MAH08593.m4v

Fog Tornado

An ultrasonic mist generator creates fog, a fan draws air upward, and directional vanes at the bottom excite the vortex, creating a tornado.

MVI_6052.m4v

Sparky

A low-voltage high-current power supply is connected to two rails. The circuit is completed by a rod laid across, whose magnetic field interacts with the array of permanent magnets beneath.

MAH05432.m4v

Fog Ring Shooter

An ultrasonic mist generator creates a fog within a small volume. The volume is reduced by applying an impulse and a ring vortex, entrained with fog, emerges.

IMG_3258.m4v

Lissajous Laser

A laser beam reflects off two mirrors and then onto a glow-in-the dark surface to create beautiful patterns.

IMG_6527.m4v

Polarizing LCD Screen

A polarizer sheet has been removed from a typical LCD screen allowing its content to be displayed only through a polarizer.

IMG_6516.m4v

Microwave Gas Ionization

Neon bulbs are arranged on the tray of a microwave. When it is turned on, the bulbs light.

IMG_6517.m4v

Bernoulli Balloon Hair Dryer

A hair dryer's heat is disabled and then it is pointed generally upward to levitate a balloon or light ball.

IMG_6536.m4v

Inductive Shocker

A battery (or generator) is hooked up to a circuit with a transformer coil. A change in current increases the voltage.

MAH09936.m4v

Aluminum Plasma Cutter

A circuit is completed at the junction of a graphite pencil "lead" and aluminum foil, creating plasma and cutting action.

IMG_6529.m4v

Magnet Dance

Pencil Sharpener

A cup with a magnet in it is glued upside-down on a pencil sharpener.

IMG_6525.m4v

TV Rainbow Magnetic Field

A TV is set to a blue screen. A magnet is manipulated to show its field lines in rainbow colors.

IMG_6522.m4v

Stepper Sounds

A stepper motor is hooked to a speaker. Turning the shaft produces audible frequencies that correspond to the rotation.

Clip2.m4v

Magnetic Music

A strip of tape that has audio recorded onto it is rubbed against the head of a tape player.

Dancing Styro Nodes.mov

Musically Marching Styro Beads

Small styrofoam beads dance in neat rows in the nodes of an acoustic standing wave.

IMG_6523.m4v

Human Battery

Two dissimilar metals are connected to a micro-ammeter. Completing the circuit with an electrolyte initiates electric current.

IMG_6534.m4v

String Thing

A blower creates high velocity air which carries a piece of yarn into its path. The yarn is looped so that it is constantly flowing through the tube and into the air.

MAH02533.m4v

Pitch Bending Music Generator

The motor of a tape player is hooked to a hand crank generator. The music changes with the voltage created.

MAH08467.m4v

Ring Launcher

A coil of wire connected to alternating current creates an oscillating magnetic field which induces an opposing magnetic field in a conductive ring, causing it to launch.

TV Oscilloscope.mov

TV Oscilloscope

The horizontal yoke of a TV is connected to a microphone or other audio device to create a corresponding wave pattern on the screen.

elastic cord massager.m4v

Elastic Cord Vibrations

An elastic cord is connected to an appliance that vibrates, creating standing wave nodes and antinodes that vary with tension, length, or driving frequency.

Big Head Fresnel.mov

Big Head Fresnel

The Fresnel lens from an overhead projector is fastened to an upside-down garbage can to make a helmet that makes your face huge.

IMG_6520 (1).m4v

Drill Generator

Create electricity with the turn of a crank! Have it power something, show you its voltage, or both!

IMG_6513 (1).m4v

Slinky Sounds

Did you ever listen to a slinky? Like really listen? The sound may remind you of an old science fiction movie!

IMG_6528 (1).m4v

Polarizing Mosaic

Rotate one polarizer with respect to another and beautiful colors will emerge from transparent-seeming film.