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Demonstrations

Identifier Title Summary
T: H - 027 Gyser
M: EngMom - 016 Hammer and Nail
M: WM&S - 002.5 Hand-Driven Waves

A transverse wave pulse is sent along a rope or coil, depending on lecturer preference

Rope is connected to the lecture bench
M: EngMom - 021 Happy/Sad Balls

Two balls are dropped onto the table - one bounces, the other does not. 

2 black balls rest on a table
M: WM&S - 031 Harmonic Pipe

A harmonic pipe connected to the in-house air supply can produce multiple overtones

The harmonic pipe rests on a white table.
M: SHM - 005 Heavy Physical Pendulum (Irregular Shape)

A large, black, irregularly-shaped pendulum

Irregular pendulum on stand rod
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
E&M: M - 031 Helmholtz Coil

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

Helmoltz Coil
M: WM&S - 054 Helmholtz Resonators

Sound is produced when blowing across the mouth of a pop bottle

Two plastic bottles
T: H - 036 Hero's Engine
M: WM&S - 52 High Frequency EM Waves

A radio transmitter with Hertzian Dipole Antenna is used to create a standing wave.

Dipole Apparatus
M: WM&S - 016 High Quality Tuning Forks and Sound Rods

A collection of high quality tuning forks and rods stored in a convenient box.

Box of tuning forks and sound rods
E&M: AC - 011 High-Pass and Low-Pass Filters

A demonstration of the effects of both/either a high pass filter and a low pass filter on an signal.

A function generator sends a signal to both inputs of the oscilloscope - 1 input is connected to a filter, the other is not.
M: Rot - 008 Hoberman Sphere

A Hoberman Sphere hangs from the ceiling and is set rotation.  Pulling a cord causes the sphere to shrink, which in turn, causes the rotation to increase in speed.

A Hoberman Sphere
T: H - 048 Holding a Test Tube of Boiling Water

A test tube of water is held near the bottom while the top is tilted into the flame of a bunsen burner.

Test Tube of Water, Bunsen Burner, Striker
L: W - 051 Hologram
E&M: C - 007 Homemade Battery to Light Lightbulb
M: EngMom - 022 Hooke's Law

Springs of differing spring constants are used to demonstrate Hooke's Law

3 different colored springs of different spring constants have identical masses hanging from them
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
M: EngMom - 018 Hopper Popper

A rubber half-sphere is turned inside out and dropped providing surprising results.

2 hopper poppers rest on on the table.
FL: HS - 001 Hydraulic Press

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

Hydraulic Press
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
Astro - 004 Hydrostatic Equilibrium

A series of magnetic disks on a vertical rod are used to demonstrate pressure at various distances

A series of magnetic disks on a vertical rod
E&M: C - 015 Ideal and Real Batteries

Lamps are added in parallel to current supplied by both a battery and a power supply; a noticeable difference in brightness is evident due to the internal resistance of the battery.

Power Supply, 3 bulbs in parallel, a 9V battery, a multimeter
E&M: C - 026 Identical Bulbs in Parallel

3 identical bulbs are connected to a power source in parallel.

3 25W bulbs connected in parallel to an AC switch
E&M: C - 025 Identical Bulbs in Series

3 Bulbs are connected in series to a power source

3 25-W bulbs are connected in series to an AC switch
M: SHM - 012 Identical Springs with Identical Masses

2 identical masses are hung from 2 identical springs.  The springs are stretched to different lengths and the masses are released.

Two identical masses hang from identical springs attached to a horizontal rod
M: D - 012 Inertial Balance

An inertial balance demonstrates how mass can be obtained without using gravity.

Inertial balance and masses
L: GO - 002 Intersecting Plane Mirrors
L: GO - 013 Inverted Shadow on Retina
E&M: Ind - 014 Jacob's Ladder

A large step-up transformer creates a visible arc

Jacob's Ladder Apparatus
M: K - 002 Jumping Ball

A ball is launched vertically from a car in motion.  The ball will follow an arched path and return to the car.

jumping ball
E&M: Ind - 010 Jumping Rings

Aluminum rings are launched into the air.

Electromagnet with iron core sits next to power stat.
E&M: M - 005 Jumping Wire

Current flowing through a wire located in a magnetic field will cause the wire to jump.

Wire hangs between poles of large Megatron magnet
E&M: AC - 001 Lamp Brightness in LRC

A lightbulb in an RLC circuit is will show when circuit reaches resonance with frequency generator.

Function Generator, Digital Oscilloscope, Variable Capacitor, Variable Inductor, Small Light Bulb
E&M: C - 005 Lamp with Heat

The wires providing power to a light bulb are heated.  As a result, the light bulb gets dimmer.

Light bulb with wires on ring stand, bunsen burner, striker
T: H - 010 Lamp with Heat

The wires of a small lamp are placed into an open flame.  As the wires heat up, the lamp dims due to the change in resistance of the wire.

small lamp attached to a coil of wire, held horizontal on a small ring stand, and suspended above a bunsen burner
E&M: ES - 006 Large Electrostatic Device
M: S - 022 Large Pulley System

A large pulley system uses a 5-lb barbell to suspend a 25-lb mass.

Close up of the ropes of the pulley - 6 ropes and 1 to pull
L: GO - 005 Large Searchlight Mirror/The Real Image

A large searchlight mirror is used to produce a real image of an inverted lightbulb.

An image of an inverted light bulb appears as though it were real
M: SHM - 008 Large Torsional Pendulum

A large torsional pendulum is rotated to provide oscillation

Large torsional pendulum
T: H - 020 Laser and Balloon
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
E&M: Ind - 025 LC Circuit
M: S - 009 Leaning Tower of Pisa

A model of the Leaning Tower of Pisa is used to demonstrate equilibrium.

Model of the Leaning Tower of Pisa with Top Removed
L: GO - 061 Lenses

A set of lenses regularly available to loan for off-site demonstrations

2 Boxes of Lenses
E&M: Ind - 019 Lenz's Law

A cylindrical magnet and a nonmagnetic cylinder are dropped down a long metal tube.  

A metal tube, a metal tube with a slit in the side, a cylindrical magnet, and a nonmagnetic cylinder
E&M: Ind - 023 Lenz's Law - Visible Motion

A magnetic ball rolls down a long L-brackete at a slower pace than a nonmagnetic ball.

Coffee Can, L-Bracket, Magnetic Ball, Nonmagentic Ball
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: ES - 010 Leyden Jar