Toys in physics lectures and demonstrations - a brief review

Abstract

The use of toys in physics teaching is common. This brief review of the physics of toys intends to show that they are not only very useful in lectures and demonstrations in order to motivate students but also very interesting from a scientific point of view. However, since their physics is sometimes too cumbersome, the effect can be the opposite. We call attention to some subtleties of toys used in physics or in general science teaching