physics experiments

[Guest Mr Billy]

I have just started working as a supply high school teacher in science. The lab part of the courses doesn't seem to interest the students all that much and I don't really blame them. The experiments are very basic and not that impressive. I am trying to think of new experiments and I was just wondering if anybody had suggestions about sources to consult (internet, books...). The courses that I teach touch a broad range of subjects: mechanics, optics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, general chemistry, technology, earth sciences, biology...

Thanks for any suggestions

[tecoyah]

If you are comfortable with it....I would suggest the double slat experiment....but it would inevitably lead to some relatively advanced concepts.

[LucidDreamer]

For the physics part of the course I suggest checking out a book called Thinking Physics by Lewis Carroll Epstein.

[Callipygous]

catapults.

[swansont]

catapults.

 

Bah. Trebuchets.

[Callipygous]

Bah. Trebuchets.

yeah, those too.

 

(i think catapults are closer to highschool ability though)

[YT2095]

how about building your own Radio, like a crystal set, you could even make your own Diode. or with the use of a single FET, make a powered set using home made batteries.

 

I`ve done it before, several years ago and it worked quite well, and was audible across a quiet room

[Guest Mr Billy]

thanks for the replies

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Please do not post in several forums. People read all of the forums normally.

 

But here are a few suggestions:

Try demonstrating a gauss rifle.

Perhaps some other magnet things, like a minuature maglev train.

 

A good resource: http://www.scitoys.com

[badchad]

This is going to sound silly, but I'm sure someone knows what I'm talking about and can explain.

 

My chemistry teacher had three large balloons filled with different gases when we walked into class my freshman year.

 

I'm not sure what each was filled with (which may say something about the use of this "experiment" as a teacher's aid) however, when he placed a lighter to each balloon, the last one exploded with such a large explosion, it felt as if a professional firework had gone off in the room. I'm sure someone here knows what gas I'm speaking of.

 

Also, making things glow is always cool. If you have bacteria or something you could try and transfect a luciferase gene into them.

 

Lazer pointers are cool for optic stuff. Try bouncing a beam off tons of different mirrors to make a design or something.

 

I had a teacher demonstrate waves by giving us humungous spring coils. When you shake them just right, you can get basic waves to demonstrate frequency, amplitude and stuff....

 

Dissections for biology....

 

 

lol, I've had lots of teachers I thought were pretty good. I'll think of some more and post them....

[Callipygous]

i dont know about lab activities but my physics teacher had a lot of really fun demonstrations.

 

for pendulums he had a chain hanging from the ceiling with a bowling ball on it. he would have us stand a few feet from it, raise it to our nose and then let it go and have us stand there as it came back without flinching.

 

the guy above me said something about lazers, mirrors and cool designs. he did this thing with a mirror attached to a speaker, played some music with a strong beat and turned off all the lights. really cool.

 

with the chain in the ceiling he demonstrated rotational inertia with a bike's front wheel. attached the chain to only one side and got it spinning to show us that the inertia of a spinning wheel can keep it vertical when it would otherwise be hanging on its side.

 

light detectors hooked up to a speaker, laser pointer hooked up to the microphone port of a tape player. play music from across the room, show that it stops when the beam is interrupted.

 

he did something with electrical charges, i dont remember the specifics but it involved a doll hanging from the ceiling due to an electro-magnet, he shot something out of a charged tube at it and the doll fell when it hit. not sure how that one worked.

 

shopvac hovercraft. im not going into details here, but im sure you can find designs online.

 

make sure to throw things at students who fall asleep.

 

if i think of more stuff ill post it.

 

i have never had the pleasure of witnessing this one, but have been told about it from others:

 

put a balloon over something in which electrolysis is taking place, give a lecture on electrolysis as the balloon fills, at the end of the lecture, light the balloon.

[YT2095]

Threads Merged.

 

Mr Billy, one thread per topic please

[Pseudoswallo]

yeah' date=' those too.

 

(i think catapults are closer to highschool ability though)[/quote']

 

Why so? Trebuchets to hard, or too easy? Because if You're thinking their too hard, I built one in grade 7. And anyways, they do accurately demonstrate the basic laws of physics.

[frostbite]

my suggestion, try the sodium metal + water trick. its violent but it will surely stir the whole class. hehe!! sorry its not physics.

[Callipygous]

Why so? Trebuchets to hard, or too easy? Because if You're thinking their too hard, I built one in grade 7. And anyways, they do accurately demonstrate the basic laws of physics.

 

 

i was thinking too hard. seems like it would be harder to scale into something small. it also seems like getting everything set up with the right lengths, and making the release mechanism might be a bit tricky.

 

catapult just seemed simpler. just a throwing arm on a spring, with a base to hold it all together.

[Igor Suman]

I have just started working as a supply high school teacher in science. The lab part of the courses doesn't seem to interest the students all that much and I don't really blame them. The experiments are very basic and not that impressive. I am trying to think of new experiments and I was just wondering if anybody had suggestions about sources to consult (internet' date=' books...). The courses that I teach touch a broad range of subjects: mechanics, optics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, general chemistry, technology, earth sciences, biology...

Thanks for any suggestions[/quote']

 

 

I suggest this Institute of Physics (IoP) site:-

http://www.iop.org/Our_Activities/Schools_and_Colleges/Teaching_Resources/Teaching%20Advanced%20Physics/index.html

[Pseudoswallo]

i was thinking too hard. seems like it would be harder to scale into something small. it also seems like getting everything set up with the right lengths' date=' and making the release mechanism might be a bit tricky.

 

catapult just seemed simpler. just a throwing arm on a spring, with a base to hold it all together.[/quote']

 

Yeah, I suppose a catapult would be easier, but trebs are more fun:D

Actually, they demonstrate different laws of physiscs, so you could do them both. Angular momentum, gravity, spring compression, etc. However, I remember my gr. 9 science class (physiscs) to be nothing but electricity.