 2. Circuit: Connect one coil lead →
switch → battery(+) → battery(–) → other coil lead. Tape the nail to the arm/boom. 3. Operate: Flip the
switch ON to pick up paper clips; OFF to drop them.

How it Works - Current through the coil magnetizes the iron core (electromagnet). Removing current
removes magnetism.

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Safety - Do not keep the switch ON for long—wire/nail can warm and drain battery. Never short the
battery.

Upgrades - Try more turns or a bigger core and note lifting capacity vs. turns.

General Presentation Tips

• Make neat labels: Concept, Materials, Working, Applications.
• Add a data card: what variable you changed (e.g., water fill %, blade number) and what
happened (height/brightness).
• Keep a safety card visible for judges.

Need a printable checklist or a one‑page poster for any model? Ask and we’ll generate it instantly.