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

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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

Gauss Gun - Elastic and Inelastic Collisions

Purpose:

A dramatic way of demonstrating elastic and inelastic collisions.

Procedure:

This is a glorified version of the executive toy. Set up several bunches of 3 ball bearings attached to a single neodymium magnet on the u-shaped track. Overall we have 10 magnets so 10 bunches can be set up at most. Slightly roll a single ball from the side of the magnets and see the last ball in the series to come off with great speed.

Hints:

This demo can be used as a mechanical model of a linear accelerator or even as a simple demo of a photoelectric effect.