Cycling Nina and the Neurons

# If you've got a question and you don't know where to go

# Ask Nina for some help Cos she's got a science show

# She makes sense of her senses While helping all her fans

# By doing her experiments with potions and with bangs

-# Touch your tongue

-Tongue

-# Fingers

-Fingers

-# Eyes, eyes

-Ears, ears

-# Nose

-Nose

# Nina and the Neurons find out what you need to know

# Nina and the Neurons find out what you need to know

# Luke, he helps us with our eyes and Felix with our touch

# Ollie sniffs out smells and scents And Belle she hears so much

# Bud is Ollie's brother He helps us with our taste

# They're Nina's little Neurons and they're coming to your place

-# Touch your tongue

-Tongue

-# Fingers

-Fingers

-# Eyes, eyes

-Ears, ears

-# Nose

-Nose

# Nina and the Neurons find out what you need to know, yeah!

# Nina and the Neurons find out what you need to know

# Oh, yeah! #

Oh, hello. Wow, I was so relaxed I almost fell asleep there.

It's quite hot in the lab today, so I'm using my fan to keep me cool.

BEEPING

Oh, I hear a beep, I see a flash, I wonder what they're going to ask.

-Hi, Nina!

-Hi.

-We've got a question for you.

Why does it feel like it's windy when we go fast on our bikes?

That's a great question.

Why does it feel like it's windy when we go fast on our bikes?

When we're cycling,

air whooshes all around us and it can feel really windy.

Why don't you come to my lab and investigate?

-See you soon, Nina. Bye!

-Bye.

I'm going to need some help to answer this one

and I know just who to ask. OK, Neurons, time to get to work!

ALL: Neurons at the ready, Nina.

OK. Today's question is -

why does it feel like it's windy when we go fast on our bikes?

Which Neuron will be most useful in helping us find the answer?

ALL: Me! Me! Me! Oh, me!

Will it be fabulous Felix?

I can help so very much if you need the sense of touch.

Will it be beautiful Belle?

I send messages to brain from ear. If there's a sound, I'll help you hear.

Will it be lovely Luke?

For looking and seeing, day or night,

I'll help you with your sense of sight.

Will it be awesome Ollie?

If it's pongy or whiffy but you can't tell,

-my messages help your sense of smell.

-Or will it be baby Bud?

Sour, salty, bitter or sweet, I'm your taste buddy whenever you eat!

It's Felix!

CHANTING: Go, Felix! Go, Felix!

Marvellous! A little touch can mean so much, Nina.

Today's question is -

why does it feel like it's windy when we go fast on our bikes?

Because when we cycle we can feel the air around us,

Felix, our touch Neuron, will be helping us!

Right, I need to get the lab ready before the experimenters arrive.

Lennon likes going to Boys' Brigade.

Charlotte loves learning new things.

I like cycling.

It's fun going fast.

They both want to know -

why does it feel like it's windy when we go fast on our bikes?

So today, for one day only,

Charlotte and Lennon become the experimenters.

-Hi, guys!

-Hi, Nina.

Welcome to my lab and thanks for your great question -

why does it feel like it's windy when we go fast on our bikes?

To find out the answer, let's start by using our senses.

ALL: Whoop-whoo! A senses experiment! We're ready, Nina.

First we're going to use our sense of touch.

So let's try moving our arms through the air like this. Copy me.

Up and down. Now what can you feel in your hands?

I can feel the air moving a little.

Yes, when we move our hands slowly, we can feel the air a little bit.

But what happens if we speed up?

Ha-ha-ha!

Nina's flapping like a bird.

How does it feel now?

It feels really windy.

Yes, stop there.

Oh.

So even though we can't see air,

we could definitely feel it blowing past our hands -

a bit like how it feels when we're on a bicycle.

The faster we move, the more we feel it.

It's all because we moved through the air

and the next experiment will help to explain.

So, we're going to pretend these plastic balls

are the air all around us.

First, I would like you guys to move through the air, nice and slowly.

So, Lennon, why don't you go first?

Stop!

Out you come.

OK, Charlotte, off you go, nice and slowly.

And stop! Out you come.

So, how much of the air did you push through?

We only went halfway, Nina.

And could you feel the air?

A little bit.

Well, let's do it again

but this time I would like you to walk through the air much faster.

OK?

And stop!

Stop!

And how did the air feel this time?

We could feel it much more, Nina.

Yes.

When we move, our bodies push the air out of the way

and when we move fast, like when we're cycling,

we push through much more air.

So that's when we really start to feel it moving past us.

Now, a breeze when we're cycling could be lovely

but for cyclists covering a long distance or in a race,

all that air can be a problem.

To find out more, we're going to visit somewhere very exciting

where there's a real need for speed.

Oh, goodie! I love this bit. I wonder where Nina is taking us.

Nina said it's somewhere with a need for speed.

Maybe it's an airport. Aeroplanes are speedy.

Oh, I love aeroplanes!

Nee-ow!

We've arrived, but I don't see any jumbo jets.

We've come to this amazing place and it's called a velodrome.

Velodromes are designed for cyclists to go really fast,

so let's watch.

-Hi, Graham.

-Hi, guys.

Graham, you were cycling really fast there.

How did you do that with the windy air pushing against you?

This bike is specially designed.

It doesn't weigh much. These special handlebars

allow me to tuck in as close to the bike as possible.

Why does he make that shape, Nina?

Good question, Felix. Let's do an experiment to find out.

Now, Graham, we'll time you cycling one lap when you're sitting upright

and another lap when you're tucked in

and we'll see what happens.

Three! Two! One!

Go!

Listen to the speedy whoosh of his bike.

Wow, the sitting-up position seemed pretty fast to me

and it was 18 seconds.

So Graham's got his breath back and this time

he's going to cycle in his usual tucked-in position.

Let's see if this makes a difference to his speed.

So here we go!

Go!

Whoa! Look at him go!

Yay! Well done, Graham!

And that was 16 seconds.

So, that's why cyclists crouch over their bikes.

To make their shape small like me.

Because the smaller the shape,

the easier it is to move through the air.

What do you notice about the cyclists now?

They're cycling in a line.

Racing cyclists are specially trained.

You shouldn't try this yourself.

Yes, cyclists choose to cycle close together in a line.

But why do they do it?

I've got an exciting experiment that will help to explain, so let's go!

Cyclists sit in tucked-in positions

because their smaller shapes move them faster and easier.

But why is it important to race behind each other

in a line like this?

Well, let's do a fun experiment with this big fan to find out.

Let's move our arms up in the air!

Whoo! Whee!

This is great!

What did that feel like?

It felt windy.

It felt like being on our bikes.

Yes, we could feel the air rushing by us, just like when we're cycling,

so let's see what happens if we go in a line.

What happened that time?

We didn't feel so much air, Nina.

That's right.

The air wasn't pushing past you as much

because you were standing behind me.

I wonder if this is why cyclists race in a line.

Let's do one final experiment to find out.

For this experiment,

my science helpers are pretending to be racing cyclists.

So the fan will blow air past them

like it would feel if they were cycling really fast.

But what we want to know is where on their bodies the air pushes.

So we're going to sprinkle some special powder

in front of the fan and see where it lands.

And we shall put on our protective masks and goggles.

Oh, the powder is making me sneeze.

Atishoo!

Oh, bless you, Ollie.

And thank you to my lovely science helpers for the cycling.

Now, experimenters, what do you notice about the cyclists?

They've got powder stuck to their clothes.

That's right. Which cyclist has more powder stuck to them?

The one at the front.

Yes, the cyclist at the front has a lot more powder stuck to him

and that's because there was more air pushing against him.

-NEURON:

-So the cyclist behind is less pushed by the air.

BELLE: Which means it's easier for them to cycle.

That's right, Belle.

This is why cyclists choose to race in a line.

They take it in turns to be at the front where it's harder to cycle

but at the end of the race, they all try to get to the front to win.

# Nina and the Neurons! #

So, your question was -

why does it feel like it's windy when we go fast on our bikes?

And I think we've answered it.

NEURON: Invisible air is all around us.

When we move, we're pushing through the air.

Moving faster means moving further and pushing through more air.

Cyclists make themselves into a small shape so they go faster.

Racing in a line means the cyclists behind are pushed by less air.

So I hope that's answered your question.

-Thanks, Nina. Bye!

-Bye.

If you want to know more about the science that's all around us,

go to the Nina section on the CBeebies website. Have fun!

On your marks, get set...

Go!

# Get sporty!

# Doo-bee, doo-bee, doob, doob Doo-bee, doo

# Get sporty!

# Doo-bee, doo-bee, doob, doob Doo-bee, doo

# If you're itching for some exercise from your head down to your toes

# Toes!

# Why not try out something new and give it a real go?

# Go!

# Whenever you are restless and feeling kind of bored

# Bored!

# Grab your friends and go outside and try a brand-new sport!

# Oooooooh!

# Get sporty!

# Doo-bee, doo-bee, doob, doob Doo-bee, doo

# Get sporty!

# Doo-bee, doo-bee, doob, doob Doo-bee, doo

# Spinning, throwing, running, jumping

# Lots of fun to do!

# Cycling, diving, sliding, rolling

-# It's really up to you

-Yoo-hoo!

# If you're wondering how a swimmer swims or a bike can go so fast

# Give it a bash and make it last It's time to go get sporty! #

Oooooooh!

# Get sporty!

# Doo-bee, doo-bee, doob, doob Doo-bee, doo

# Get sporty!

# Doo-bee, doo-bee, doob, doob Doo-bee, doo. #

And remember, whether it's inside, outside, on a bike, or in a pool,

we can all try something new and get sporty.

See you again soon, bye!

ALL: Bye-bye!

Get Sporty!