Hooked on Science: Elephant archwire

Elephants never forget and neither does an archwire. Using a few items from around the house, you can do an experiment that uses something your dentist uses to straighten teeth.

Materials

* Archwire

* Hot Water

Instructions

STEP 1: Bend the archwire into a different shape.

STEP 2: Drop the archwire into hot water and observe.

Explanation:

Archwire, which is used by dentists and jewelers, is programmed to remember the "U" shape of your jaw. When you bend the wire and drop it into hot water, it pops back into its original "U" shape.

Jason Lindsey is a science outreach educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website www.hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments.