SPS Demonstrations

Looking for a new demonstration for an outreach event? Or want to jump start your chapter on outreach? These demonstrations have been developed by SPS to help you make a difference in your local communities. Each demonstration includes parts lists, instructions, key physical concepts to explain, and demonstration videos, where appropriate. Interested in contributing to this list? Email sps-programs [at] aip.org.

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  • Pinhole Projector
    astronomy
    10-20-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public
  • Fabric of the Universe
    astronomy
    20-30-min
    level-3
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Hair Diffraction
    optics
    20-30-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Composition of the Universe
    astronomy
    10-20-min
    level-1
    middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Eclipses: Earth-Moon-Sun Model
    astronomy
    10-20-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Light Fountain
    optics
    20-30-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Density Column
    mechanics
    5-10-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Reflection & Refraction
    optics
    5-10-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Ferrofluids
    electricity-amp-amp-magnetism
    10-20-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Marshmallows & the Speed of Light
    optics
    20-30-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Straw Oboe
    acoustics
    20-30-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Polarization of Light
    optics
    5-10-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public
  • Borate Glass
    general-physics
    30-min
    level-4
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Variable Index of Refraction
    optics
    10-20-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Off-Grid Phone Charger
    electricity-amp-amp-magnetism
    10-20-min
    level-3
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public
  • Impulse on Eggs
    mechanics
    30-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Fabric of the Universe Part 2
    astronomy
    20-30-min
    level-3
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public
  • Egg Crush
    mechanics
    20-30-min
    level-3
    middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Homopolar Motor
    electricity-amp-amp-magnetism
    20-30-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public
  • Eddy Currents
    electricity-amp-amp-magnetism
    5-10-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public
  • Simple Motor
    electricity-amp-amp-magnetism
    20-30-min
    level-3
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public
  • Tuning Fork Workshop
    acoustics
    5-10-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream
    general-physics
    10-20-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Chladni Plates - Speaker
    acoustics
    10-20-min
    level-3
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Chladni Plates - Violin Bow
    acoustics
    10-20-min
    level-3
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public
  • Audio Amplifier
    electricity-amp-amp-magnetism
    20-30-min
    level-3
    high-school-ages-14-
  • Rubens' Tube
    acoustics
    10-20-min
    level-3
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Rijke Tube
    acoustics
    5-10-min
    level-3
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public
  • Gravitational Waves in Jello
    astronomy
    10-20-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public
  • Cakeraters
    astronomy
    10-20-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Vortex Cannon
    general-physics
    10-20-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-
  • Passive Pasta
    general-physics
    20-30-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Slimy Spaghetti and Meatballs
    general-physics
    5-10-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Ice and Salt Slushies
    general-physics
    10-20-min
    level-2
    middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Portable Oscilloscope and Microphone
    acoustics
    20-30-min
    level-3
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Longitudinal and Transverse Waves
    acoustics
    10-20-min
    level-1
    middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Straw Landing
    astronomy
    5-10-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Rodent Reactor
    general-physics
    10-20-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public
  • Racing Cylinders
    mechanics
    5-10-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Reflection and Refraction
    optics
    5-10-min
    level-3
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public
  • Doppler Ball
    acoustics
    5-10-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Elastic Wave
    acoustics
    5-10-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Interactive Soundscapes
    acoustics
    5-10-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Vocal Fold Straws
    acoustics
    5-10-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public
  • Electromagnet
    electricity-amp-amp-magnetism
    20-30-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Cloud in a Bottle
    general-physics
    5-10-min
    level-3
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Soda Straw Rocket
    mechanics
    20-30-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Planet Deformation
    astronomy
    10-20-min
    level-2
    middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public
  • Explaining Eclipses & Exoplanets
    astronomy
    5-10-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public
  • Brain Reaction Time
    mechanics
    10-20-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-
  • Physiological Cost Index
    general-physics
    10-20-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-
  • Dragonfly Colours: Thin-Film Interference
    optics
    20-30-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Dragonfly Flight: Gliding
    mechanics
    20-30-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Dragonfly Flight: Vortices
    general-physics
    30-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public
  • Dragonfly Flight: Waves and Wing Movement
    general-physics
    10-20-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Dragonfly Muscles: Forces and Movement
    mechanics
    20-30-min
    level-2
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-
  • Dragonfly Sight: UV Light and Electromagnetic Waves
    electricity-amp-amp-magnetism
    10-20-min
    level-1
    high-school-ages-14-middle-school-ages-11-13-amp-amp-general-public-elementary-ages-5-10-