Outreach Demos - LN2 Rocket??

[Papiewski, John]

I've made some improvements to our Demo web pages in the past year or so:

 

http://physics.neiu.edu/demos/index.html

 

You can browse demo equipment we have for ideas.  If you see something you like, let me know.

 

Some items you may be interested in:

 

* Bed of Nails - we have a bed of nails you can lay on.  Maybe put a towel on it first so your shirt doesn't get snagged.  Then invite a student to try it.

 

* Hand warmer.  This is a sealed pouch containing a supersaturated salt solution.  It looks like water.  Squeeze a button inside and it turns into a solid crystal mass in seconds and gives off heat.  Demonstrates supercritical solutions and exothermic reactions.

 

* Why is the sky blue?  Why does the sun look red at sunrise/sunset?  Glue sticks and multicolored LED keychain lights demonstrate how light of different wavelengths scatters in a medium.

 

* Magnetic field demo - metal particles suspended in a liquid in clear plastic block - insert a magnet and see the field around it.

 

Anyway, browse the demos, let me know if you see anything you like.

 

 

 

About the LN2 rocket - at the SPS meeting you guys were talking about some custom made rockets... how about an LN2 rocket?  Design a tank & chamber with a high pressure relief valve that comes out the top (so the LN2 doesn't leak out the bottom.)  The high pressure gas is the propellant.  Google 'liquid nitrogen rocket' for ideas.