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.

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Electrostatics
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Magnetic Materials
Magnetism: Magnet collection; video - Magnetic Fields w/ Iron Filings; video - Magnetic Fields w/ Matrix of Iron Rods; video - Magnetic Fields Associated with Current Carrying Wires 1; video - Magnetic Fields Associated with Current Carrying Wires 2; video - Solenoid w/ Iron core; video - Magnetic Deflection of an Electron Beam; video - e/m Tube Lorentz Force Demonstrator; Magnetohydrodynamic Motor; video - Forces Between Current Carrying Wires; video - Vibrating Lamp Filament; video - Force on a Current Carrying Wire in a Magnetic Field; Hall Effect; video - Galvanometer Movement
Inductance
Induction
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video - Solenoid w/ Iron core

Purpose:

To demonstrate ferromagnetic properties of Iron.

Procedure:

DEMO VIDEO DOWNLOAD w/ sound / 1920x1080 / 24.19Mb/s / 365MB size
DEMO VIDEO DOWNLOAD w/ sound / 854x480 / 5.69Mb/s / 86MB size

We have two sets of solenoid with iron core. The homemade green solenoid shown in the first two images and a newer red one in the third image.

Insert the Iron core halfway into the solenoid. Turn on the switch and observe the core movement. Notice the Iron rod gets attracted toward the center of the solenoid coil. Turn off the switch immediately after that. Leaving it on will result in damage to the solenoid, the battery or both.
Place the solenoid and iron core between two aluminum plates. This is an example of a "double chime" door bell. When the core is accelerated it will produce noticeable hammering/chime sound hitting the plates.
Similar experiments can be done with our newer red solenoid.

Hints:

The red solenoid is made by Ginsberg Scientific part# 7-1850-1. A black plastic tube of ID=0.80" is wrapped with copper wire to form a coil of 1-1/4" dia. by 4-1/4" long. The coil has 22 turns per inch, times 3 layers per turn to give a total of 300 turns. The iron core is 0.75" dia. by 6" long.