COSTA MESA : Science Finds a Spot at the Crystal Court

Page Pivirn, 7, wound up for the pitch and let the whiffle ball fly, as a radar clocked his speed at a personal best: 44 m.p.h.

The radar demonstration is one of Page’s favorite at the Launch Pad, a small science museum in the Crystal Court shopping center, where scientific principles are taught through games.

Page also liked the angular momentum display: a small circular platform on which a person spins. Sticking out his leg, Page slowed his rotational speed; holding his limbs tight to his body, he spun more quickly. “You can get sick on this,” confided Page, who added that he has seen it happen.

The Launch Pad, which opened in June, holds more than 30 demonstrations of electricity, momentum, sound, light and other scientific subjects. All of the exhibits require people to trigger the display.

The small museum is a preview of the 88,000-square-foot Discovery Science Center, scheduled to open in 1997 in Santa Ana. The $37.5-million museum will have more interactive exhibits, an IMAX theater and science classes for county students.

Staffers at the Launch Pad teach brief classes now. For instance, Dan Pick recently showed youngsters a seven-foot, 20-pound boa and told them about snake life.

The boa, named Elvis, is harmless to people and friendly, Pick said. Elvis is content with a mouse a week. Pick encouraged children to pet the snake, as it wound itself over his shoulders and around his arms. “He felt smooth,” said Aalishah Richardson, 5, as she and her mother, Cynthia, moved on to the soap bubble machine.

“This is great,” Cynthia Richardson said. “I’m in here having fun.”

Pick said he also has a demonstration of liquid nitrogen, which will make solid objects such as carrots so cold they shatter.

The Launch Pad also has a gift store with toys, puzzles and games which teach children about science.