Tagged Questions
1
vote
0answers
73 views
Easy question about magnetism?
I have to build a simple electric motor by attaching a magnet to a battery, extending the terminals of the battery (with stiff wires so they could act as supports), and placing a coil of wire on top ...
5
votes
1answer
85 views
Whistling on bottle tops
It is well known that if you blow horizontally on a bottle top it creates a sound. Pouring water to the bottle changes the pitch.
I have been doing experiments on the relation between the sound's ...
5
votes
3answers
218 views
How can I determine the coefficient $k$ in $ \dfrac{dT}{dt} = -k(T - 100 \mathrm{^\circ C}) $?
I recently spend some time on cooking and I'm curious about the time evolution of the temperature of the water. I did some experiment and the temperature is of the form
$$ T = 100 \mathrm{^\circ C} + ...
8
votes
3answers
523 views
How hot is the water in the pot?
Question: How hot is the water in the pot? More precisely speaking, how can I get a temperature of the water as a function of time a priori?
Background & My attempt: Recently I started spend ...
1
vote
3answers
90 views
How to design an experiment that shows that a rectangular pulse can be expressed as a series of infinite sinusoids?
Is it possible to design a physical experiment that shows that a time limited signal, such as a rectangular pulse is composed of infinite continuous sine/cosine waves?
2
votes
1answer
99 views
Can you tell just from its gravity whether the Moon is above or below you?
If you are on a place of Earth where the Moon is currently directly above or directly below you, you experience a slightly reduced gravitational acceleration because of Moon's gravity. This is what ...
3
votes
0answers
90 views
Why is a washing machine unable to spin-dry a duvet?
Background story: I put my duvet (synthetic filling) into a washing machine, and the machine was unable to spin-dry it. My mom told me: "It's because it is full of air".
I was not satisfied with the ...
0
votes
0answers
324 views
Simple physics experiments to do on your own [closed]
I have a lot of free time on my hands since it is vacation, and I want to spend the time doing some interesting and simple physics experiment, for which you do not need a lot. For example, I recently ...
1
vote
1answer
126 views
Metal rod between a capacitor
In my experiment, I am filling liquid crystal between two glass plates. Nn AC voltage is applied on them. The thickness of the liquid crystal cell is around $200 \mu m$. One glass plate is with +V and ...
3
votes
2answers
129 views
Most sophisticated experiment you could perform in your garage? [closed]
What are some of the most elegant/complex/sophisticated physics experiments one could perform in his garage, if he has enough spare time and technical/theoretical know-how, but a relatively limited ...
3
votes
3answers
338 views
How to measure force of impact inside container?
I am in 7th grade and for my science fair project, I need a way to measure the force on a dropped object when it hits the ground. What I am trying to determine is which packing materials provide the ...
1
vote
3answers
172 views
Quantum experiments in the pre-industrial era
Could an 18th century or earlier scientist have come across phenomena which require quantum theories to explain them, given the apparatus available at the time?
I'll choose 1805 as the cut-off date, ...
160
votes
19answers
55k views
Cooling a cup of coffee with help of a spoon
During the breakfast with my colleagues, a question popped into my head:
What is the fastest method to cool a cup of coffee, if your only available instrument is a spoon?
A qualitative answer would ...
5
votes
8answers
425 views
Example of a time varying function which can be easily measured
My sister is in 10th grade. She doesn't seem to understand the concept of time varying functions (current, light, sound wave forms etc). I explained her in easiest possible terms. She got it but not ...
4
votes
4answers
396 views
How would you design an experiment to grok optical phenomena?
I've been toying with the idea of making a 3D scanner that uses an IR distance sensor to find position vectors of an object in space and then translates that into a 3D computer model.
One of the ...
28
votes
13answers
7k views
Home experiments to derive the speed of light?
Are there any experiments I can do to derive the speed of light with only common household tools?
11
votes
4answers
1k views
How can I measure the mass of the earth at home?
How can I measure the mass of the earth at home?
How was the mass of the earth first measured?
5
votes
2answers
512 views
What are insightful/impressive experiments for adults
Similar to this question: what experiements do you think are impressive for layman adults?
I for example like how you can simulate an Einstein Ring with the bottom of a wine glass.
12
votes
9answers
906 views
What are good mechanics experiments for 10 year olds?
I'm trying to explain elementary mechanics - without the benefits of calculus or even algebra - and struggling. I'd like to find reasonable ways to demonstrate Newton's laws, minimally, and possibly ...
