Physics You Can Do It   A soda to demostrate fusion     Subject Fusion, meterology, energy, Magnus effect Level Upper secondary Language English Type Experiments   Many phenomena can be shown with difficult experimental apparatus. But children sometimes cannot understand how the apparatus works, so they can not understand the phenomena. That is why I will present a series of experiments that can be carried out with readily available household items. The Leydenfrost phenomenon and thermonuclear fusion The first phenomenon can be shown with a cut-off soda can bottom. If it is heated, water drops cannot evaporate from the surface. We can simulate fusion with water drops; if we make the soda can bottom into a special shape: a little hill in the centre and a little pit on the top of the hill, the hill plays the role of the Coulomb potential, with a water drop on the top of it. Another way to show thermonuclear fusion If we place a strong magnet under a plastic sheet, and another above it in the same direction, from a distance they repel each other, but if they are close enough, there is pull between them – just like between nuclei. Modelling a meteoric front In a boxy, transparent bottle, cold and warm water represents cold and warm air. If we let the cold water go, it scrambles under the warm water, just like a cold front. Amazing, how it goes, like a snake… The returning can This can comes back if you roll it away… It’s not magic, it’s more: physics! Cayley’s helicopter This helicopter model was made by Sir George Cayley, one of the world’s first aviators. It is very simple and made of wooden sticks, rubber and paper. The simplest air table It is made of a boxy bottle, and driven by a hairdryer. Frictionless movement can be shown on it. Cloud in a bottle This experiment shows how clouds are born. If air expands, it becomes cold, and vapor becomes visible – that’s a cloud. And it happens in a simple plastic bottle!     Contact details   Name Zoltan Köllö Email kolloz@illyes-bors.sulinet.hu       Last update: 17 July 2007 More Physics Teaching Ideas  •  A Boomerang Project (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEMLVJC4VUE_0.html)  •  "Seeing" Alternating Current (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEM3HKC4VUE_0.html)  •  A Merry-go-round as Alternative to the Wind Tunnel (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEMWO8ANMUE_0.html)  •  Electrodynamic Levitation and Travelling Magnetic Wave (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEMFA58OY2F_0.html)  •  Irish Teaching Ideas Booklets from POS2 and POS3 (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEMTO58OY2F_0.html)  •  A Bottle of Water with a Sachet of Mayonnaise (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEMJ468OY2F_0.html)  •  Handling the Canter of Mass (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEMQ968OY2F_0.html)  •  Reflection Study (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEMCO78OY2F_0.html)  •  Testing UV Absorption Effectiveness of Sun Screen (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEMM888OY2F_0.html)  •  E=mc2 (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEM3G88OY2F_0.html)  •  The Magic Castle (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEMBZ88OY2F_0.html)  •  Let’s prove the 4th Maxwell Equation (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEM3898OY2F_0.html)  •  Leonardo's Anemometer (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEMND98OY2F_0.html)  •  The Physics Teacher (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Science_on_Stage/SEMH4H8OY2F_0.html) Download  •  You Can Do It PDF (http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/scienceonstage/HU_Kollo_You_CAN_do_it.pdf)