Skip to main content

Demonstrations

Identifier Title Summary
E&M: M - 014 Dip Needle

Device that shows the angle of Earth's Magnetic Field

Demonstration Magnetic Dip Needle and Compass
T: H - 038 Dipping Duck

A duck dips into a glass of water continuously.

Dipping duck and a small beaker
E&M: C - 019 Direct Current RC Series Circuit

The charge and discharge curves of a DC RC Series circuit are shown in conjunction with its effect on a light bulb.

DC Voltage vs. Time curve for RC circuit
E&M: C - 012 Discharge of Electricity Through Gases
L: W - 006 Dispersion by a Prism

A narrow beam of white light is passed through a prism, creating a continuous spectrum on the wall.

continuous spectrum
M: WM&S - 045 Doppler Effect

A whistle whirled in a circular path demonstrates the doppler effect

Doppler whistle and power supply
M: EngMom - 011 Double Cone and Diverging Ways

A double cone rolls on a diverging track in an unexpected manner.

A double cone rests on a diverging track.
M: WM&S - 041 Drinking Straw Resonance
FL: ST - 002 Drops on a Penny
T: H - 025 Dry Ice

Pieces of dry ice are used to help students visualize the P vs. T graph for Carbon Dioxide

Styrofoam Cooler, Dry Ice, Tongs
Astro - 001 Eclipse

A ball on a string and a slide projector are used to create the image of an eclipse.

projection screen with eclipse image
L: W - 060 Educational Diffraction Grating

A small educational diffraction grating is used with different colors of light to demonstrate optical effects.

Educational Diffraction Grating with Laser Pen
T: H - 050 Elasticity of Rubber

A stretched rubber band will contract when heated.

Mounted Ruler, Rubber Band with 1-kg mass attached, heat gun being used on the rubber band
E&M: ES - 019 Electric Field Lines

Grass seeds are sprinkled into a plexiglass container of castor oil that has 2 electrodes.  When voltage is applied across the electrodes, the seeds (dipoles) will align to show the electric field.  The image is projected using an overhead projector onto the wall of the lecture hall.

Electric Field lines formed from seeds in castor oil
E&M: C - 014 Electric Field of a Plasma Ball

A discharge tube brought near a plasma ball will light up.

Small plasma ball, Discharge tube
E&M: Ind - 005 Electric Generator

Turning the crank of a motor lights 3 bulbs.

Electric generator is wired in parallel to 3 light bulbs
E&M: C - 002 Electric Lamps in Series and in Parallel

Two light bulbs of differing wattage are connected in series and in parallel with the AC outlet.

Two lightbulbs, a switch, and 4 wires rest on a table top
E&M: C - 008 Electrocute a Pickle

A pickle is electrocuted using current from a standard wall outlet.

A pickle is connected to an AC switch
E&M: M - 002 Electromagnet with Nails

An iron rod inside a large solenoid becomes a magnet when current passes through the solenoid.

A solenoid with an iron core sits next to a box of nails.
E&M: Ind - 001 Electromagnetic Induction

A small magnet is passed through a coil of wire connected to a voltmeter.  As the magnet passes through the coil, a spike can be read on the meter, showing that current has been created.

A coil of wire, an analog voltmeter, and a small magnet
E&M: ES - 004 Electrophorus

A device is used to produce a cyclical spark from electrostatic charge.

Electrophorus with fur resting on the demonstration bench
E&M: ES - 014 Electrostatic Deflection of Electron Beam

Fur is used to charge a rod, which then deflects an electron beam

Cathode Ray Tube
Astro - 003 Ellipses

Magnetic pegs and a loop of string are used to draw an ellipse on a magnetic chalk board.

two magnets in a circle drawn on the chalkboard
E&M: ES - 022 Equivalent Energy Storage of a Capacitor

Weights dropped from a height of 1 meter provide an audible measure of the amount of energy stored in each capacitor available for display.

Assorted capacitors and masses and a metal plate
E&M: ES - 012 Exhibit of Capacitors

A visual display of capacitors of varying styles are available to show the students in the class.  

7 capacitors of varying styles
T: H - 006 Expansion and Contraction of Rings using Ball

A metal ring expands when heated.  A metal ring contracts when cool.  This is shown by whether or not they fit over a metal ball.

A dewar of liquid nitrogen, a metal ball suspended from a stand rod, a meeker burner, and 2 metal rings rest on a bench
E&M: ES - 009 Faraday Cage with Electroscope

A charged rod brought near an electroscope produces no result if the the electroscope is contained within a cage of conducting mesh.

An electroscope is inside a Faraday cage.  Next to it, a piece of fur and rod are resting.
E&M: ES - 020 Faraday Cage with Radio

A handheld radio is placed inside a cage made of copper wire mesh.  The signal ceases to be heard.

Faraday Cage, Hand-held radio, and aluminum foil
E&M: Ind - 027 Faraday's Law in Earth's Magnetic Field

A coil of wire and an analog volt-meter are used to demonstrate Earth's magnetic field.

A coil of wire is connected to an analog volt-meter
E&M: Ind - 018 Faraday's Law with Oscilloscope
L: GO - 054 Fiber Optics

A fiber optic cable

Fiber optic cable
T: H - 034 Fire Piston

Swift action of the plunger in an air-tight piston causes a tiny bit of cotton to immediately ignite

Two fire pistons, a cotton swab, and some cotton
M: EngMom - 014 Flexible Track

A ball rolls on a flexible track; one side of apparatus has Loop-the-Loop and others side is U-shaped

Loop the Loop
E&M: M - 012 Floating Magnet

One magnet floats above another due to repulsive forces.

Two donut-shaped magnets on an acrylic rod repel each other
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: ST - 005 Floating Paper Clips

Paper clips are floated on a body of water.  When soapy water is added, the paper clips sink move away from the soap and sink to the bottom.

Supplies for the demo are: a container of water, several small paperclips, a tool made from a larger paperclips, a small container of soapy water, and an eyedropper.
L: GO - 003 Fluorescein Tank - Total Internal Reflection

A beam of light, visible in a tank of Fluorescein, demonstrates total internal reflection at a certain angle of incidence.

A green laser is shown into a narrow tank of fluorescein.  A small mirror reflects the beam up into the water.
E&M: M - 029 FM Antenna
E&M: M - 021 Force Between Currents in Parallel Wires

Current flows through two parallel wires.  The current flows in either the same direction or different directions to produce attraction or repulsion, respectively.

Parallel wires mounted against a white back drop.
M: SHM - 010 Forced Resonance on a Glider

A glider on an air track is given an external frequency.  As the external frequency is changed, eventually resonance occurs.

Air track mini with glider connected to motor
M: WM&S - 035 Fourier Synthesis
E&M: ES - 005 Franklin Bells
M: K - 008 Free Fall with Spark Tape

Spark tape is used to create a visual demonstration of acceleration due to gravity.

Spark tape connected to the free fall apparatus
M: Rot - 005 Free-Fall Rotation

A hinged board is allowed to fall from an angle of 70 degrees.  In doing so, a ball resting on the end of the board falls into a cup mounted closer to the axis of rotation.

A wooden board connected with a hinge to another board is propped at a 70 degree angle with a ball on the outer edge.
T: H - 037 Gas Model
E&M: M - 033 Gaussmeter

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

Gaussmeter and small magnet
E&M: Nuc - 001 Geiger Counter

A Geiger Counter is used to detect radioactivity in assorted samples

Geiger Counter and assorted radioactive samples
M: WM&S - 003 Giant Slinky

A giant slinky, suspended horizontally, is used to produce a longitudinal (compression) wave.

Giant slinky suspended horizontally
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
M: D - 018 Gravitational Force

A 1-kg mass is hung from a 20-N scale to demonstrate that acceleration due to gravity on earth is 9.8 m/s^2.

1-kg mass hangs from a 20-N scale