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PHYS104

  • I2-43: CONVECTION - HOT PLATE

    I2-43
    See convection currents.
    The irregular refraction patterns created by convection currents in air heated from below are easily seen when light from a point source (foreground) shines through the air over a hot plate and onto a screen. This phenomenon is often seen when the sun shines brightly onto surfaces like cars and roads, and is responsible for the twinkling of stars.
    I0, LS1

  • I3-33 HELIUM BALLOON ON LIQUID NITROGEN

    I3-33
    Demonstrates how a gas contracts when cooled
    A helium balloon which is cooled by resting on a liquid nitrogen bath becomes becomes more dense -- by about a factor of 4. When the balloon is removed from the liquid nitrogen it warms up, expands, and floats away, unless it is tethered
    I0, FS1

    I3-33A

  • I4-03: LATENT HEAT - ICE TO WATER TO STEAM

    I4-03
    Show latent heat as ice is transformed to water and then to steam.
    A flask is filled to within one inch of the brim with a mixture of water and ice cubes at the freezing temperature of water. The flask is then heated for about 15 to 20 minutes with the burner on high, with the temperature measured by the dial thermometer. If you were to create a plot of temperature as a function of time, it would clearly show that extra heat is required to produce the ice-water and water-steam phase transitions.
    I0

  • I5-11 ADIABATIC PROCESS - AIR PISTON WITH THERMISTOR

    I5-11
    Demonstrates adiabatic compression and expansion of air
    A thermister is enclosed in a small cylinder of air, the volume of which can be rapidly changed by moving a piston up and down. Pushing the piston down compresses the air, the air heats and the temperature increases, producing an increase in the resistance of the thermistor. Pulling the piston up expands the air adiabatically, the air cools and the temperature decreases, producing a decrease in the resistance of the thermistor. The thermistor is identical to those used in the thermometer probes of the old commercial digital thermometer.
    I5, I0

  • I5-15: ADIABATIC EXPANSION OF CARBON DIOXIDE

    I5-15
    Illustrate adiabatic cooling by producing dry ice
    Carbon dioxide, leaked slowly out of the fire extinguisher onto a black felt cloth, produces dry ice, which can be easily seen. Adiabatic expansion and cooling occur when the CO2 gas comes out of the nozzle under high pressure and expands in the atmosphere. Enough is produced to pass the cloth around the class so that students can feel that it is actually cold. This experiment is a bit more complicated than simple adiabatic expansion. The carbon dioxide actually exists in the fire extinguisher as a liquid, so that much of the cooling is due to the evaporation of the liquid CO2 before it is ejected from the nozzle.
    FS1

  • I5-22 FIRE SYRINGE

    I5-22
    Demonstrates heating air by compression

    This demonstration consists of a transparent cylinder with a flared base, and a plunger that can be pushed into it. A small (very small) piece of cotton is pushed into the bottom of the tube using the wire provided, and the plunger is sealed into the tube. The plunger is pushed down sharply, compressing and thereby heating the air within. The temperature rises high enough to ignite the cotton with a flash, which can be readily seen through the plastic tube.
    Engagement Suggestion
    • Consider inviting a volunteer from the audience to try the demonstration. This will require careful supervision, but is safe. Just ensure that the syringe isn't knocked off the table by an overenthusiastic student!
    • This demonstration works best with a very small amount of cotton to ignite, no more than a few millimeters at most. Consider showing the device with different amounts of cotton, and how the results change. Encourage students to discuss reasons for this.
    Background
    This demonstration illustrates that an essentially fixed mass of air will increase in temperature when its volume is reduced, i.e. it is heated when compressed. The fire syringe is a simple piston, and can be used to introduce a discussion of the use of pistons in engines.

    Consider using this demonstration in conjunction with both other thermodynamics demonstrations from section I5, and relating it back to general gas behaviour with demonstrations from section I3.
    I5

  • I6-23 DIFFUSION - FOOD COLOR IN WATER

    I6-23
    Demonstrates diffusion
    A drop of food coloring is placed gently into a beaker of water. In a few minutes the food coloring will diffuse through the entire beaker of water.
    F2, glassware

  • J1-21 ELECTROSTATIC ATTRAC AND REPULS - CHARGED CYLINDERS

    J1-21
    Demonstrates electrostatic attraction and repulsion
    Charge the glass cylinders positive by rubbing with silk, and charge the hard rubber cylinder negative by rubbing with fur. The two positive glass cylinders repel each other, but both are attracted to the negative hard rubber cylinder.
    J1b

  • J2-03 VAN DE GRAAFF GENERATOR WITH GROUND SPHERE

    J2-03
    Demonstrates the operation of a Van de Graff generator and illustrates electrostatic concepts
    The ground sphere is positioned a few inches away from the Van de Graaff dome and grounded to the base of the Van de Graaff. When the machine is turned on, the dome becomes charged negative and the ground sphere becomes charged positive by induction. The ground sphere is attracted to the dome, as can be easily seen. After the spark, the two spheres lose their charges, and the ground sphere relaxes to its original position, whereupon the cycle repeats. See below for a paper by Dr. R. Berg on the fabrication and maintenance of the belt.
    J2a

  • J2-14 LIGHTNING ROD SIMULATOR

    J2-14
    Demonstrates how lightning rods really work
    A ground sphere is positioned adjacent to the Van de Graaff generator so that the ground sphere is charged by induction and creates large sparks. While this system is working, a grounded point is aimed at the Van de Graaff dome from a distance of several times the distance between the dome and the ground sphere. The grounded point discharges the dome at a much lower potential, preventing buildup of charge on the ground sphere and the concomitant spark discharge.
    J2a

  • J5-20 OERSTED EXPERIMENT- LARGE COIL AND COMPASS

    J5-20
    Demonstrates that magnetic fields are generated around current-carrying wires
    The compass is positioned within the coil. When current is run through the coil the compass lines up along the axis of the coil in the direction of the magnetic field.
    J5, PS1

  • K1-03 FORCE ON CURRENT IN MAGNETIC FIELD

    K1-03
    Demonstrates force on a current-carrying wire in a magnetic field

    A wire (reinforced by a plastic tube for safety) passes between the pole tips of a strong magnet. When the key is pressed so that current flows in the wire, the wire jumps out from between the pole tips.
    Engagement Suggestion
    • Once students have seen what happens, encourage them to predict the results of reversing the direction of the flow of current. Then swap the leads and show what happens. Have them discuss the results.
    • What if you flip the magnet itself over? Again, have them predict what will happen, then try the experiment and discuss.
    Background

    This illustrates the Lorentz force, or Laplace force, as predicted by Maxwell’s equations. A current flowing through a magnetic field experiences a force determined by the cross product of the current vector and the magnetic field.


    See demonstration K1-04 in this section for a more portable version of this experiment.

    K1

  • K2-02 INDUCTION IN A SINGLE WIRE

    K2-02
    Demonstrates magnetic induction
    A single wire is connected to a projection galvenometer. Passing the wire quickly between the pole tips of a strong permanent magnet induces electric current, which is seen on the meter.
    K2, K1

  • K2-42 LENZ'S LAW - MAGNET IN ALUMINUM TUBE

    K2-42
    Demonstrates Lenz's law

    Two arrays of magnets, containing five strong disc magnets each with small aluminum spacers between the magnets, are dropped through a vertical aluminum tube. One set, having its poles North-to-South, has very little external field, and falls very quickly through the tube. The other set, having its poles arranged North-to-North, then South-to South, etc., has a large external field. A solid aluminum bar of the same size is also available for comparison.

    Background

    As the magnetic array falls, it induces large currents in the aluminum tube. According to Lenz's law, these currents interact with the falling magnet array so as to oppose its (falling) motion, and the array takes several seconds to fall about two meters through the tube. By comparison, the aluminum rod falls much more quickly. For advanced students, compare the two different magnetic arrays, to show the relationship between the amount of slowing and the changing flux. For the simpler form of the demonstration, just use the aluminum rod and the North-North South-South array (marked with a red dot) to maximize the difference.

    Optionally, a smaller portable handheld of this demonstration is available upon request, suitable for small groups.
    FS2

  • K2-44 EDDY CURRENT PENDULUM

    K2-44
    Shows the damping of pendula due to eddy currents

    Pendula with bobs of different materials and geometries are swung through the poles of a strong horseshoe magnet. The amount of damping is greater for those bobs in which strong eddy currents can flow. Bobs include, solid copper, copper loop, broken copper loop, laminated copper, copper with central hole, aluminum, and wood.
    Engagement Suggestion

    After showing the swing of the nonconductive (wood) pendulum, encourage students to make a prediction about what the copper disc will do.

    Ideas to ask them about as discussion prompts:
    • • Will it swing just the same,
    • • stop immediately in the magnetic field,
    • • slowly slow down after a couple of swings,
    • • or gain energy and swing higher/faster?
    Background
    As a conductive pendulum swings into the magnetic field, the changing magnetic flux induces electrical eddy currents in the metal. Some shapes (e.g. solid disc) offer more opportunity for these currents to form and grow. Outside of the magnetic field, these currents disappear at the magnetic flux does, but each pass through the magnet creates the currents again. This causes a gradual loss of kinetic energy in the pendulum.
    K2, K1

  • K2-62 CAN SMASHER - ELECTROMAGNETIC

    K2-62
    Blasts a soda can into two pieces using electromagnetism

    A 400 microfarad capacitor is charged to 3000 volts (1.8 kilojoules) and discharged through a three-turn coil into which an aluminum soft drink can has been positioned. With the circular windows open, the two pieces of the can will be blasted over thirty feet to the sides of the large lecture hall. Charging the capacitor to less voltage results in a can with a "waist."

    This device can be explained in two distinct ways:
    (1) The rapidly rising current creates a rapidly rising magnetic field along the axis of the coil, which in turn induces an electric field going in circles inside the coil. The induced electric field causes an electron current in the can which experiences a vxB force in the magnetic field of the coil, causing the can to break into two pieces which are blown to the opposite sides of the lecture hall.
    (2) A type of "theta pinch" phenomenon. More information on this is available from Wikipedia. Another way to understand this is that the induced current around the can is opposite to the current in the primary coil, since it is opposing the change in flux. These concentric opposite currents repel each other, so the can is pinched and torn apart and ejected out the sides.

    This is an UNFORGETTABLE DEMONSTRATION. A must when you cover electromagnetism.

    This video, from the Video Encyclopedia of Physics Demonstrations, shows the operation of the can crusher with an animation illustrating (1) the electron current in the coil, (2) the vector magnetic field that it creates, (3) the induced electric field within the coil created as the coil current rapidly rises, (4) the electron current circling in the can created by that induced electric field, (5) and the vxB force on the electrons moving around the can.

    Following a description of the crusher electronic components, the animation is displayed. The animation may be stopped so that the directions can be studied in detail for the five (5) quantities listed above. Using the left hand rule (for electrons) the directions can be verified; note that according to Lenz's law the direction of the electron current induced in the can must be in the opposite direction to the electron current in the coil.

    Note that the magnetic field at either end of the coil possesses both an axial and a radial component; the electron current in the can is entirely azimuthal. Using the left hand rule to determine the direction of the cross product of the electron velocity and the magnetic field, it can be seen that the axial component of the magnetic field leads to an inward force, crushing the can, while the radial field component leads to an axial force, away from the plane of the coil at both ends of the can, causing the two parts of the can to move rapidly away from the coil. (In the large lecture hall the two parts of the can will be blown to the sides of the lecture hall.)

    The web site http://hibp.ecse.rpi.edu/Can_Crusher/home.html contains a drawing and animation showing how the RPI electromagnetic can crusher works.

    FS1

  • K4-07 BICYCLE GENERATOR

    K4-07
    Demonstrates a 110 VAC magnetoelectric generator, and the relationship of work to power output

    Pedaling the bicycle generates 110 VAC, which can be used to light an array of five 110 volt 150 watt lights. The sum, totaling 750 watts or about one horsepower when fully lit, can be verified using the voltmeter on the generator housing.
    K4, FS1

  • K4-41: MOTOR-GENERATOR PAIR

    K4-41
    Demonstrate that a motor and a generator are the same.
    A pair of identical motor-generators are connected together. Cranking either one as a generator makes the other one rotate as a motor. Reversing the direction of cranking the generator reverses the direction of the motor.

    This helps to illustrate the concept that motors and generators are basically the same apparatus used in different ways. Students may recognize this concept as it relates to ideas like regenerative braking.
    K4

  • K5-42: TRANSISTOR

    K5-42
    Demonstrate a transistor circuit.
    A high-current transistor controlled by a flashlight battery operates an automobile headlamp by switching a 7.5volt heavy duty dry cell onto the light. The circuit for the system is shown above, and is included with the demonstration. By removing and replacing wires it can be shown that the flashlight battery alone cannot operate the light and that the heavy duty dry cell connected directly to the light turns the light on.

  • K6-41: DIODE RECTIFIERS AND FILTERS

    K6-41
    Demonstrate rectification of 60 Hz AC by a diode and by a bridge rectifier.
    This demonstration exhibits two ways to rectify an oscillating signal into an approximately continuous voltage. As seen in the circuits above, a single diode can be used as a half-wave rectifier, or a bridge rectifier can be used as a full-wave rectifier. An inductor and a capacitor are used to filter the ripple from the resulting output. A load must be present for the circuit to work properly. Note: Connecting the terminal marked "inductor" shorts out the inductor, removing it from the circuit; but connecting the outputs marked "capacitor" puts the capacitor into the circuit.

    Arranged above are sets of pictures for each of the two rectifiers: half wave (diode) and full wave (bridge) rectifier circuit. Left to right, each set includes (1) the setup, (2) the output with no filtering, (3) the output filtered by the inductor only, (4) the output filtered by the capacitor only, and (5) the output filtered by both the inductor and the capacitor.