FLUIDS

subject	demo	description	location
Density	Density	Rods of different metals, all of the same mass, are used to illustrate the concept of density.	Shelf D4
Pressure	The Bed of Nails	By spreading a large force out over a large enough area, your survival of ‘the bed’ demonstrates pressure.	ROOM 302
	Magdeburg hemispheres	Try to pull the hemispheres apart when there’s no air inside!	Pump cart
	Vacuum lifter	A rubber flap lifts objects by suction, i.e. atmospheric pressure.	Shelf D4
	The water level	The fluid level is the same in differently shaped (but connected) tubes. To explain this, pressure must be isotropic and depend only on height.	Shelf D1
	The hydrostatic paradox	Two differently shaped containers of water, each with the same area base and filled to the same height, do not weigh the same. To explain this self-evident fact, the force due to fluid pressure on the entire container must be considered.	Here and there
	Pop-bottle fountain	Water draining from a high to low container compresses air, which then produces a fountain.	Shelf E1
	Vacuum canon	Air pressure accelerates a light ping-pong ball to an astonishing speed, and also through several soda pop cans.	on top of the glass cabinets
Buoyancy	Cartesian diver	Applying external pressure to ‘the diver’ compresses an internal air pocket and so changes its buoyancy: it sinks.	Shelf D1
	Buoyant force	Weighing a brick in and out of water shows the difference in weight equals the weight of the water displaced.	Shelf D6
	Buoyancy of air	Demonstrates the buoyant force due to air by weighing a toilet float both in air and in a vacuum.	Cart N
Dynamics and Bernoulli’s Eq.	Torricelli’s law	Water draining from a tank squirts out faster the lower the hole is located on the container.	Shelf D6
	The Venturi effect	The pressure of air flowing through a constricted tube is measured at several points (using a water manometer). Pressure is seen to be lowest at the point of constriction. Qualitative or quantitative.	Shelf X1 and 2
	Bernoulli air tricks	The low pressure produced by fast-moving air is used to explain why objects seem to be attracted to an air source rather than blown away.	Shelf D1
	Flettner car	Air is directed over a rotating drum attached to a cart. The lift produced propels the cart.	Shelf D6