Bet You Can't!: Science Impossibilities to Fool You

by Vicki Cobb, Kathy Darling

Describes more than 60 impossible tricks, each based on scientific principles which are explained in accompanying text.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Childrens, Magic, Students, Mathematics

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Vicki Cobb, the “Master Chef of Hands-on Science,” a graduate of Barnard College and Columbia’s Teachers College, is a former science teacher with a M.A. in secondary school science. The publication of her classic book, Science Experiments You Can Eat, (an updated, revised edition was released in 2016 by HarperCollins) established her as an innovator in hands-on science. Take a look on her website www.vickicobb.com to get a sense of her playful and accessible approach to science in her 90+ books for grades K-8 that cover physics, chemistry and biology, biographies, geography, and the human body.

She is also pioneering a video project based on her book We Dare You! Check out the hilarious videos at www.wedareyouvideos.com

She has performed “Science Surprises,” her interactive and engrossing show for kids, in 49 of the fifty states (missing only North Dakota) as well as internationally. A veteran motivator/professional development presenter of day-long in-services/keynote speaker, Vicki uses her expertise, humor, wit and background as an educator to inspire teachers to make science teaching the highpoint of their day. Currently she is president and founder of iNK Think Tank, Inc., a nonprofit company that focuses on the contribution that nonfiction literature and its authors can make to education. She contributes to: The Nonfiction Minute, www.nonfictionminute.org/ (which has had 5+ million page views over the past five years) and has been a Contributor to the Huffington Post and has recently launched www.vickicobbsblog.com in connection with the Nonfiction Minute, where she writes commentary on education and reviews nonfiction books as inspiring reading for children hungry to learn about the real world. .

Vicki Cobb received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2012.

Reviews

[Penny Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

the title itself is an irresistible dare to open the book and try the experiments. This is definitely a participation story!! Indeed, our whole family spent an evening trying out the stunts. This book is a delightful spoonful of sugar that helps the reader learn scientific principles without effort. Even multisyllabic vocabulary words are weaved among the fun activities. "Nature has put in a double fix here. The first is 'cohesion,' which is the force pulling water molecules together. The second is 'adhesion,' which is the attraction between water and the glass." "But these efforts are overridden by an unconscious sense called proprioception. This complicated feedback system coordinates your body movements to maintain the balance of the ruler."

Toss out the science textbooks! Just use this book in the classroom!

[Kathy Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bet You Can! show your friends some tricks they won't believe, but are true. Nature and science explain the tricks, but they fool the senses. There are six sections.
1. The Human Wonder: tricks using the human body, sticking a spoon to the nose or seeing the moon get smaller when it rises.
2. Tricky matter: tricks with ice and fire, pulling sting through ice or burning ashes again.
3. Energy Oddities: tricks with sound waves and electricity.
4. Fluid Feats: water and glass tricks, ping pong balls on a blow dryer, and ashes that rise in the hot air.
5. Mechanical Marvels: tricks with force of muscle or objects. Tug a war one person can win and knife that can't come out of a jar of rice.
6. Geometry Grabbers: cutting a banana before it is pealed. Cutting a small square of paper into a big circle.
This book helps learn the physics behind everyday activities.

[Tanya Diehl]

Bet You Can!: Science Possibilities to Fool You is a great book for kids. It will satisfy so many things that kids are interested in. A book of science experiments/magic tricks, it is great for the kid that is interested in science, the kid who likes to make things, and kids interested in magic. It offers 62 tricks. It explains how to do the trick and then explains why the trick works. This type of book is terrific and uses household objects. Often, books like this require objects that the average house doesn't keep on hand. This book will be good for the younger end of the the Young Adult age range. Older YA's may find it interesting to read, but probably wouldn't be inspired to actually try them.

[Dave/Maggie Bean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a kids' book: short, sweet, to-the-point, and easily understood. As, however, the typical American knows little or nothing of mathematics, physics, or physiology; it's also a goldmine of sure-fire sucker bets.
Memorize, practice, and then never pay another bar tab as long as you live.
The last chapter is rather disappointing, hence the rating of four stars rather than five. Essentially a collection of garden-variety mind games, it's challenging only to rigidly conventional thinkers. If you suffer from Asperger's syndrome or any sort of affective disorder, it'll bore you to tears.

[Kenia Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a lot of fun activities designed to get children interested and involved in science. The materials are relatively easy to get a hold of, and the instructions are simple and easy to understand. The author does a great job of grabbing the interest of the reader with an interesting title, and a cover that grabs the reader's attention.

I would recommend this book to all those looking for something fun, and educational for their children. Also great fun for the parent to do the different challenges with their child.

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bet you Can't! is set up with a bunch of experiments that they bet you can't actually do. This was a very interesting book to read! It is crazy that there are so many different little experiments that seem so easy, yet literally can't be done. It was very helpful to have the pictures in this book so I could understand how to actually set up the procedure. Overall, this book was very interesting and would be fun for kids and adults to try.

[Kalee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun child's experiment book because of unlike that other one these are experiments that can be performed by children that can actually happen. I feel like children like to be able to accomplish a task and be able to fulfill a project and with these science experiments children will be able to accomplish them! Some may not work the first try but I think that raises a great opportunity for problem solving and figuring out what went wrong to make it work correctly!

[Jill D Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an engaging and informative book. I think it is perfect for children because it isn't a stereotypical science experiment book. It really makes you think about the world and how different elements work. I did think it was ironic, though, that, after testing some of the experiments, some of them actually did work. Oops! But this is a great way to help children learn about science in an exciting way.

[Rachel Escobar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book because it had a lot of fun easy experiments children could do with simple things they can find around their house. I also enjoyed how it had a good explanation of how to do the experiment and then the reason why it was not possible. I think Children would have a fun time going through the book and trying out all the experiments, because even I had a good time trying all the different experiments seeing if I could really do them.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This explains how to try 82 tricks you can't do -- but before trying, they seem so doable! I think it's impossible to read this book without trying some tricks. This is a fun way to learn about the laws of nature. I like the ones on pp. 28, 80, & 107. Kids will love trying these out on family and friends, And they'll learn a lot!

[Meagan Pack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun experiment book! you would have never though of the things that you can't do. There are some pretty fun things to try! A class would absolutely love the things in this book! I even tried to do some of the things and it is impossible and it is really funny to watch people try the experiment for themselves!

[Brielle Bogenschutz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun book and kids would definitely have a fun time with this one. The book has little experiments that will fool anyone and you will always come out in victory. Kids would love to have this book around and be able to show their family and friends the tricks they have learned from it.

[Breanne Driesel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The reason I liked this book was because it was very entertaining. I coninutally was amazed by the things that you can't do. I was also amazed at my reactions to some of them. You get told you can't do something that yet your initial reaction is to prove it wrong. In this case you couldn't prove it wrong, it just wasn't possible.

[Whitney Summers · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a fun and informative book. However it seems a little advanced for young children. The activities are appropriate and make science come to life but the reading and understanding of the context is too much. But it does make science, a very unloved subject, seem fun and rally important. These activities could be used to introduce specific concepts.

[Perri Irwin]

This is a great book for the classroom. The experiments in it can be fun for all ages. The kids will feel challenged when it says that you cannot do each thing. It will be fun for them to realize that they can't and why that is. This book is a fun way to teach different aspects of science. There are so many great ideas for activities for students to see science in action.

[Haley Phelps · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so fun! It shows you crazy, simple, yet impossible tasks that seem totally possible. Kids love winning bets and this is a great tool. I loved trying out some of the stunts in this book. This book would be fun to have in your classroom!

[Mckenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so fun to look through. This book is full of activities that children can do. It would be a great activity for older students to pick a science experiment and do it in front of their classmates. I would recommend this to any teacher.

[Jaclyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book but it didn't have very great visuals. It was a funny read and I liked how tricky this book was. And I was glad I found my experiment/ demo but really felt like it was OK. Good for kids though!

[Ellis Brodowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is very interactive and very entertaining. This book has various experiments set up for the reader to try, and this would be a very fun book to have in the classroom and can help you get students engaged in science with these experiments, I highly recommend it.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great science book for kids! Full of simple things to try and clear explanations for why they are impossible. A great reference. Out of print - ordered through half.com

[Meltha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book from fifth grade. Half of it I couldn't get to work, though.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool book of science experiments you can do around the house.

[Cws]

J7938Cob

[Tristan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cool book to flip through. Seen some before and not in mood to try now but could see doing them at my magic and science camp this week!

[Tristan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun book to flip through. Took to science camp and did some of the activities with other elementary kids.

[Charles Perkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting book, based on scientific principles about what our body cannot do. There is even a section about something men cannot do, but women can...

[Kiera Marsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! It is full of simple but fun experiments to so. My roommates and I were constantly challenging each other to try the experiments and even got our friends to join in.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to teach scientific principles in engaging way. People of all ages love the mystery and the delight of figuring out the whys. Real brain benders.

[Bailee May · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was actually a really fun book. I was challenging my roommates with these bet you can't experiments. It was a fun little book. I will probably use this in my future classroom.

[Crysta Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how it doesn't feel so text like, but yet it is a science text that is purely experiments.