Machines and circuitry will be the focus of this month’s Physics Day, an event hosted by the ISU Physics Club at the Children’s Discovery Museum on January 19 between noon and 2 p.m.

The family friendly event is free, with a paid museum admission of $6 per person, and is part of Physics on the Road, an outreach program from ISU to increase scientific awareness to schools and youth groups.

According to their website, Physics on the Road also provides free shows on natural phenomena ranging from basic mechanics to wave properties.

“We try to pick a topic to provide an opportunity for hands on activities. It’s nice to show younger kids the actions and reactions of physics,” Professor Jay Ansher, ISU general education lab coordinator, said.

The Physics Club will be showing a series of simple motors and circuits to help demonstrate the relationship between electricity and motion.

“We’re bringing in motors to show the conversion of electricity in a motor to generate circular motion.  Most people don’t know how this works,” Ansher said.

The demonstrations will be at the Innovation Station on the second floor of the museum. Fifty to 100 people are expected to come and go during the event, according to Heather Young, public affairs coordinator for the Children’s Discovery Museum.

Physics Day became a monthly event as part of a partnership between the Children’s Discovery Museum and ISU physics ever since the museum moved to Uptown Normal in 2005, according to Ansher.

Subjects that will be explored in the upcoming months include aerodynamics in February, light and color in March, waves in April and astronomy in May.

Each event will fall on the first Thursday of the corresponding month.

Other physics related activities for children in the museum can be found in the Imagine Air Gallery, which features air tables and air mazes.

According to Children’s Discovery Museum website, each exhibit was conceived with children and their open ended learning experience at the core.