Inverse Square Law
[XL | t+++ | —]
Large climbing frame shaped to show inverse square relation of light intensity (smaller version also available).
Tower of Spectra
[M | t | — ]
Assembly of three gas discharge tubes and white light source for spectral analysis with diffraction gratings.
[In-Depth Description]
Sodium Absorption
[L | t+ | ★★★ ]
Burning of sodium bicarbonate in Bunsen flame produces sodium absorption lines in continuous spectrum.
[In-Depth Description]
Boltzmann Distribution
[M | t+ | —]
Mechanical analog of energy level populations which models a gas at essentially any temperature.
Collisional Broadening
[L |t+ | ★★★]
Na D-doublet absorption lines broaden into one large absorption band due to increase in pressure/temperature.
[In-Depth Description]
Spectrum Piano
[L | t | ★★★]
The visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum is represented by less than an octave of the keys; UV, IR, and microwaves are also indicated.
[In-Depth Description]
Relativity Train
[XL |t++ | ★★★★]
Demonstration of time dilation and length contraction gedanken experiment using a train on a track.
[In-Depth Description]
Bouncing Photon
[XL | t++ | —]
A photon (modeled by a bouncing ping-pong ball) is observed from two reference frames and provides the motivation for time dilation.
[In-Depth Description]
Doppler Ball
[S | t | ★★★]
Plastic Wiffle Ball with built-in shriek to throw past (or at) your audience.
[In-Depth Description]
Doppler Turntable
[L | t+ | ★★]
Two speakers, one at each end of rotating platform; beating due to frequency shift of speakers travelling in opposite directions.
[In-Depth Description]
Doppler Whirler
[M | t | ★★★]
A high-pitched alarm on the end of a rope is whirled about the head.
[In-Depth Description]
Doppler Tuning Forks
[M | t | ★★]
Run towards the blackboard carrying a tuning fork...
[In-Depth Description]
Doppler Effect
[L | t+ | —]
Listen to the doppler shift of light as a moving mirror reflects laser light onto a photodetector.
Elastic Light
[M | t | ★★]
Wave drawn on elastic sheet shows redshift due to expansion of space.
[In-Depth Description]
Contact Us
Mailing Address: Lecture Demonstration Services, Science Center, Rm B-08A, 1 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Campus Location: Science Center B-08A | Tel: (617) 495-5824 | Email: scidemos-at-fas.harvard.edu