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Demonstrations

Identifier Title Summary
M: SHM - 016 Same Spring with Different Masses

Two identical springs have masses of differing amounts hung from them.  They are set in oscillation.

Two identical springs with different masses suspended from them
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
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 - 002 Standing Waves Driven by Motor

A standing wave is created using a rope that fluoresces in the presence of a black light.

Standing wave apparatus set up on 2 demo benches
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: WM&S - 003 Giant Slinky

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

Giant slinky suspended horizontally
M: WM&S - 004 Ripple Tank

Water in a ripple tank is used to demonstrate wave interference and diffraction.

A ripple tank sits atop an over head projector
M: WM&S - 006 Mechanical Model of Refraction
M: WM&S - 007 Mechanical Model of Standing Waves
M: WM&S - 008 Standing Waves on Oscilloscope
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
M: WM&S - 010 Tuning Fork and Ball on a String

A tuning fork causes a ball on a string to move with surprising amplitude.

A ball on a string hangs vertically next to a tuning fork connected to a resonating box
M: WM&S - 013 Air Currents and Rotating Disk
M: WM&S - 014 Bell in a Jar: Sound in a Vacuum

A bell ringing in a jar cannot be heard when air has been removed from the jar

A bell is contained within an air tight jar.
M: WM&S - 015 Reflection of Sound Waves
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
M: WM&S - 017 Sound Wave Interference with Audacity

Audacity (music editing program), in conjunction with the lecture hall speakers, is used to demonstrate constructive and destructive interference.

A screen shot of a 750 Hz tone in Audacity.
M: WM&S - 019 Rotating Tuning Fork
M: WM&S - 020 Mechanical Model of Doppler Effect
M: WM&S - 021 Resonance Boxes

Striking 1 bar with the mallet will produce tone on the other; Striking both bars, with a clip on 1, will produce beats.

Two resonance boxes and a mallet
M: WM&S - 022 Tone by Speed of Air
M: WM&S - 023 Amplify Tuning Fork with Mouth
M: WM&S - 024 Speaking with Helium
M: WM&S - 026 Vibrations on a Bar
M: WM&S - 027 Musical Slats
M: WM&S - 028 Metallophone

A metallophone is used to demonstrate concepts in sound.

A toy metallophone and an actual metallophone
M: WM&S - 029 The Sonometer
M: WM&S - 030 Combinational Tones
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: WM&S - 033 Twirling Sound Hose

A long tube is whirled in a circular motion overhead to produce a single tone.  Whirling at a faster speed creates overtones/higher harmonics.

3 Twirling Sound Hoses
M: WM&S - 034 Singing Rods
M: WM&S - 035 Fourier Synthesis
M: WM&S - 036 Moire Interference Patterns
M: WM&S - 039 Resonance Rods

6 wooden cubes of 3 differing colors and lengths are attached to a board.  Wobbling the board back and forth at a different frequency will cause resonance in different colors of cubes

Resonance Rod Apparatus
M: WM&S - 041 Drinking Straw Resonance
M: WM&S - 042 Torsion Wave Demonstrator

A collection of rods mounted on torsion wire can be used to demonstrate wave motion.

Torsion Wave Machine
M: WM&S - 043 Audio Beats

Two frequency generators are used to produce beats, consonance, and/or dissonance

Oscilloscope, 2 Frequency Generators, and a Speaker
M: WM&S - 045 Doppler Effect

A whistle whirled in a circular path demonstrates the doppler effect

Doppler whistle and power supply
M: WM&S - 048 Musical Instruments
M: WM&S - 050 Speaker and Candle

A candle in front of a speaker will flicker when a speaker produces sound waves.

A speaker sits on the second shelf of a cart with a candle in front of it.  A frequency generator and amplifier sit on the top shelf of the cart
M: WM&S - 053 Organ Pipes/Vibrating Columns of Air

A large pan-flute made of open-pipe tubes is used to demonstrate the physics of organs.

Large pan flute
M: WM&S - 054 Helmholtz Resonators

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

Two plastic bottles
M: WM&S - 055 Slide Whistle

A slide whistle is used to demonstrate how pitch changes with the length of the cavity.

Slide Whistle
M: WM&S - 52 High Frequency EM Waves

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

Dipole Apparatus
T: H - 002 Sagging Wire

As current is passed through a wire, it heats up and expands

A paper card hands from a wire suspended between 2 points
T: H - 003 Bimetallic Strips

A strip composed of two different types of metals is dipped into a dewar of liquid Nitrogen.  Since the metals contract at a different rate, they will curve one direction or the other.

Two metal strips composed of different types of metal sit on the bench top.
T: H - 005 Differential Gas Thermometer

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

Differential Glass Thermometer
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
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
T: H - 012 Low Temperature Behavior

Assorted objects are submerged in liquid nitrogen and smashed

carnation, dewar of liquid nitrogen, ball, rubber, marshmallows, spoon, tongs