Physics and Astronomy Demonstration Resources

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The Mechanical Universe and Beyond

VIDEO TAPES (VHS)

Each video episode is 30 minutes long.

Part I

1. .... Introductory preview introduces revolutionary ideas and heroes from Copernicus to Newton and links the physics of the heavens and the earth.

2. .... All bodies fall at the same rate: Penny and the Feather Demonstration, thought experiment of two attached falling bodies (shows what would happen if the acceleration of a body was mass dependent), shows how the distance fallen goes as t². Defines the average and instantaneous velocity and also introduces the derivative.

3. .... The Derivative is defined. The graphical meaning of taking the derivative of a function is shown. The derivatives of some simple functions are found.

4. .... The inertia video focuses on the life of Galileo. Included, is his explanation of why falling objects on a spinning earth appear to fall straight down and his definition of inertia. A few of the simulations and demonstrations used in the video include: rolling balls down and incline (objects move in straight lines unless acted on by forces), a Ball dropped from the mask of a moving boat, and a simulation of the trajectory of a ball falling from a tower on a spinning earth.

5. .... Vectors: This episode centers around the procedure the Coast Guard would use to locate and rescue a lost and drifting ship. Vector properties (addition, subtraction, Dot product, and cross product) are introduced and illustrated by simulation and animation. The finally of the video is the solution to the problem of locating the missing ship.

6. .... Newton's Laws represents the final blow to the Aristotlean view of the world and the rise of the Newtonian view. This episode covers Newton's analysis of projectile trajectories, the meaning of inertia, and the compilation of his three laws of motion. Simulations and demonstrations included in the video are: penny and feather (brief), rocket ship in space, falling bodies trajectories of a cannon ball, and the monkey and the hunter demonstration.

7. .... Both Newton and Leibniz arrive at the conclusion that differentiation and integration are inverse processes. In this video the graphical and algebraic meaning of integration are explained (simulations) and techniques for integrating simple functions are shown. Integration also documentsNewton's and Leibniz's personal conflict about whoinvented calculus.

8. .... The Apple and the Moon investigates the gravitational attraction between any two bodies. Newton's cannon on a hill argument of why the moon orbits the earth is discussed. The video also shows that the orbit of the moon can be correctly predicted by Newton's Law of Gravity.

9. .... Moving in Circles takes a look at the Platonic theory of uniform circular motion for celestial bodies. A few of the highlights of this episode include introduction of Cartesian coordinate system [x/r=cos(θ), y/r=sin(θ)], Ptolemy's earth centered solar system [deferent and epicyle defined and simulated], Copernicus's sun centered solar system [Newton's explanation of why the Copernican system worked-- centripetal acceleration defined, vector diagrams shown, and simulations used], and the historical image (description) of Newton's character.

10. .... All physical phenomena of nature are explained by four forces: two nuclear, gravitational, and electrical/magnetic forces. This video introduces the four fundamental forces of nature and briefly describes how and where they act. Examples used in the video include the Cavendish experiment to "weigh the earth", contrasting and comparing the roles of mass and charge in their respective force equations, and a brief explanation of how an ion accelerator works.

11. .... Gravity, Electricity, and Magnetism sheds light on the mathematical form of the gravitational, electric, and magnetic forces. The video discusses what constitutes a fundamental constant of nature and shows a few demonstrations of these constants in use: Michelson's measurement of the speed of light, Oersted's demonstration of the field produced by a current carrying wire, the electric force between the plates of a parallel plate capacitor, and the forces between current carrying wires.

12. .... Details Millikan's oil drop experiment,finding the charge of a single electron. The tape also gives brief historical comments on Millikan and his peers.

13. .... Conservation of Energy starts with a little history of Galileo and his work with balls on inclines. It includes defining Work, Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy, and the units of Joules and Calories. The tape finishes with Mechanical Equivalent of Heat and a short section on energy from the sun.

14. .... Potential Energy briefly discusses the forms of Potential Energy. Introduces Gravitational Potential Energy and calculates the (escape) velocity needed to leave the earth's orbit. Calculates the energy used by a Fireman to climb a ten story building. Talks about potential wells and stable equilibrium. Demonstrates mass on an incline.

15. .... Conservation of Momentum starts with a brief history of Descartes,moves to Newton's formulation of force in terms of the change of momentum, and then has a nice simulation of the collision of pool balls. The film continues by defining Center of Mass, showing an explosion, and discussing the Earth Moon system (nice vector diagrams). Finally, the film ends with a brief discussion of what modern Physicists can learn form collisions.

16. .... Simple Harmonic motion begins by looking at a simple pendulum and a spring on a mass (simulation: F=- kx ). Details a little history about producing accurate time pieces,then solves the differential equation for S.H.M exploring how changing the amplitude, mass, or spring constant affects the state of motion (simulation). Shows that the projection of circular motion is S.H.M. and concludes with discussion of a ball in a bowl(motion, energy, stability,...).

17. .... Resonance is an excellent tape. The tape begins by talking about sound and tuning forks (Simulation) and continues with driven harmonic systems (simulations: varying parameters) . Demonstrations include a building and telephone wires resonating in the wind. It contains very nice film footage of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse and wind tunnel tests of a model of the bridge. The final demonstration is the dramatic shattering of a glass beaker with sound waves.

18. .... Waves begins by talking about Newton's attempt to measure the speed of sound. Then the video produces a simulation of sound (pressure waves in air). It goes on to define period, amplitude, and frequency and how they are related. Finishes by looking at the speeds of waves in several mediums, shallow water air, and deep water. A very nice video overall (also mentions Newton's fudging).

19. .... This video starts with the history of Kepler and a general discussion of epicyles ( orbits within orbits), used by his predecessors to explain the motions of the heavens, then moves to Kepler's second law (equal areas in equal times). The film also reviews linear momentum and angular momentum, concentrating on the conservation angular momentum of the planets

20. .... Torques and Gyroscopes, initially reviews Newton's Laws and defines torques. This video has a very nice simulation of a spinning wheel with all forces, torques, and angular momentum vectors labeled, followed by and explanation/simulation of why a spinning wheel won't fall down (defines precession). The video concludes with an explanation of the bulging and precession of the earth.

21. .... Kepler's Laws begins with a summary of the life and times of Kepler and Tycho Brahe. The video includes the definition of an ellipse ( parts: major & minor axis, focus, equation of, ...) the conic sections, and a brief statement defining Kepler's three Laws (1. each orbit an ellipse, 2.d(Area)/d(time)=constant, 3. period of orbit).

22. .... The Kepler Problem introduces how Newton deduced Galileo's and Kepler's Laws from his own Law of Gravity. The video includes an explanation of why orbits are ellipses, review of the conic sections, and a history of Galileo, Kepler, Brahe.

23. .... Energy and Eccentricity is a very good tape that encapsulates most of the previous two tapes and introduces how energy affects the eccentricity of an orbit. The video starts with a brief history of Galileo, Brahe, and Kepler, includes a very nice (quick) review of Kepler's Laws, and continues with a discussion of Newton's explanation of Galileo's and Kepler's work (conic sections also reviewed). The last half of the video explores how energy determines eccentricity [eccentricity defined and analyzed in terms of different types of orbits: e>1,e<=1,e=0]. The video finishes with a quick look at Halley's Comet's orbit. {Note: the film has many very nice simulations and animations.}

24. .... Navigating in Space: ( nice tape showing how satellites are launched to intersect a planet's orbit. ) Example of a satellite launch (calculations and simulations) changing orbits, gravity assistance in propelling space craft to predetermined destination (with vector simulations). The final part of the tape looks at Saturn's rings and shepherding moons.

25. .... Kepler to Einstein reviews Kepler's Laws, discusses why we have tides, and then introduces Einstein (briefly discusses principle of equivalence, relativity, and Black holes).

26. .... Harmony of the Spheres is and overview of the previous 25 video tapes. This tape contains quick reviews of key topics and important historical figures.

Part II

27. .... Beyond the Mechanical Universe is an overview of the next 25 tapes. There are a couple of short simulations, but mostly, the tape is introducing people,their time period,and achievements. (The friendship letters of Einstein andLevacheviti was a major topic in this video.)

28. .... Static Electricity introduces positive and negative charges (comic simulation), talks about conductors and insulators (nice simulation of electron in a metal), continues with a demonstration of a gold leaf electroscope, and finishes by discussing charging machines (Whimshurst, clouds, Van de Graaff...) and leyden jars.

29. .... The Electric Field begins with a little history about Michael Faraday. The video then looks at the force between charges, the fields of charges (simulations), Gauss's Law (defines flux...simulations), and finishes with a demonstration (and simulations) of the Faraday Ice Pail Experiment.

30. .... The Potential and Capacitance video defines electric potential and capacitance, looks at the forces on a test charge in an electric field, discusses how a capacitor works, and presents a brief history of Ben Franklin's life.

31. .... Voltage, Energy, and Force: This video begins by reviewing electric fields and electric potential (simulations and analogy [ lake - constant potential ]), discusses equipotential lines, looks at why a Van da Graaff does not and can not ionize the atoms around it, and finally, explains how the Van da Graaff manages to still throw sparks.

32. .... The Electric Battery is an exceptional video that explores the development of the storage battery. The film begins with a look at free electrons in a metal, illustrates the work functions associated with different metals (simulations and graphics), discusses the Voltaic Pile, and concludes with a look at a modern lead acid storage battery.

33. .... Electric Circuits: The works of Charles Wheatstone, Ohm, and Kirchhoff lead to the design and analysis of how currents flow. This video initially defines current (I=dq/dt), then advances Ohm's Law ( defining resistance and comparing it to water in a pipe, continues by discussing electrons in a conductor and defining power (P=VI), and finishes with Kirchhoff's Laws of loop voltage and current nodes. ( Simulations and animations throughout video.)

34. .... Magnetism traces William Gilbert's initial

discovery that the earth behaves like a giant magnet to modern insights into the earth's magnetic field, Van Allen Belt and solar winds. The video begins by discussing at what temperature a material becomes magnetic (Curie Temperature), defines Gauss' Law (simulation/animations), and concludes by defining and illustrating the Lorentz Force ( F = qv x b ).

35. .... The Magnetic Field video looks at the Biot and Sarvart Law , the force between electric currents, and Ampere's Law. Simulations and Animations include: Oersted Demo. (a current carrying wire produces a magnetic field), B-field of a long straight wire ( mathematics developed), solenoid field, toroid field, problem of the forces between current carrying wires, and a quick review of Maxwell's Equations.

36. .... Vector Fields and Hydrodynamics looks at the vector fields associated with water waves and generalizes them to magnetic and electric fields. The video begins with a quick review of Maxwell's equations (with simulations), defines flux (generalizing between water fields and E&M fields), looks at Vortex flow in water (analogy with strength of magnetic field), talks about the energy density of fields, and finally, demonstrates the stability of vortex rings by blowing out a line of candles from across the room with a smoke ring (air vortex ring).

37. .... Electromagnetic Induction highlights some of the contributions of Oersted, Faraday, Lenz, Edison, and Tesla to the understanding and application of magnetic fields. The video uses simulation and animation to help define and explain the force on a moving charge in a magnetic field (F=qV × B), Faraday's Law (Emf=-d φ/dt), Lenz Law of Induced Currents, and self inductance. The film ends with a demonstration of an eddy current pendulum, jumping ring, and toroid (shows that the field of a toroid is confined to the inside of the coils).

38. .... Alternating Current : Electromagnetic induction makes it easy to generate alternating current, while transformers make it practical to distribute it over long distances. This video covers the historical lives of Edison and Tesla and also looks at the theory behind alternating current. Simulations and animations are used to illustrate driven harmonic oscillators, the affect of resistance (damping) on and L.R.C circuit (including R.C. and L.R. circuits), and the transfer of power (transformers).

39. .... Maxwell's Equations begins with a brief history of Maxwell and his times. The video continues with a simulation of Faraday's lines of force and discusses Maxwell's calculations of the speeds of waves in different mediums (water, air, linked oscillators, and in Faraday's lines of force). There also are simulations of E.& M. waves moving through space, analysis of displacement currents in a capacitors, and most importantly the formal presentation of Maxwell's Equations (integral form).

40. .... The first half of the Optics video, begins by defining and discussing point sources and plain waves. The video then moves to refraction of a wave at a medium boundary, continuing with dispersion of light by a prism, and finally, defining the E&M spectrum (simulations used through-out). The second half of the Optics video looks at double slit interference of light; using laser demonstrations and simulations (varying wavelength and slit separation). The video also contains brief historical notes about Huygens and Young and a few comments about the nature of light with respect to charges, path taken, and vision.

41. .... The Michelson - Morley Experiment video is a historical perspective on scientific though (about E.M.Waves) in and around the mid eighteen hundreds. The video includes an overview of the experiment (expected results and implications), a discussion of relative motion, and, finally, an analysis of what the null result of the experiment implied. [This is an interesting,informative tape, which could easily be used as an introduction to special relativity.]

42. .... Lorentz Transformations has simple very clear animations/simulations that explain the meaning of relative motion (Galilean and Lorentzian) and simultaneity. For example, in the animation of simultaneity, Lorentz is on a moving train with a flashlight. He is trying to observe when each individual light wave hits the front and rear walls of the car. In his frame of reference, he believes they are hitting at the same time, whereas Einstein, who happens to be watching the

train go by, sees the light waves as hitting the front and rear walls at different times. The video also explains why moving clocks run slow and introduces space time diagrams.

43. .... Velocity and Time continues on with the discoveries of Special Relativity. This video includes a brief review of simultaneity, space time diagrams, and time dilation, then moves on to discuss meson decay (actual experiment) and the Twin Paradox. ( Simulations and animations throughout video.)

44. .... Mass, Momentum, and Energy is the final tape dealing with relativity. Although the video has a considerable amount of color commentary, it includes a nice animation/simulation of conservation of momentum observed from three different reference frames [ simulation: two space crafts launching balls at each other]. The video also includes a discussion about mass and energy equivalence (E=mc²) and calculates the Kinetic Energy of an ion accelerated to relativistic speeds. A short segment of the video illustrates the operation and use of a betatron.

45. .... Temperature and Gas Laws begins by introducing the Fahrenheit and Celsius scales and then moves on to the Kinetic Theory of Gases. The concept of pressure is defined and then investigated by means of a gas in a piston simulation. The piston simulation, nicely, illustrates the relationship between heating, the rise in average Kinetic Energy, and the pressure of a gas in a closed system. The video also includes (and illustrates) Boyle's Law (PV=constant), Charles' Law (V/T=constant), and the Ideal Gas Law (PV=nRT). Absolute Zero is defined and it's implications are discussed. Brief historical notes on Boyle, Charles, and the invention of the Fahrenheit Scale are also included.

46. .... Engine of Nature is centered around the Carnot Engine. The video opens with a brief look at the steam engine then moves to the Carnot Engine and Carnot Cycle (simulations and animations). The efficiency of an engine is defined and the video concludes with the introduction of Entropy.

47. .... Entropy begins with a refresher of the four laws of thermodynamics. This episode continues with a brief discussion why ice melts, but doesn't warm (experiment), followed by, why energy flows from high temperature objects to lower temperature objects (simulation and animation; thermal equilibrium defined). The video briefly reviews the Stirling engine and the Stirling Cycle before defining entropy þS=Q/T . The final section of the video introduces the concept of Free Energy (þF=þE-TþS).

48. .... The Low Temperatures episode records the processes involved in liquefying gases. P.V.T diagrams are shown and discussed. The video demonstrates liquid ethane going through its' Critical Point. Simulations are used to describe cooling by evaporation and the Joule-Tomspon Effect (a compressed gas let to expand quickly, cools). The final section of the video looks at the Linde process for the liquefaction of nitrogen. [ Final demonstration, fun with liquid nitrogen, freezing flowers, rubber football.]

49. .... The Atom is one of the best tapes in the Mechanical Universe Series. Not only does it describe what we perceive the atom to be, but also retraces the thought and experimental evidence that shaped the development of our concept of the atom. The video begins with the introduction of Bohr's solar system model of the atom; continues by, explaining the implications of circular electron orbits and noting the predictability of the hydrogen spectrum as defined by an empirically determined formula. The final section of the tape pulls together the work of Thompson, Rutherford, Plank, and others to theoretically predict the value of the Rydberg constant, and thus, the correct wavelengths (of E.M. radiation) emitted from the hydrogen atom. Simulations and animations are used effectively throughout this episode to expand-on and clarify concepts.

50. .... Particles and Waves looks at the properties of photons and electrons,namely their wave and particle properties. This episode begins by first discussing the experimental result that the "color" radiated by a heated body is only dependent on the temperature of the body being heated (Max Plank: E=hþ). Then the photoelectric effect is demonstrated by shining ultraviolet light on a charged zinc plate - discharging the plate. Einstein's explanation of the photoelectric is discussed (simulations; work function introduced and explained). Moving on, the video looks at De Broglie's wavelengths for electrons (-- how this accounts for quantized electron orbits), Schrödinger's wave packets and wave form spreading, ripple tank simulations of double slit diffraction (--leading into an explanation of electron diffraction), and finally, Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, which combined wave and particle properties in one mathematical expression. (Simulations and animation are used through-out these sections.) The final segment of the video provides the particle and wave explanation of polarization (demonstration and simulation).

51. .... From Atoms to Quarks begins with a brief review of the Bohr Atom, De Broglie's wavelength (orbits, integer wavelength of circumference), and Schrödinger's wave equation model. The next section of the video compares and contrasts the electron and photon using the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, calculates the most probable radius for and electron in its ground state and compares this to the Bohr orbital, and finally, simulates the orbitals of electrons in various n,l,ml,and ms quantum states building up the periodic table via the Pauli exclusion principle. The final section of the video introduces Quarks and their predicted behavior.

52. .... The Quantum Mechanical Universe : This episode is a very general overview of the entire course. It ties together the major insights and discoveries that moved physics forward to were we are today and provides a perspective form which to look beyond to the future of Physics.