Iowa State University Physics and Astronomy Video and Laser Disk Collection
PHYSICS FILM CLASSICS
This set of three videodisks is a collection of physics film classics ranging in length from 1 second to nearly five minutes. Some are old, some are relatively new. Some are black-and-white, some are color. Some are very nice, others are rather crude (often humorously crude) by modern standards.
Return to Lecture Demonstration Home Page
Side A: Mechanics
Side B: Mechanics and heat
Side C: Waves
Side D: Waves and electricity and magnetism
Side E: Conservation laws
Side F: Angular momentum and modern physics
Mechanics (side A)
Time and Place
Chapter 11 - Measuring short distances
Chapter 12 - High speed photography and stroboscopic light (92 s).
Chapter 13 - Surface tension in drops of liquid (72 s).
Chapter 14 - Bullet impacting on egg (1 s).
Chapter 15 - Frames of reference: Who is upside down? (75 s).
Chapter 16 - Frames of reference: Who is moving? (60 s).
Chapter 17 - Relative motion demo with carts on a table (75 s).
Uniform Motion
Chapter 21 - Uniform motion and a dry ice puck (30 s).
Chapter 22 - Uniform motion with air table pucks and automobiles (65 s).
Accelerated Motion
Chapter 31 - Constant velocity and uniform acceleration with air track glider (42 s).
Chapter 32 - Acceleration and dry ice puck (5 s).
Chapter 33 - Determining acceleration of air table puck and motorcycle (30 s).
Chapter 34 - Accelerating automobile (22 s).
Chapter 35 - One dimensional kinematics in automobile (180 s).
Chapter 36 - One dimensional kinematics in hurdle race (180 s).
Chapter 37 - Motion in an accelerating frame (6 s).
Free fall
Chapter 41 - Free fall ride and effects of acceleration (13 s).
Chapter 42 - Free fall bowling ball (35 s).
Chapter 43 - Determining velocity of free fall bowling ball (22 s).
Chapter 44 - Shows value of g to be same at any point on Earth's surface (16 s).
Chapter 45 - Falling bridge (12 s).
Chapter 46 - Falling ball velocity (14 s).
Chapter 47 - Falling ball on moving cart (60 s).
Chapter 48 - Relative motion of falling ball from mast of ship (33 s).
Vectors
Chapter 51 - Adding colinear velocities and frames of reference (62 s).
Chapter 52 - Inertia (4 s).
Chapter 53 - One dimensional motion and cart trip (110 s).
Chapter 54 - Velocity addition for a boat and the river (130 s).
Forces
Chapter 61 - Forces and tug-of-war (52 s).
Chapter 62 - Forces and an ice skater (20 s).
Chapter 63 - Deflecting forces (20 s).
Chapter 64 - Strength-to-weight ratios (104 s).
Newton's Laws
Chapter 71 - Newton's First Law and an air track (48 s).
Chapter 72 - Table cloth experiment (2 s).
Chapter 73 - Inertia (11 s).
Chapter 74 - Force and acceleration (21 s).
Chapter 75 - Newton's Second Law and air track (23 s).
Chapter 76 - Inertial forces and translational acceleration (51 s).
Chapter 77 - Newton's Third Law and air track (17 s).
Chapter 78 - Force from fire extinguisher (9 s).
Mechanics and Heat (side B)
Projectile Motion
Chapter 11 - Vertical and horizontal motion (40 s).
Chapter 12 - Projectile motion (27 s).
Chapter 13 - Projectile motion (17 s).
Chapter 14 - Ping pong ball and projectile motion (26 s).
Chapter 15 - Projectile motion with air pucks and shotputter (50 s).
Chapter 16 - Projectile motion with airplane dropping flare (30 s).
Chapter 17 - Projectile motion with snowmobile and flare (35 s).
Circular Motion
Chapter 21 - Vectors and circular motion (53 s).
Chapter 22 - Dry ice puck and circular motion (12 s).
Chapter 23 - Hammer throw and forces (19 s).
Chapter 24 - Ball and merry-go-round and forces (40 s).
Chapter 25 - Acceleration in loop-the-loop ride (23 s).
Chapter 26 - Circular motion with air table puck and automobile (62 s).
Chapter 27 - Circular motion and force (45 s).
Chapter 28 - Centipetal acceleration and carnival ride (65 s).
Chapter 29 - Rotating frame of reference gives illusion of circular motion (80 s).
Periodic Motion
Chapter 31 - Periods of motion of large pendulums (21 s).
Chapter 32 - Periodic motion of glider on parabolic track (70 s).
Chapter 33 - Sand pendulum showing how period and amplitude are not dependent, and other properties of simple oscillator (90 s).
Chapter 34 - Periodic motion of people on swings (71 s).
Chapter 35 - Periodic motion with ball on string (13 s).
Chapter 36 - Simple harmonic motion with pucks on air table (45 s).
Chapter 37 - Similarity between simple harmonic and uniform circular motion (180 s).
Planetary Motion
Chapter 41 - Solar system model (22 s).
Chapter 42 - Retrograde motion of Mars (114 s).
Chapter 43 - Phases of the moon (15 s).
Chapter 44 - Tilt of the Earth (2 s).
Chapter 45 - The period of Io (110 s).
Chapter 46 - Foucault pendulum (80 s).
Chapter 47 - Cavendish experiment (70 s).
Heat and Temperature
Chapter 51 - Friction and thermal energy (33 s).
Chapter 52 - Transfer of heat via conduction and convection (74 s).
Chapter 53 - Thermal expansion of solids, liquids and gases (67 s).
Gas Laws
Chapter 61 - Boyle's Law (126 s).
Chapter 62 - Charles' Law (16 s).
Chapter 63 - Relation of temperature and pressure (40 s).
Waves (side C)
Wave propagation
Chapter 11 - Demonstration of wavelength and frequency (40 s).
Chapter 12 - Energy transfer in a wave (50 s).
Chapter 13 - Speeds of pulses (64 s).
Chapter 14 - Speeds of different shaped pulses (64 s).
Chapter 15 - Longitudinal waves (14 s).
Chapter 16 - Tuning forks and sound waves (70 s).
Chapter 17 - Ultrasonics (17 s).
Chapter 18 - Light waves and inverted images (38 s).
Chapter 19 - Speed of light (16 s).
Periodic waves
Chapter 21 - Ripple tank (24 s).
Chapter 22 - Speed of sound waves (37 s).
Chapter 23 - Wavelengths of electromagnetic spectrum (31 s).
Chapter 24 - Electric power line wavelength (13 s).
Chapter 25 - Radio waves (15 s).
Chapter 26 - Sound waves in thunderstorm and explosion (18 s).
Chapter 27 - Doppler Effect with a train (34 s).
Chapter 28 - Doppler Effect and ripple tank (110 s).
Chapter 29 - Doppler Effect equations (43 s).
Superposition
Chapter 31 - Superposition of waves (30 s).
Chapter 32 - Superposition of waves in a slinky (28 s).
Chapter 33 - Superposition of radio waves (50 s).
Chapter 34 - Superposition of microwaves (21 s).
Chapter 35 - Basic description of laser physics (103 s).
Standing Waves
Chapter 41 - Standing waves in straight and circular wire (24 s).
Chapter 42 - Standing waves in a wave machine (28 s).
Chapter 43 - Slinky and standing waves (10 s).
Chapter 44 - Standing waves generated in a soap film (22 s).
Chapter 45 - Vibrations of a drum (17 s).
Chapter 46 - Waves on oscilloscope (9 s).
Chapter 47 - Audiometer used to show nodes and antinodes (33 s).
Chapter 48 - Resonance sound with a tuning fork and amplifier (62 s).
Chapter 49 - Standing microwaves (11 s).
Wave Reflection
Chapter 51 - Reflection of waves with a slinky (17 s).
Chapter 52 - Reflection between two wave machines (16 s).
Chapter 53 - Reflection in a ripple tank (35 s).
Chapter 54 - Curved surfaces and reflection (75 s).
Chapter 55 - Sound waves in air (15 s).
Chapter 56 - Radio waves (7 s).
Chapter 57 - Reflection of light waves (31 s).
Chapter 58 - Reflection of light from curved surfaces (33 s).
Wave Refraction
Chapter 61 - Refraction of a toy car as it travels over carpet (14 s).
Chapter 62 - Refraction in a ripple tank (33 s).
Chapter 63 - Sound waves in air (21 s).
Chapter 64 - Indices of refraction (13 s).
Chapter 65 - Refraction and total internal reflection in an aquarium (26 s).
Chapter 66 - Refraction in a swimming pool (45 s).
Chapter 67 - Lenses and light (20 s).
Dispersion
Chapter 71 - Dispersion in a ripple tank (16 s).
Chapter 72 - Light waves and dispersion (30 s).
Chapter 79 - Surfing waves (63 s).
Waves and Electricity and Magnetism (side D)
Interference
Chapter 11 - Interference in a ripple tank (73 s).
Chapter 12 - Sound transmission (13 s).
Chapter 13 - Grating reflections of water and sound (70 s).
Chapter 14 - Single slit pattern (38 s).
Chapter 15 - Double slit pattern (38 s).
Chapter 16 - Interference in a soap film (37 s).
Chapter 17 - Holography (45 s).
Diffraction
Chapter 21 - Diffraction of water waves in ripple tank (55 s).
Chapter 22 - Bragg diffraction in a ripple tank (39 s).
Chapter 23 - Diffraction of sound (15 s).
Chapter 24 - Diffraction in eye of a needle (12 s).
Chapter 25 - Bragg diffraction equation (28 s).
Color, Scattering and Polarization
Chapter 31 - Colors: red, green and blue (5 s).
Chapter 32 - Color reflection and absorption (5 s).
Chapter 33 - Spectral analysis (20 s).
Chapter 34 - Scattering of light (4 s).
Chapter 35 - Polarization of radio waves (3 s).
Chapter 36 - Polarization of microwaves (6 s).
Chapter 37 - Polarization of light (6 s).
Electrostatics
Chapter 41 - Demonstrations in electrostatics (88 s).
Chapter 42 - Electrostatic induction (137 s).
Chapter 43 - Electric lines of force (71 s).
Chapter 44 - Van de Graaff generator (95 s).
Chapter 45 - Faraday ice pail experiment (45 s).
Chapter 46 - Coulomb's Law (18 s).
Electric Currents
Chapter 51 - Simple electrical cells (30 s).
Chapter 52 - Electroplating (39 s).
Chapter 53 - Simple electrical circuit (17 s).
Chapter 54 - Conductors and insulators (20 s).
Chapter 55 - Electrical circuits in an automobile (33 s).
Chapter 56 - A discussion of similarity between charge flow and water flow (60 s)
Magnetism and Magnetic Fields
Chapter 61 - Misconceptions about magnetism in old movies (30 s).
Chapter 62 - Picking up tacks with a magnet (71 s).
Chapter 63 - Describing a magnetized needle after it is broken (28 s).
Chapter 64 - Iron fillings near a magnet and demonstration of lines of force (75 s).
Chapter 65 - Magnets on an incline (12 s).
Chapter 66 - Examining magnetic forces between magnets (19 s).
Chapter 67 - Colliding magnets and their effect on one another (30 s).
Chapter 68 - Effect of a magnet through various substances (29 s).
Chapter 69 - Explaining permanent magnets (18 s).
Electromagnetism
Chapter 71 - Generating magnetic field with electric current (32 s).
Chapter 72 - Electromagnetic induction (29 s).
Chapter 73 - Demonstrations with electromagnets (41 s).
Chapter 74 - Simple electric motors (24 s).
Chapter 75 - Magnetic effect on electron beams (9 s).
Chapter 76 - Magnetic field as a vector (33 s).
Chapter 77 - Magnetic field of a coil (16 s).
Chapter 78 - Magnetic force on a conductor (64 s).
Chapter 79 - Electron path in Helmholtz coil (52 s).
Conservation Laws (side E)
Work and Energy
Chapter 11 - Work and optimization of machines (100 s).
Chapter 12 - The gravitational potential energy of nails dropped into wood (47 s).
Chapter 13 - Conservation of energy in a pole vault (67 s).
Chapter 14 - Force, work and energy in a block-pulley system (205 s).
Chapter 15 - Energy of a pile driver (23 s).
Chapter 16 - Energy in an automobile smasher (17 s).
Energy Conservation
Chapter 21 - Conservation of energy in a swinging bowling ball (59 s).
Chapter 22 - Work and energy with flying acrobats (64 s).
Chapter 23 - Energy in a water wheel (53 s).
Chapter 24 - Various types of energy and force on a roller coaster (125 s).
Chapter 25 - Energy of a skateboarder (74 s).
Chapter 26 - Energy in a Rube Goldberg device (97 s).
Chapter 27 - Energy conservation in a carnival ride (28 s).
Linear Momentum
Chapter 31 - Conservation of linear momentum in the recoil of a cannon (70 s).
Chapter 32 - Conservation of linear momentum and energy in a fired rifle bullet (53 s).
Chapter 33 - Center of mass of air table pucks (75 s).
Chapter 34 - Center of mass and conservation of momentum of dry ice pucks (49 s).
Chapter 35 - Center of mass of repulsive dry ice pucks (31 s).
Elastic Collisions
Chapter 41 - One dimensional elastic collisions with pendulums (28 s).
Chapter 42 - Two dimensional elastic collisions with pendulums (18 s).
Chapter 43 - Elastic collisions on an air table (29 s).
Chapter 44 - Elastic collisions between magnetic dry ice pucks (36 s).
Chapter 45 - Elastic collision with cluster of objects (46 s).
Inelastic Collisions
Chapter 51 - One dimensional inelastic collision with pendulums (44 s).
Chapter 52 - Two dimensional inelastic collision with pendulums (44 s).
Chapter 53 - Inelastic collision on an air table (4 s).
Chapter 54 - Inelastic collision with dry ice pucks (9 s).
Chapter 55 - Inelastic collisions on an air track with differing masses (22 s).
Collisions
Chapter 61 - Automobile crash and conservation of energy and momentum (9 s).
Chapter 62 - Energy and momenta with baseball and bat (5 s).
Chapter 63 - Conservation of momenta with billiard balls (85 s).
Chapter 64 - Football drills (3 s).
Chapter 65 - Conservation of energy and momentum in colliding freight cars (58 s).
Chapter 66 - Energy and momentum conservation with colliding spheres and magnets
(38 s).
Chapter 67 - Forces involved in hitting a tennis ball (10 s).
Chapter 68 - Discussion of elasticity of wrecking ball colliding with building (8 s).
Angular Momentum and Modern Physics (side F)
Angular Momentum
Chapter 11 - Angular momentum and torque in a spinning bicycle wheel (45 s).
Chapter 12 - Angular momentum of two spinning wheels about a pivot point (39 s).
Chapter 13 - Angular momentum equations of propeller motors and discussion of torque (93 s).
Chapter 14 - Torque on a gyroscope with equations (27 s).
Chapter 15 - Torques on a bicycle wheel (18 s).
Chapter 16 - Spinning gyroscope in metal sphere to show angular momentum (22 s).
Chapter 17 - Bicycle wheel and angular momentum (8 s).
Chapter 18 - Angular momentum demonstration with a merry-go-round (49 s).
Atoms, Molecules and Models
Chapter 21 - Electrolysis of water (83 s).
Chapter 22 - Electrochemical cell with lead moving between metal rods (29 s).
Chapter 23 - View of atoms to determine atomic spacing (32 s).
Chapter 24 - Thomson model of the atom using magnetic ping pong balls (17 s).
Chapter 25 - The Rutherford experiment (110 s).
Chapter 26 - Classical analogies between the collision of alpha particle with the nucleus of the atom (77 s).
Chapter 27 - Computer simulation of the collision between alpha particles and nucleus of the atom (81 s).
Chapter 28 - Bohr model of the atom (23 s).
Chapter 29 - Demonstration of Brownian motion (12 s).
Photons and X-rays
Chapter 31 - Photoemission by sunlight on a zinc sample (56 s).
Chapter 32 - Photoemission by light from a carbon arc lamp on zinc sample (54 s).
Chapter 33 - Photoelectric effect with discussion of stopping potential (82 s).
Chapter 34 - Production of X-rays (50 s).
Electrons
Chapter 41 - Properties of electrons (50 s).
Chapter 42 - The cathode ray oscilloscope (39 s).
Chapter 43 - The Millikan oil-drop experiment (4 min 40 s).
Particles and Waves
Chapter 51 - Properties of waves (16 s).
Chapter 52 - Electron diffraction by a crystal lattice (10 s).
Chapter 53 - Davisson-Germer experiment and the detection of matter waves (16 s).
Chapter 54 - G. P. Thomson's experiment and the detection of matter waves (26 s).
Chapter 55 - Wave model of the atom (122 s).
Nuclear Physics
Chapter 61 - Radioactive decay with animation of radioactive gamma decay (12 s).
Chapter 62 - Cloud chamber experiment (33 s).
Chapter 63 - A mechanical analogy to discovery of neutron (11 s).
Chapter 64 - Description of fission chain reaction (11 s).
Chapter 65 - Fission in a nuclear bomb (30 s).
Chapter 66 - A nuclear reactor (12 s).
Condensed Matter
Chapter 71 - Crystal lattices (9 s).
Chapter 72 - X-ray diffraction in a crystal (16 s).
Chapter 73 - Examples of crystalline structure for different molecules (17 s).