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Demonstrations

Identifier Title Summary
L: W - 019 Bubbles and Light Interference

Light shown through a bubble produces an array of colors due to interference of the inner and outer walls of the bubble

A bubble in front of a CENCO lamp produces a colorful array
M: CM - 003 Bucket of Water

A bucket of water is whirled in a vertical circle, with all water remaining safely inside the bucket.

Bucket and flask of colored water
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
L: W - 029 Calcite
E&M: ES - 016 Capacitor with Light Bulbs

A capacitor is charged using a 9V battery.  The capacitor is then discharged through a small light bulb.

A capacitor, a light bulb, and a battery
FL: HS - 003 Cartesian Diver
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
Astro - 002 Celestial Sphere

A physical model of the celestial sphere.

Celestial Sphere with Lesson Plan Book
M: CM - 004 Chain in Vertical Circle

A chain maintains a circular shape after being pushed off a wheel.

Motor with wheel attachment, circular chain, glass plate, and pen
M: D - 015 Chaos Pendulum

A magnetic pendulum's motion is the result of forces created by the placement of 8 magnets.

Chaos pendulum rests on a table
E&M: ES - 001 Charging Objects Electrically

An assortment of objects are used to demonstrate electrostatic charge and its effects.

Electroscope, Fur, Acrylic Rod
M: WM&S - 009 Chladni Plates

A pattern of sand is produced by standing waves created on a vibrating plate.

Chladni plate apparatus connected to a frequency generator and stereo amplifier
L: W - 059 Circular Aperture Diffraction and Interference

A green laser beam is sent through a single circular aperture or a double circular aperture

Laser Module and Circular Aperture
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
T: H - 032 Cloud in a Bottle
M: S - 021 Clown on a Unicycle

A clown rides a unicycle down a piece of wire or string.

Clown on a unicycle
M: D - 010 Coin and Feather Falling Simultaneously in Air and in a Vacuum

All objects will fall at the same rate in the absence of air resistance

A coin and a feather rest inside a sealed plastic tube.
M: D - 011 Collision Phenomena with Air Table

Pucks are set in motion in a frictionless environment.

3 pucks rest on an air table
M: WM&S - 001 Columbia Wave Machine

By turning a crank, students can see particle motion in 3 different types of waves.

Columbia Wave Machine
M: WM&S - 030 Combinational Tones
Astro - 005 Comparison of Materials of Different Density

The density of different materials is calculated and compared.

2 Rocks of similar size, a metal ball, graduated cylinder, beaker, tray, and balance
E&M: Ind - 016 Comparison of Resistor and Inductor in Circuits
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
M: CM - 002 Conical Pendulum

A bowling ball suspended from the ceiling moves in a circular path once set in motion.

A bowling ball is suspended from the ceiling
T: H - 018 Convection of Gases

2  demonstrations that show air movement caused by differences in temperature.

A candle in a glass tube and a chimney with a horizontal windmill.
E&M: C - 001 Copper and Chromel Wire Segments

A strand of wire composed of differing materials (Cu and NiCr) demonstrates how the amount of heat produced differs with resistance.

Apparatus consisting of a strand of different segments of wire
E&M: C - 017 Copper Wires of Different Cross-Sectional Areas

The voltage drop across two sections of wire having different cross-sectional areas is measured.

A red wire and a black wire in series
L: W - 022 Cornell Slit Film

A Cornell Slit Film is used to show single, double, and multiple slit diffraction

Cornell slit film apparatus mounted on a tripod
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
T: H - 028 Cryophorus

A cryophorus is used to demonstrate that freezing can occur by rapid evaporation

A cryophorus rests next to a dewar of liquid nitrogen
FL: ST - 003 Cup and Cover

A glass of water is covered by a piece of plastic and overturned, resulting in the lid staying attached to the glass.

An empty glass and a plastic lid
E&M: M - 019 Curie Point
E&M: Ind - 013 Current in a Capacitor Bank
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: C - 013 Current Produced by Moving Charges
M: CM - 012 Cycloid

A cycloid pattern is created on the chalk board.

The pattern of the cycloid apparatus is visible on the chalk board
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
E&M: M - 008 D'Arsonval Galvantometer

Demonstration of a working D'Arsonval Galvanometer.

D'Arsenval Galvanometer
E&M: Ind - 006 Damping by Eddy Current Losses

A copper disk is allowed to swing between two electromagnets.  The motion is dampened by eddy currents.

Dual Electromagnet Apparatus connected to a DC switch
T: H - 017 Davy Safety Lamp
E&M: M - 007 DC Electric Motor

A DC electric motor is used to show how electricity and magnetism cause a motor to work.

A DC motor and a power supply sit on a cart
E&M: AC - 012 DC Motor as an AC Generator

A hand-crank generator is  turned to produce current.

A hand-crank motor is connected to a multimeter
E&M: C - 020 Decrease of Resistance with Decrease in Temperature

A light bulb is turned on and its wiring is submerged in liquid nitrogen.

A dewar of liquid nitrogen rests next to the light bulb apparatus.
T: H - 053 Diatomic Model

A ball and stick model of a diatomic atom

2 tennis balls on the ends of a stick; 2 power balls on the ends of a small stick
E&M: ES - 021 Dielectrics and Electrostatic Charge

The variable capacitor is used with the Van der Graaf generator to demonstrate dielectrics in electric fields

Van der Graaf Generator connected to variable capacitor
M: SHM - 017 Different Springs with Identical Masses in Oscillation

Two identical masses are hung from springs of differing spring constants and set in motion

Two identical masses are suspended from springs of differing spring constants
T: H - 005 Differential Gas Thermometer

A differential glass thermometer shows how liquids expand as they get warm.

Differential Glass Thermometer
M: S - 013 Differential Hoist
L: W - 024 Diffraction Grating with White Light

A slide projector with a diffraction grating produces the pattern created by white light diffraction.

Continuous spectrum created through the diffraction of white light
L: W - 049 Diffraction Gratings and Spectra