Physics Demo Manual

Demonstrations are cataloged according to PIRA Bibliography

PLEASE REQUEST DEMOS WELL IN ADVANCE

Due to Physics Building renovations, the lead time to set up demo requests has increased due to the need to transport equipment across campus. Please be kind and let me know well ahead of time what you need.

Choose a Topic or Enter a keyword to search:

Mechanics
Fluid Mechanics
Oscillations And Waves
Thermodynamics
Electricity And Magnetism
Optics
Modern Physics
Audio-Visual
New or Modified Entries (within the last month)

I cannot find what I want!

You have selected the following Demos:

None Selected

Choose a subtopic:
(Clicking a green button will add that demo to your list)

Electrostatics
Electric Fields And Potential
Capacitance
Current and Resistance
Electromotive Force And Current
DC Circuits: Ohm's Law; Resistivity of a Pencil; Resistive Heating of Nichrome Wire; Blowing a Fuse; Wheatstone Bridge; video - Wheatstone Bridge II; video - Circuit Analysis; video - RC Circuit w/ Function Generator; RC Circuit w/ Battery; RC Time Constant (DECAY); Telephone model as simple DC circuit
Magnetic Materials
Magnetism
Inductance
Induction
Complex Circuits
Semiconductors And Tubes
Transmission Lines and Antennas

Resistive Heating of Nichrome Wire

Purpose:

To show that the kinetic energy lost by charge carriers due to collisions is transformed into thermal energyin a circuit

Procedure:

Connect a 6 or 12 V car battery to the nichrome wire setup using heavy gauge wire. Flip the switch on and watch the wire heat up and become red hot. One can throw a piece of cotton or paper on it for a better effect.

Hints:

Use heavy gauge wire from the battery to the nichrome wire and make a good contact with the battery terminal using alligator clips. If hung by a tooth the clips will heat up as well.

Equipment:

Heavy Gauge Wire
12 V Car Battery
Nichrome wire setup