Think Physics, and Think Club members, had a great time at Maker Faire UK this weekend. As you may have seen from our blog, we’ve been creating and making things for Maker Faire for a few weeks.
Here are some of the creations from our wall of light boxes. There was an ever-changing parade of light sculptures on the wall, although some boxes lasted a little longer than others.
If you came along, can you spot your creation?
Ruth Wiltsher from the Institute of Physics led the Lights, Camera, Image CPD workshop tonight:
We’ve two terrific CPD opportunities coming up late this month, both to be held in our shiny new Think Lab facility at Northumbria University:
26th February, 16:30–18:00
This twilight workshop is aimed at those teaching physics at Key Stages 3 and 4: it’s suitable for non-specialists. We’ll investigate a variety of activities for use in the classroom when teaching light, colour and spectra.
Presented in association with the Institute of Physics.
Light refreshments will be provided on arrival.
To book, please contact Think Physics via Annie Padwick, annie.padwick@northumbria.ac.uk.
28th February, 09:00–15:00
This one-day workshop is aimed at A-level Physics teachers and A-level Maths(mechanics units) teachers, or those intending to teach these subjects.
Delivered in association with Isaac Physics, the workshop will support teachers to develop mathematical problem-solving in a physics context. It will also help teachers prepare their students for physics, engineering and maths courses at University.
Refreshments will be provided through out the day.
For further information or to book a place, please contact events@isaacphysics.org.
Isaac Physics Day – brochure.
(PDF, 600Kb).
Please do drop Annie a line if you’ve any further questions, and feel free to pass this information on to anyone else you think might be interested.
We’ve information about how to contact Think Physics, and how to find Think Lab.
Prototype soap bubble viewer, with Joe for scale
We’ve been exploring a novel way of viewing the colour fringes created by curved soap films, with fairly dramatic results. This is a quick test time-lapse with only very minor processing – the camera really did see colours this dramatic.
In a week or two we’ll write up an activity based around this, but if you’re particularly keen you can probably work out how we’re doing this from the photo alongside.
You might like a hint: Melodi (£5).
We only had video lights to hand but standard desk lamps are fine, and if you stick your head where the camera is you should see a view as spectacular as the animation above. Or – quite likely – a place where bubble was until a fraction of a second earlier. So it goes.
…or perhaps you might like to try your hand blowing some giant soap bubbles?
Make a spinning top from card and a short pencil and explore how your eyes see colour by spinning your top and recording what you can see.
Think Physics’ take on the Exploratorium’s classic ‘Light Play’ activity, an ever-changing sculpture of colours and patterns.
Things to try with your spectroscope, and more activities based around light.
How we built a Twitter-connected colour-changing Christmas tree.
The Think Physics guide to soap bubbles and soap films. How to blow small ones, big ones, and ones you can study the colours in better than ever before.
Everyone loves soap bubbles. Most of us really love them. Particularly when they’re huge hovering things, hanging in the air or floating gently away.
Making large bubbles is easier than you might think. People argue endlessly over different soap mixtures (they’re a classic subject of after-dinner arguments conversation for science communicators), but standard household washing-up liquid is almost as good as even the finest formulations. The real trick is in the way you blow bubbles, as this film will show you.
This is another film from the Royal Institution’s ExpeRimental series, all of which are worth checking out.
We’ve written up an entire page about bubbles, including a beautiful way of viewing soap film colours.
You’ll find this activity all over the internet and in loads of science activity books, and this is a particularly nice film both illustrating it and exploring how you might use it as a family project. There’s plenty to discuss around around why some things float and others sink, and hence the concept of density.
This is another film from the Royal Institution’s excellent ExpeRimental series.
