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This really tickeled me for some reason.
[URL]http://www.physics.umd.edu/ripe/icpe/newsletters/n34/marshmal.htm[/URL]
Finding the Speed of Light with
Marshmallows-A Take-Home Lab
Robert H. Stauffer, Jr., Cimarron-Memorial High School, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
I have heard that at 16 years old, Albert Einstein constantly wondered what it would be like to ride on a beam of light. Students in physics always seem to be fascinated by the properties of light. However, speed-of-light demonstrations often require extensive preparation or expensive equipment. I have prepared a simple classroom demonstration that the students can also use as a take-home lab.
The activity requires a microwave oven, a microwave-safe casserole dish, a bag of marshmallows, and a ruler. (The oven must be of the type that has no mechanical motion-no turntable or rotating mirror. If there is a turn-table, remove it first.) First, open the marshmallows and place them in the casserole dish, completely covering it with a layer one marshmallow thick. Next, put the dish of marshmallows in the microwave and cook on low heat. Microwaves do not cook evenly and the marshmallows will begin to melt at the hottest spots in the microwave. (I leaned this from our Food Science teacher Anita Cornwall.) Heat the marshmallows until they begin to melt in four or five different spots. Remove the dish from the microwave and observe the melted spots. Take the ruler and measure the distance between the melted spots. You will find that one distance repeats over and over. This distance will correspond to half the wavelength of the microwave, about 6 cm. Now turn the oven around and look for a small sign that gives you the frequency of the microwave. Most commercial microwaves operate at 2450 MHz.
All you do now is multiply the frequency by the wavelength. The product is the speed of light.
Example:
Velocity = Frequency X Wavelength
Velocity = 2450 MHz X 0.122 m
Velocity = 2.99 X 108 m/s
This works in my physics class, often with less than 5% error. Then the students can eat the marshmallows.
(Reprinted with permission from The Physics Teacher, vol. 35, April 1997, p. 231. Copyright 1997 American Association of Physics Teachers )
[URL]http://www.physics.umd.edu/ripe/icpe/newsletters/n34/marshmal.htm[/URL]
Finding the Speed of Light with
Marshmallows-A Take-Home Lab
Robert H. Stauffer, Jr., Cimarron-Memorial High School, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
I have heard that at 16 years old, Albert Einstein constantly wondered what it would be like to ride on a beam of light. Students in physics always seem to be fascinated by the properties of light. However, speed-of-light demonstrations often require extensive preparation or expensive equipment. I have prepared a simple classroom demonstration that the students can also use as a take-home lab.
The activity requires a microwave oven, a microwave-safe casserole dish, a bag of marshmallows, and a ruler. (The oven must be of the type that has no mechanical motion-no turntable or rotating mirror. If there is a turn-table, remove it first.) First, open the marshmallows and place them in the casserole dish, completely covering it with a layer one marshmallow thick. Next, put the dish of marshmallows in the microwave and cook on low heat. Microwaves do not cook evenly and the marshmallows will begin to melt at the hottest spots in the microwave. (I leaned this from our Food Science teacher Anita Cornwall.) Heat the marshmallows until they begin to melt in four or five different spots. Remove the dish from the microwave and observe the melted spots. Take the ruler and measure the distance between the melted spots. You will find that one distance repeats over and over. This distance will correspond to half the wavelength of the microwave, about 6 cm. Now turn the oven around and look for a small sign that gives you the frequency of the microwave. Most commercial microwaves operate at 2450 MHz.
All you do now is multiply the frequency by the wavelength. The product is the speed of light.
Example:
Velocity = Frequency X Wavelength
Velocity = 2450 MHz X 0.122 m
Velocity = 2.99 X 108 m/s
This works in my physics class, often with less than 5% error. Then the students can eat the marshmallows.
(Reprinted with permission from The Physics Teacher, vol. 35, April 1997, p. 231. Copyright 1997 American Association of Physics Teachers )
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Grix Thraves wrote:
> That's where I read it! Wahey!
*****
I'll have to update my hit counter to "1" ...
> That's where I read it! Wahey!
*****
I'll have to update my hit counter to "1" ...
The skyscraper is 256ft high. I can remote sense locations that I've never been too and even work out the height of buildings which don't exist. In fact I didn't look at Timmmargh's website to know what you are referring to.
That's where I read it! Wahey!
Grix Thraves wrote:
> That's quite a famous demonstration I think ...
*****
It is: [URL]http://timmargh.net/humour/skyscraper.shtml[/URL] to read it.
My website isn't looking the way it should right now but you can still read the article okay.
> That's quite a famous demonstration I think ...
*****
It is: [URL]http://timmargh.net/humour/skyscraper.shtml[/URL] to read it.
My website isn't looking the way it should right now but you can still read the article okay.
A piece of string and a barometer are a bit light aren't they? Personally I'd use an anvil, plenty of rope and a couple of beefy men :)
That's quite a famous demonstration I think, manly_monkey.. It involves a student who wrote in a paper that to calculate the height of a tower you attach the barometer to a piece of string, drop the barometer off the top to weight the string down, then measure the distance of the string and barometer. He was asked to explain further because it showed no scientific knowledge, even though it actually answered the question.
One of our lecturers decided to give an impromptu demonstration of how you can measure the height of a building several different ways with a barometer. It was an Advanced MIDI Implementation module...
Pandaemonium wrote:
> Cool. Let me know if it works. I doubt the girlfriend will let me try
> this one out. Spoilsport. She's got a long memory. :P
*****
Well, I pitched the idea and he loved it. I've gotta get some marshmellows for the next time I see him.
I'll let you know what happens.
> Cool. Let me know if it works. I doubt the girlfriend will let me try
> this one out. Spoilsport. She's got a long memory. :P
*****
Well, I pitched the idea and he loved it. I've gotta get some marshmellows for the next time I see him.
I'll let you know what happens.
Pandaemonium wrote:
> Then the students can eat the marshmallows.
Now i'm listening...
> Then the students can eat the marshmallows.
Now i'm listening...
Timmargh wrote:
> That's brilliant. I'm gonna try that with my dad - he loves that sort
> of stuff (science, not marshmellows).
Cool. Let me know if it works. I doubt the girlfriend will let me try this one out. Spoilsport. She's got a long memory. :P
> That's brilliant. I'm gonna try that with my dad - he loves that sort
> of stuff (science, not marshmellows).
Cool. Let me know if it works. I doubt the girlfriend will let me try this one out. Spoilsport. She's got a long memory. :P
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