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Demonstrations

Identifier Title Summary
E&M: M - 023 Current Loop in a Magnetic Field

A coil of wire is suspended between the poles of a powerful horseshoe magnet.  When current is passed through the coil, it aligns itself with the magnetic field present.

Loop of wire hangs between poles of megatron magnet
E&M: M - 025 Liquid Oxygen

Liquid oxygen forms a bridge across the cones of a strong horseshoe magnet.

A dewar of liquid nitrogen and the strong horseshoe magnet with cones
E&M: M - 027 Cathode Ray Tube and Magnet

A magnet exerts a force on the electron beam in a cathode ray tube.

A cathode ray tube rests on a utility cat
E&M: M - 029 FM Antenna
E&M: M - 030 Compass Array

A small array of compass needles and a small bar magnet are used to provide visual evidence of a magnetic field.

Small bar magnet rests on top of the compass needle array
E&M: M - 031 Helmholtz Coil

A circular electron beam forms as a result of a uniform magnetic field

Helmoltz Coil
E&M: M - 032 Magnetic Field Around a Solenoid

A solenoid of wire connected to a power supply produces a magnetic field, visible in a sprinkle of iron filings.

Solenoid of wire woven through plexiglass
E&M: M - 033 Gaussmeter

A gaussmeter is used to show the magnetic field around a small magnet

Gaussmeter and small magnet
E&M: M - 034 Hoola-Hoop

A hula hoop is used to demonstrate the right-hand rule

A large blue hoola hoop and a smaller ring
E&M: M - 035 Magnetic Field Around a Current-Carrying Wire

Iron filings are used to produce an image of the magnetic field lines surrounding a vertical wire.

Vertical wire attached to a power supply set on a lecture bench
E&M: M - 036 Strength of Electromagnet

An electromagnet (from lifting magnet) is connected to a 9V battery and students have a tug-of-war to separate them.

Electromagnet, Iron plate connected to ropes, 9V battery lay on a table
E&M: M - 037 Graphite and Strong Magnets

A piece of graphite levitates over a 3x3 grid of strong magnets

A piece of graphite, grid of strong magnets, white paper backdrop
E&M: M - 038 Levitation with a Super Conductor

A neodymium magnet levitates above a superconductor that has been cooled with liquid nitrogen.

A dewar of liquid nitrogen, a small beaker, a super conductor in a beaker bottom dish rest on a table
E&M: M - 039 3D Magnetic Field

A 3-dimensional model of the magnetic field surrounding a magnet; apparatus is dissectable 

3D Domain Apparatus
E&M: M - 040 Magnetic Field of a Solenoid in Liquid

Current run through a small solenoid is used to show the magnetic field under the document camera.

A small solenoid around a liquid of iron filings connected to a power supply
E&M: M - 041 T Magnet

A bar magnet and a similarly shaped piece of iron are used to demonstrate magnetic domains.

A bar magnet and a piece of iron with a similar shape
E&M: Nuc - 001 Geiger Counter

A Geiger Counter is used to detect radioactivity in assorted samples

Geiger Counter and assorted radioactive samples
E&M: Nuc - 003 Cloud Chamber

Alpha and beta particles emitted by a radioactive source needle produce visible tracks in the cloud chamber.

Cloud Chamber, Tube, 2 Hoses, Motor, and Cardboard Light Shield
FL: HD - 002 2 Balls in Air Jet
FL: HD - 003 Paper Sucked by Blower

A sheet of air applied to an index card causes the card to be sucked upward toward the source rather than outward and away from the source.

Brass-plated air hose lying next to an index card.
FL: HD - 004 Beach Ball Trapped in Air

An inflatable beach ball or globe with sand in the bottom is trapped in a jet of air

Air pump, beach ball, and inflatable globe
FL: HD - 005 Throwing Curve Balls
FL: HD - 006 Bernoulli's Effect in Tube of Changing Diameter

Ping pong balls suspended above holes in a tube a changing diameter demonstrate changes in air pressure throughout the tube.

The tube of changing diameter rests next to a box of ping pong ballls
FL: HD - 007 Ping Pong Ball in Funnel of Air

A ping pong ball becomes trapped in a funnel of air.

Funnel attached to a hose, box of ping pong balls
FL: HD - 008 Air Across Paper

An air jet directed across a piece of paper is used to demonstrate the Bernoulli Principle.

Blower, piece of paper
FL: HS - 001 Hydraulic Press

A hydraulic press is used to break a small piece of wood

Hydraulic Press
FL: HS - 002 Cylinder of Colored Water in Vat of Clear Water

A cylinder of colored water is created within a vat of clear water.

Large container, glass cylinder, plastic piece, beaker of colored water
FL: HS - 003 Cartesian Diver
FL: HS - 005 Pascal's Vases

An apparatus consisting of differently shaped containers connected by a common tube are filled with colored water.

Pascal's vases and a beaker of colored water
FL: HS - 006 Mass of Air

A balloon and a digital balance are used to demonstrate that air has mass

Scale
FL: HS - 007 Lifting and Dropping a Mass with Changes in Pressure

An 84-lb weight is lifted as a result of a vacuum.

84-lb weight rests on a cart beneath a vacuum chamber apparatus.
FL: HS - 008 Hydraulic Puzzle

Liquid in a test tube has 2 paths when gravity is allowed to act, but only one is accurate

A glass tube of colored water suspended by a rod and clamp
FL: HS - 009 Siphon

Water is siphoned from one container to another

A hose siphons water from an elevated beaker to a beaker at a lower position
FL: HS - 010 Magdeburg Hemispheres

Air is evacuated from the Magdeburg Hemispheres, after which they cannot be separated.

Two sides of the Magdeburg Hemispheres rest on the surface of the cart along with the accessories needed for the demo
FL: HS - 014 U-Tube with Water and Kerosene

A U-tube has both water and kerosene in it.

A manometer containing both water and kerosene
FL: HS - 015 Lath and Newspaper

A piece of newspaper is placed over a piece of lath.  The atmospheric pressure on the paper prevents the buried end of the lath from raising when the open end is struck, resulting in a broken board.

Newspaper covers half a piece of lath
FL: HS - 016 Sinking Battleships

A small beaker of copper shot is sunk in a large beaker of water to demonstrate measurement of the buoyant force.

Copper shot, a large beaker, a small beaker of copper shot, and a vis-a-vis marker rest on a table.
FL: HS - 017 Vat of Water with Wood Block

A wood block placed in a vat of water displaces water without changing the overall mass of the container.

A large container rests on an antique scale.  A hose connected to the container drops into a second, smaller container
FL: HS - 018 Box with 2 Holes

A container of water with 2 holes (one above the other) demonstrates the differences in fluid pressure by depth.

An acrylic box has 2 holes on the side.  Water pours from the holes into another container
FL: HS - 019 Sucking Air from a Can

Air is removed from a paint can using a vacuum pump to demonstrate the strength of atmospheric pressure

A vacuum pump and a paint can
FL: HS - 020 Crushing a Pop Can

A soda can is crushed using a hot plate and ice water.

A soda can, a hot plate, a beaker of ice water, and a pair of gloves
FL: HS - 021 Physics Sucks

Water is sucked through a hose suspended from a hook on the ceiling

A long tube is coiled inside of a box.
FL: HS - 022 Helium Balloon and Liquid Nitrogen

A helium balloon placed in liquid nitrogen contracts.  Once removed, it expands.

A dewar of liquid nitrogen and 2 helium balloons
FL: HS - 023 Vacuum Cannon

A ping pong ball launched from a vacuum cannon destroys an empty pop can.

Vacuum cannon rests across the lecture bench and 1 demo bench.
FL: HS - 024 Pythagoras Cup

A trick cup is used to demonstrate a siphon effect.

A pythagoras cup rests on the desk.
FL: HS - 025 Buoyancy Force Brings Ball to the Surface

A rubber ball is dropped into a beaker of water and pushed to the bottom.  When the pressure is released, the ball floats back to the top.

A 50-mL graduated cylinder, a 2000-mL beaker, and a black rubber ball
FL: HS - 026 Floating Objects

Objects placed in a beaker of water will float.

2000-mL beaker, black rubber ball, colored bouncy ball, wooden cylinder.
FL: HS - 027 Sinking Objects

Objects placed into a beaker of water will sink.

2000-mL beaker, towels, white/metallic ball, zinc cylinder
FL: ST - 001 Small Bubble to Large Bubble
FL: ST - 002 Drops on a Penny