Physics Demos and activities

by Debra Dimas Santa Teresa High School, San Jose, CA

  1. Road Runner Cartoon – A great way to start the year right!
  2. Explain to the students that most of them already know a great deal about physics because most of physics is about real life.
  3. Have the students divide their paper into two columns, one labeled “good physics” and one labeled “bad physics.”
  4. Tell them they are now going to get to watch cartoons in class because the Road Runner cartoon is a great way to see good and bad physics. Give them an example of each, such as…
  5. bad physics: Coyotes runs off cliff straight, looks down, then falls straight down
  6. good physics: Road Runner stops very fast and his neck stretches out in front of him (just over exaggerated)
  7. Show video
  8. Discuss student examples is class (I like to call on them and ask for one column or the other, then have them write it on the board if I and the class agree…if they are stuck for the one I ask I let me do the other column)
  9. Wine Rack Demo – Torque
  10. Drill a ¾” - 1” hole in a 2x4 board, saw off the end at an angle. Add an empty wine bottle and balance. If it won’t balance, try a new angle slice.
  11. The center of gravity needs to be right over the end of the board so no torque is applied since the lever arm is 0.
  12. Hot Dog and Pickle Demo – Ohm’s Law ****BE CAREFUL…THIS CAN PULL 2-3 AMPS SO KEEP STUDENTS AWAY AT ALL TIMES AND DO NOT TOUCH IT WHILE PLUGGED IN****
  13. Place two nails through a piece of wood. They should be close enough so a pickle can fit across them.
  14. Get an electrical cord and attach one end to one nail on the back.
  15. Add an AC ammeter in series to the other nail and the electrical cord.
  16. Add an AC voltmeter across the back of the nails.
  17. Add hot dog onto nails to complete circuit (make sure you are NOT plugged in yet)
  18. Plug into wall
  19. Measure voltage and current. Compute resistance.
  20. Have students predict how measurements will change when you change the resistor to a pickle.
  21. Repeat with the pickle.
  22. Turn off lights after about 10 seconds…but you can still take measurements if you want 