Bernoulli's Principle states that the pressure exerted by a fluid is velocity dependent; the faster the velocity the lower the pressure. This can be demonstrated by a form of Venturi tube, a pipe with a narrow constriction which forces an increase in fluid velocity.
How it works
The varying cross-section of the wind tunnel forces air to travel its length at different velocities, with the highest velocity being at its most constricted part. From equipartition of energy, the increased energy in one degree of freedom (the kinetic energy of the flow)...
The relative velocities of two sides of a spinning ball to an oncoming wind creates a pressure difference and therefore a net force on the ball perpendicular to the air flow.
figure 1. Direction of motion of ball due to pressure difference
J. L. M. Poiseulle and G. H. L. Hagen determined that the laminar flow rate of an incompressible fluid along a pipe is proportional to the fourth power of the pipe's radius. To test this idea, we'll show that you need sixteen tubes to pass as much water as one tube twice their diameter.
What it shows: Using the classical description of the motion of a spin in an external magnetic field, the demonstration helps visualize NMR in the time domain. The nuclear magnet and its classical vector model are represented by a spinning ball with magnets attached. A rotating mass is characterized by its angular momentum L, which is the analog of the magnetic moment mu, which characterizes a rotating charge distribution. The spinning ball mimics protons in that it has both angular momentum as well as an "intrinsic" magnetic moment. The torque...
A thin wire, moving through the air, is made to vibrate in the audio range at the vortex shedding frequency.
What it Shows
When air flows around an object, there is a range of flow velocities for which a von Karman vortex street is formed. The shedding of these vortices imparts a periodic force on the object. The force is quite small and not enough to accelerate the object to any significant amount, especially if the object is relatively massive. If the situation is such that the object can vibrate about a fixed position, we have the possibility of simple...
What it shows: Long before the time of Copernicus, the Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolemy created a model of all the planets' observed celestial motions. The model involved combinations of perfect circles rotating with uniform speed. Ptolemy explained the apparent "looping motion" of the planets by placing the center of one rotating circle, called the epicycle, which carried the planet, on another rotating circle, called the deferent, so that together the motions of the two circles produced the observed looping motion of the planet. Moreover, the...
A liter of warm water in large pyrex vessel, covered with fine mesh stainless steel screen, is on a stool close by in-floor vent hood. Add a few drops from the phenolphthalein indicator bottle.
Using the long forceps, pick out a pea size lump of sodium metal from the mineral oil in the small beaker. Wipe off the lump on the dry paper towels. With the vent fan running, lift the edge of the screen and drop in the sodium metal. Replace the screen and get back.
The sodium will from a hissing ball of molten metal, which bounces...
Blue balloon with hydrogen, green balloon with helium, red balloon in back with hydrogen and oxygen mixture, and, on a cart, a red water balloon on large watch glass. Candle on a stick with matches, and a needle in the end to prick the water balloon.
Safety glasses and hearing protection is required for the demonstrator and anyone else who can't cover their ears for the red balloon.
Lithium, sodium, and potassium undergo reactions with water.
Two liters of warm water in large pyrex vessel, covered with fine mesh stainless steel screen, is on a stool close by in-floor vent hood. Add a few drops from the phenolphthalein indicator bottle, and a few drops of 1M hydrochloric acid if the warm tap water turns pinkish.
Video camera is clamped to the stool leg, and pointed at the bottom of the beaker. Before class, frame the shot and focus on the center of the beaker.
Using the long forceps, pick out the coil of lithium wire from the mineral oil in...
Lights-up-in-the-dark three-dimensional model of the local group.
What it shows:
Three dimensional model of the local group of galaxies, with a scale of 1mm = 1kpc.
How it works:
A large wooden base board forms an x-y plane from which the approximate relative positions of the local galaxies are measured. The galaxies are LEDs and (for the two biggest, the Milky Way and Andromeda) 6V bulbs, mounted atop 8mm diameter plastic tubing; the length of the tube gives a z-axis position of the galaxy. The wires from the LEDs and...
Working model to show Kepler's 1st and 2nd laws and the equivalence of the area law to the law of equants.
What it shows:
A demonstration illustrating the equivalence of Kepler's second law, the Law of Areas, with the Law of Angles.
How it works:
In order to determine the orbit of Mars using circular orbits, Kepler had to offset the focus of Mars' orbit from the Sun to a point C (figure 1). Kepler's 2nd Law of planetary motion states that a planet's orbit around the Sun will sweep out equal areas in equal times....
Model to show celestial sphere; larger version has capacity to show lunar motions.
What it shows:
The position and motions of heavenly bodies are projected against a hypothetical sphere of infinite radius, centered on the Earth, called the Celestial Sphere. With this demo you can explain the motions of the stars and of the Sun, and show various aspects of the seasons.
How it works:
The main features of the sphere itself are shown schematically in figure 1. The spherical wire cage defines the celestial sphere, its...
Electrically driven machine to represent retrograde planetary motion according to Aristotle's theory of concentric spheres.
What it shows:
This is the realization of a proposed solution to retrograde motion put forward by Eudoxus (427 - 347 B.C.). Here a combination of three uniform circular motions produces retrograde motion.
How it works:
The hippopede machine consists of three concentric rings, with a point on the innermost representing the position of the planet. The assembly in figure 1 is held vertically in...