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Everyday Machines / Week 07 / Wednesday
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Week 07 · Magnets at Home

Wednesday

Look closely at the fridge door
// A pull you can feel but not see
⏱ about 15 min

Wednesday: Look Closely at the Fridge Door

Rocket opens the fridge door an inch and peeks at the edge.

"There is a soft rubber strip all the way around," he says.

Raven runs a finger along it. "What do you notice? It bends."

Nova shows a glowing cutaway. "Something is hiding inside the strip."

The door seal

The rubber strip around a fridge door is the seal.

Some seals have a magnet hidden inside.

The magnet pulls the door shut against the steel fridge.

The seal also closes the gap around the door.

You need

  • A fridge door
  • One steel paper clip
  • A grown-up to help
Safety first
A grown-up stands with you at the fridge.
Open the door only a little, and only for a moment.
Do not pull or pick at the rubber seal.
The paper clip stays out of mouths and away from little kids.

Look and touch

  1. Open the fridge door just a little.
  2. Look at the rubber strip around the edge.
  3. Touch the strip softly. Is it soft or hard?
  4. Hold a paper clip near the strip. Does it tug?
  5. Close the door. Listen for the soft thump.
Spot on the sealDid the paper clip tug?
Top edge
Side edge
Bottom edge
SEAL CHECK
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
What is the rubber strip around the fridge door?
A paper clip tugs toward the strip. What is inside?
How long should the fridge door stay open?
Try it
Try a cabinet door with a latch.
Hold the paper clip near the latch.
Does it tug there too?
SentenceTrue or false?
The seal is a soft rubber strip around the door.?
A paper clip is made of steel.?
You should pick at the rubber seal.?
Some seals have a magnet hidden inside.?
WHY THIS EXERCISEA hidden magnet can pull the door shut.
SAFE LOOKING
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Who stands with you at the fridge?
How do you touch the seal?
Where does the paper clip go when you finish?
Draw the fridge door and its seal. Mark where the magnet hides.

You looked closely like a real engineer!

Tomorrow, we test how far a pull can reach.

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