Quantum Mechanics

Black Body Radiation Lamp

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Tungsten filament lamp whose color is temperature dependant in accordance with Planck's radiation law.

[In-Depth Description]

Wien's Displacement Law

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Changes in the spectral intensity distribution of a hot tungsten filament are qualitatively observed as the temperature is varied.

[In-Depth Description]

Purcell's Black Body Box

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Cardboard box black body; interior looks black despite being painted white.

[In-Depth Description]

Black Body Radiation Oven

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Clay and iron objects within a kiln; all radiate with same color when at thermal equilibrium.

[In-Depth Description]

Tether-ball Catastrophe

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Ball on string attached to rod; see the classical electron spiral into the nucleus!

[In-Depth Description]

Photoelectric Effect

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Discharge of electroscope using carbon arc UV source.

[In-Depth Description]

Planck's Constant Determination

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Spectral lines from mercury lamp incident on phototube; energy of photons equated to photoelectron stopping potential.

[In-Depth Description]

Electron Diffraction

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Cathode rays incident on crystal samples.

[In-Depth Description]

Uncertainty Principle

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Energy/time reciprocity relation using electromagnetic waves; simultaneous display in energy (frequency) and time domains.

[In-Depth Description]

SEE ALSO
Wave Packet simulation

Optical Analog of Uncertainty Principle

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Adjustable single slit diffraction; spatial localization (by slit) results in momentum spread of photons.

[In-Depth Description]

Ring of Fire

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deBroglie wavelength nλ=2πr shown by gas flame in a torus.

[In-Depth Description]

Tunneling Analog

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(Frustrated Total Internal Reflection) To reflect or not to reflect at the interface of two prisms in intimate contact? Adjust the potential barrier.

[In-Depth Description]

Microwave Tunneling Analog

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3 cm microwaves and prisms made of plastic beads demonstrate total internal reflection in one prism, and coupling of the evanescent wave to a second prism. An audio signal corresponds to the one kiloHertz modulation of the microwaves.

[In-Depth Description]

Big Chladni Plate

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Electromagnetically driven plate to show two dimensional modes of vibration.

[In-Depth Description]

Single Photon Interference

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Wave/particle duality observed in Young's double slit experiment with camera sensitive to individual photons.

[In-Depth Description]

Photochemical Reaction of Hydrogen and Chlorine

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Different colors of LED light illuminate a small corked test tube with no reaction. Ultraviolet light causes an explosion that shoots the cork across the room.

[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