2015 Demo Night

The UNM Department of Physics and Astronomy hosted a Demonstration Show on March 11, 2015, featuring live physics demonstrations illustrating basic principles in mechanics, optics, and electricity and magnetism. Demonstrations included a giant Newton's Cradle, a Human Gyroscope, the Rocket Car, Optical Fibers, the Tesla Coil, and the Imploding Drum.

Live physics demonstrations put on by members of UNM's Society of Physics Students and faculty, illustrating basic physics principles in mechanics, optics, and electricity and magnetism. — at Regener Hall. Introducing the players. Left to right, UNM Physics undergraduate students Daniel Puentes, Zach Castillo, Montie Avery, Nik Huntoon, Josh Martin, and Dr. Dave Dunlap. A volunteer tests her hand at Newton's Cradle. — at Regener Hall. Audience volunteer Christian Roberts prepares for a ride on the rocket car under the supervision of Nik Huntoon. — at Regener Hall. What's this? Our audience volunteer appears to be hotwiring the rocket! Christian Roberts takes off on his own! — at Regener Hall. Zach Castillo demonstrates the toy gyroscope. — at Regener Hall. Montie Avery demonstrates the gas gyroscope. — at Regener Hall. Josh Martin demonstrates the human gyroscope. Dr. Arash Mafi explains total internal reflection (the reflection of the total amount of incident light at the boundary between two media). Montie Avery watches Zach Castillo as he prepares to demonstrate Lenz's law ("If an induced current flows, its direction is always such that it will oppose the change which produced it.")" Zach Castillo watches Montie Avery while preparing to demonstrate Faraday's law (A magnetic field will interact with an electric circuit to produce an electromotive force). Montie Avery demonstrates the jumping rings. Josh Martin discusses the Tesla Coil, an electrical resonant transformer circuit, used to produce high-voltage, low-current, high frequency alternating-current electricity. Setting up the Magdeburg plate demonstration.Two teams of audience members pulling on opposite sides of Magdeburg hemispheres (illustrating the principles of air pressure). Nik Huntoon and Zach Castillo demonstrate lift, using a plastic ball and a leaf blower. — at Regener Hall. Nik Huntoon and Zach Castillo demonstrate lift, using a plastic ball and a leaf blower. — at Regener Hall. Explaining lift with a beach ball. Christian Roberts, Montie Avery, and Josh Martin wait for a 55 gallon drum to implode. Implosion! Milling around after the show. Milling around after the show.