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)

Measurement
Motion In One Dimension
Motion In Two Dimensions
Newton's First Law
Newton's Second Law
Newton's Third Law
Statics Of Rigid Bodies
Applications Of Newton's Laws
Gravity
Work and Energy
Momentum: Egg in a Sheet; Reaction Cars; video - Ballistics on Air Track; Ballistic Pendulum; Fire Extinguisher Rocket Cart; Water Rocket; Rocket Tricycle; Methanol Rocket (Explode a Milk Jug); Match Rocket; video - 2-Liter Bottle Rocket; video - Hovercraft; video - Air Track Collisions; video - Newton's Cradle Collisions; video - Battering Ram Collisions; Gauss Gun - Elastic and Inelastic Collisions; video - Double Ball Bounce; video - Air Table Collisions
Rotational Motion
Properties of Matter

Match Rocket

Purpose:

THIS DEMO IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE - you are welcome to make your own match rocket.

To demonstrate the conservation of momentum phenomena by showing that a large transfer of momentum can be obtained with the ejection of a small amount of fumes if the fumes are moving relatively fast.

Procedure:

THIS DEMO IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE - you are welcome to make your own match rocket.

Build a match rocket:
Match Rocket You Tube Video
set it on the wire stand and light up the front end.

Hints:

THIS DEMO IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE - you are welcome to make your own match rocket.

Clamp the fat end really tight otherwise it will unravel. The tighter one makes it the longer it takes to heat up and launch. Avoid heating the rocket tube, it will weaken the foil and the fumes will come out of the burnt hole on the side instead of the nozzle.