Cloud Chamber

Particle Zoo: Ever seen a muon?

Electrically charged particles are not directly visible, even in the diffusion cloud chamber. However, alpha and beta particles, protons, muons, electrons, and positrons leave their marks as clearly visible condensation trails.

The passing particles ionize the air along their path. The supersaturated alcohol vapor condenses on the remaining ions – the particle zoo has never looked more stunning!

thema-Links

Atomic and quantum physics

Atomic structure

Chaos

Chemistry

Mechanics

Physics

Radioactivity

Structure of matter

dokument-Links
10433 Teilchenspuren im Nebel DEFI ALT

Teilchenspuren im Nebel ALT (10433)

Workshop-Links
Magnetfelder

Tracking atoms – composition of matter

Physics lessons in mainstream school education were extremely limited during the 20th century – especially when it came to expensive and complex experiments.…

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11374 Haupt

"Delta Phi"

Optical phenomenon: caustics. The surface of this object resembles that of moving water. Illuminated from above, it reflects incoming light rays in various…

11798 Detail II

3D-Shadows

Shadows gain depth. Illuminated with red and green light, a tetrahedron casts a red and a green shadow on the screen. Viewed through glasses with red and…

11976 Phänomen

847 Compass needles

Magnetic Domains. There are 847 compass needles attached to a disc. Because they are so close together, they influence each other. With a magnet, the compass…

10104 Detail

A Slice of Turbulence

by Ned Kahn If the crest of the wave collapsed over the surfer off Hawaii and he could bring home a slice of salami from it, he would have the original to the…

10006 Detail

Additive Color Mixing

Mixing light colors. Play with red, green, and blue light, and with their brightness. When overlapped and adjusted optimally, red, green, and blue produce…

11490 Haupt

Adhesive Air

Coandă Effect: How shape, position, and surface influence airflow. The Coandă effect occurs when fluid or gas jets deviate from their original flow direction…

10515 Haupt

Aeolian Landscape

«Aeolian Landscapes» Wind shapes the landscape, just like water and ice do. As the wind sweeps over the sand surface, dune-like ripples form. When their…

10262 Haupt

Air Bubbles

Like dolphins: forming rings that rise. By pumping air into the glass tube filled with water, air bubbles rise. They ascend vertically. Often in a straight…

11634 Haupt

Air cushion

Inventive talent is called for here! Use scissors and tape to build objects out of paper that float on the wide air cushion. While testing and optimising, you…

11484 Air Fountain Haupt

Air Fountain

Dance with scarves. They rise and fall. Colorful scarves, moved by the airflow as if by an invisible hand. Choreography: visitors on the platform. by Daniel…

11478 Haupt

Air lift

The vacuum makes the difference. When the ball moves up the tube, the airflow is directed in such a way that a vacuum is created. How must it be directed for…

10012 Haupt

All Triangels are the same

Central projection: Using various triangular shapes to cast congruent shadows onto a patterned wall with equilateral triangles.

10398 Detail

Angled Mirrors

Many polygons. Two mirrors positioned around an axis at various angles: a simple way to create shapes with many sides (polygons). At certain angles,…

10018 Haupt

Anti Gravity Mirror

Half a person becomes whole. Reflect the right half of the body, and there you have it: a complete person. It’s fascinating to watch them move. Can you manage…

10344 Haupt

Ascending magma

«Intrusion» Volcano in cross-section: This is what happens beneath its vent. What looks like magma is actually air-blown glass particles. They behave like a…

10030 Haupt

Aurora

A different kind of reflection. Colored filters in a mirror: why don’t we simply see their exact image? The surface of the mirror is rough. Restless,…

10240 Haupt

Ball in a Bowl

Shorter path = faster to the goal? A question that occupied the best mathematicians three hundred years ago. This competition compares two parallel tracks,…

10239 1

Ball in a Bowl

Particle accelerator. Hula hoop meets spinning coins: balls orbit inside the sphere. Circular movements propel the two balls onto their orbits within the…

10035 Detail

Ball on water-beam

Drawn to the jet. Table tennis balls float on a water fountain: how is that possible? The ball doesn’t stay exactly in the center of the jet. It rotates…

10037 Haupt

Banana

If you place a blue filter exactly on the yellow banana, the banana appears green - logical, isn't it? A larger blue filter that also covers the white…

11946 Detail

Barium

4.4 sextillion atoms = about 1 gram. In the display case, you see an ampoule filled with argon gas and – seven barium pieces. In total, they consist of 4.4…

10034 Haupt

Beam Bridge

The simplest form, but not the most stable. This bridge demonstrates the forces acting on a straight beam when it is loaded and supported only at its two…

11395 Detail

Bell in a Vacuum

This is what astronauts hear on the moon. How do sound waves spread in airless, windless space? Not at all. When astronauts communicate with knocking…

10249 Phänomen

Bent Laser Light

Diffraction patterns: when light is deflected. When light encounters a fine structure (like a hair), it is deflected by it. Here, laser light is deflected as…