About this season
Eureka! is a Canadian educational television series which was produced and broadcast by TVOntario in 1980. The series was narrated by Billy Van, and featured a series of animated vignettes which taught physics lessons to children. It is currently available online. Eureka! was also broadcast on some PBS stations in the United States.
Episodes (10)
1. Inertia
Aired 1 January 1980 • 5 min
How can physics be about movement if nothing wants to move? Ah, but forces in the universe make things move and stop moving. But at heart, the first rule of physics says: ""Things like to keep doing what they're already doing.""
2. Mass
This program introduces the kilogram as a way to measure the mass of an object, and proves that small things can me more massive than large things.
3. Speed
Expert ball-handling proves force varies with mass and speed.
4. Acceleration (1)
Force varies with mass and rate of change of speed. It's much easier to stop a slow-moving cannonball than a rapid tennis ball.
5. Acceleration (2)
It takes only a few seconds for something to accelerate to a max speed. This is demonstrated with a vintage locomotive.
6. Gravity
What is gravity? Through the fictional story of Newton's apple, we learn about gravity and shed some light on weight.
7. Weight vs. Mass
Physics has to be specific in distinguishing weight from mass. This is why physicists measure weight in newtons.
8. Work
How much work are you doing? Whatever the force you apply is measured in newton meters–or joules, after James P. Joule.
9. Kinetic Energy
The physics of billiard balls begins the first of two programs on energy itself.
10. Potential Energy
David and Goliath characters demonstrate how potential energy differs from kinetic energy.