UCSC Physics Demonstration Room
Demonstration Resources for UCSC
Refraction spectrum. Rubens tube. Van de Graaf generator (With "Hair"). Superconductor and magnet levitation. Speaker in vacuum chamber. Brewster's angle. Light Pipe (Total Internal Reflection).
Welcome to the UCSC Physics Demonstration Room! We are located in Thimann 2, between the two Thimann lecture halls. Here you will find a collection of the physical science demonstrations that UCSC has to offer. Our website is constantly being updated, so keep checking back to see what’s new!
How it Works
First, search the website to find a demo that will fulfill your teaching needs. Demos are listed both by topic (with suggestions as to what class they could be used for) and by course name/number. If you have something specific in mind, but don’t see it explicitly listed on the site, feel free to contact us; there may not be an official page for that demo yet, or we may be able to create a demo to suit your needs.
Once you find the demo(s) that you would like to use in your lecture or lab section, submit a request by filling out the online form. The demo room team will process your request and get back to you as soon as possible.
Demo Room News
Mystery Demos Mystery demos are demos we have in the demo room, but which are still in the process of getting a page (or we don’t know exactly what they do yet). They are available for use in your classroom, and any insight onto them is welcome.
Raw Materials Raw materials are things that may not be directly listed with our demonstrations, but can still be used at an instructor’s request.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
A bell can be heard ringing within a bell jar. The bell jar is connected to a vacuum pump and the air is slowly removed. Once a vacuum has been achieved the ...
This demonstration shows the effects of a change in atmospheric pressure. The latex balloon rests on a stand in a bell-jar. The balloon expands when the air is removed from the jar by a vacuum pump (Figure 1,2). Figure 1: Latex ballon …
Experiment to show sound cannot travel through a vacuum. This classic experiment is beautifully illustrated in this mini-vidclip: A bell can be heard ringing within a bell jar. The bell jar is …
A vacuum bell jar is placed on a base which is vented to a hose fitting, that can be connected via a hose to a vacuum pump. A vacuum is formed by pumping the air out of the bell jar. The lower edge of a vacuum bell jar forms a flange of heavy glass, ground smooth on the bottom for better contact. The base of the jar is equally heavy a…
Students can now safely produce a vacuum in a small bell jar right at their lab stations. By reducing the pressure in our microscale bell jar, they can expand a balloon, boil warm water, …
Start the bell, then pump the air out of the jar. Air pressure in the jar is read by the large gauge. As the air is removed, the sound intensity decreases, ultimately to nearly zero. Turn off the vacuum pump when the jar is evacuated and crack …
Bell in a Vacuum. Condition: Good. Principle: Lack of Sound in a Vacuum. Area of Study: Acoustics. Disclaimer. Equipment: Bell jar with sorbothane pad, vacuum pump, 6 volt battery with attached doorbell. Procedure: NOTE THAT THIS …
The apparatus collection at Dartmouth College includes this example of a bell that can be placed under the bell jar of a vacuum pump. At the left is a complete set-up for doing the bell in a vacuum demonstration.