Demonstrations in Class for Physics 150, Fall 2003
  1. Lecture 1: Introduction
    1. Newton's Cradle
    2. A deck of cards
    3. Tesla Coil with Light Bulb
    4. Atomic Spectral Lines and Diffraction Gratings
    5. Geiger Counter
  2. Lecture 2:
    1. Bow and arrow
    2. Toy cars with small and large friction
    3. Steel Balls of different weight
    4. Steel plate onto which to drop the balls
    5. Balls dropping in water, glycerin
    6. Bowling ball rolling on incline with flashing lights
    7. Constant acceleration using demos from Web site "Java Applets on Physics"
  3. Lecture 3: Toward Science of Mechanics
    1. Penny and Feather dropping in air and vacuum
    2. Electric tractor on a large sheet of cardboard
    3. Two Ball Drop
    4. Shoot the Monkey
    5. Projectile motion using demos from Web site "Java Applets on Physics"
  4. Lecture 4: Astronomy: The problem of the planets
    1. Sun, Earth, and Moon Rotations
    2. Shadows on Earth by Sun - I
    3. Shadows on Earth by Sun - II
    4. Model of Solar System
    5. Kepler's laws illustrated with demos from Web site "Java Applets on Physics"
  5. Lecture 5: Newton's 3 Laws and the Universal Law of Gravitation
    1. Tractor on a card
    2. Vectors: Circular chalkboard and magnetic stick-on vectors Also using demos from Web site "Java Applets on Physics"
    3. Cannon on a cart
    4. Cannon on a cart with pulley (same equipment as above)
    5. Rocket Cart (Fire Extinguisher cart)
    6. Ball on a string
  6. Lecture 6: Conservation Laws
    1. Air track with carts
    2. Bowling ball on wire from ceiling
    3. Track with rolling ball (NOT actually used in 2003)
    4. Bow and arrow
    5. Ball to drop
  7. Lecture 7: Second Law of Thermodynamics
    1. Dye dropped into water
    2. Steam engine
    3. Liquid Nitrogen steam engine
  8. Lecture 8: Electric and Magnetic Forces
    1. Pith Balls and Rod
    2. Electroscope
    3. Wimhurst Machine (Turning wheel with wire brushes that generates large voltages)
    4. Bar magnets on Vu Graph Projector
    5. Battery causing electric current
    6. Wire carrying current and compasses on Vu Graph Projector
  9. Lecture 9: Review of classical physics through Newton and second law
    10. The demos below are good review but were not actually done.
    1. Globe + Floodlight
    2. Various cylinders rolling down inclined plane
    3. Vectors on circular chalk board
    4. Ball on a string
  10. Lecture 10: Maxwell: Electromagnetic Waves
    1. Pith Balls and Rod
    2. Tesla Coil and tubes with neon gas; fluorescent tubes
    3. Electromagnetic Cannon (Sudden pulse of current generates large magnetic field that shoots off conducting ring)
    4. Electromagnetic Cannon Lights a Light Bulb
  11. Lecture 11: Waves and Interference
    1. Prism and white light source
    2. Bright light for showing diffraction effects - student can hold up small object or make narrow gaps with their finger to see diffraction patterns
    3. Slinky spring stretched on the floor
    4. Standing wave machine with Strobe
    5. Music instrument
    6. Interference of Sound from two speakers
    7. Interference of light from laser and two slits
  12. Lecture 12: Summary of Classical Physics; Michelson-Morley Exp.; Does the Earth really move?
    1. Tractor on card
    2. Sodium Lamp and glass plates
    3. Michelson Interferometer with laser and cell in which air pressure can be pumped by small hand pump
  13. Lecture 13: Special Theory of Relativity: Einstein
  14. Lecture 14: The Wedding of Space and Time
    1. "Smith's Relativity" Created by Dr. J. Smith, transparency on overhead projector that demonstrates the light-and-clocks basis for special relativity.
      • Purpose: To show the there must be time dilation if the speed of light is the same to all observers
      • Shows light crossing a train perpendicular to the motion, as seen by obervers on train and on te ground.
      • Note: the length perpendicular to the motion does not change - as can be seen by the fact that the train still fits on the track! (It is NOT obvious this must still be true at high speed - but it is obvious once one sees that both observers must observe the same physical phenomena, i.e., that the train moves on the track. Also the effect must be symmetrical: if the apparrent length in this dierction changed they could not agree on the facts.)
  15. Lecture 15: The faster you go the heavier you get: E = mc2
  16. Lecture 16: General Relativity: gravity and acceleration
  17. Lecture 17: Continue General Relativity
    1. Earth Globe
  18. Lecture 18: Review before Exam 2: Reminder demos
    1. Tesla Coil and tubes with neon gas; fluorescent tubes
    2. Interference of Sound from two speakers
    3. Music instrument.- standing sound wave
    4. Michelson Interferometer with laser and cell in which air pressure can be pumped by small hand pump
    5. "Smith's Relativity" Created by Dr. J. Smith, transparency on overhead projector that demonstrates the light-and-clocks basis for special relativity.
    6. Globe
  • Demos for lectures to be added during the course