UQ Physics Demo Troupe

Science Shows:

The UQ Physics Demo Troupe runs excellent science shows. These typically consist of a series of science demonstrations that students would not usually be able to see at school. Our aim is primarily to get students interested in science, so we focus very much on being enthusiastic and communicating a sense of fun. We always give a clear and concise explanation of the science involved in the demonstration (appropriate for the age group!), and encourage students to ask questions, and interact during the show.

Shows typically run for one hour, although this can be easily adjusted to suit your needs. They can be a selection of all our favourite demonstrations , or we can tailor the show to fit in with what the students have recently been learning about (for instance, we do an excellent show all about pressure). The shows can be aimed at almost any age group, from kindergarten through to university student level! There is no limit on the audience size (we've performed for audiences as large as 300 people), provided the venue is large enough.

Some of the demonstrations require special performance conditions; for example, the Liquid Nitrogen 'Bomb' must be performed outside (or the room will get very wet!), and the laser demonstrations need to be performed in a room that can be darkened. Feel free to contact us to discuss specific demonstrations.

Science Stalls:

There are a variety of demonstrations that students can play with themselves, and these work well at a 'science stall'. If you have a fete or open day, we can set up and supervise a table with a variety of demonstrations for people to try.

Fees:

As far as fees go, we are all volunteers and our Demo Troupe is completely non-profit. We do, however, need some money to pay for things like petrol, consumables, and new demonstration equipment (which can be quite expensive). We are hesitant to put a price on our shows, since we don't want to exclude any schools on the basis of cost (we love spreading our enthusiasm for physics!). We just ask for a donation from the school of as much as they can spare. All the money will be put to very good use helping us to improve our shows (so that we can come back the following year and do an even better one for your students!). For a ballpark figure, we have accepted donations of between $100-$200 for a 1hr show for about 40 students.

We know that schools usually require an invoice, (and we actually need to provide one for our accounting!) so just let us know how much you can donate, and we'll make out an invoice for that amount. We will provide you with an ABN on the invoice, and cheques should be written out to "The UQ Physics Demo Troupe".

Other Activities:

Workshops:

Joel and Jenny can run hands on workshops with students (either at your school, or at UQ). These are excellent as an after school science extension activity. These workshops aim to develop students' interest in science. We like to encourage students to think about the science that is in everything around them.

We have run the following workshops with great success:

• Build your own Capacitor - We investigate electricity and electric charge, and each student builds their own capacitor from a film canister and other household items. The capacitor can be charged with a rod and cloth, and gives beautiful blue sparks!
• Fractals and Complex Systems - We discuss what makes a system 'complex', and investigate some beautiful fractals. Students play their own 'Game of Life', and discover how very complicated systems may evolve from extremely simple rules.
• The Physics of Swing Dancing - Students learn a short swing dancing routine, and we investigate the physics involved with moving around the dance floor. Could you dance if the floor was completely frictionless? We also discuss torque, center of mass and parabolic motion. This workshop is always lots of fun, since it gets students moving and thinking!
• Circus Physics - We teach students some simple circus skills - juggling, Diablo, staff twirling, poi twirling and the unicycle - and we investigate the physics behind them. Gyroscopic behaviour is demonstrated with bicycle wheels, and parabolic motion discussed. This workshop makes an excellent introduction to angular momentum.
• Pinhole Cameras - Students make their own pinhole cameras, and learn about how they work. They then develop the photos themselves, and we discuss the chemistry involved in making images.
• The Physics of the Ekka - We have our own Ekka show games set up for students to try - and then discuss the physics of what methods work, and what methods don't! How has physics been used to make them hard to win? And can we use our knowledge to beat them?

Workshops typically run for 1-2hrs, and we can accommodate up to 30 students at a time.

Forums:

Joel and Jenny can give superb quality science forums. These are typically 1hr talks, and are usually on popular science topics that students would not have the opportunity to learn at school. Topics that have been extremely popular in the past include:

• Quantum - What is it, and what does it mean? All the weird and wonderful paradoxes of the quantum world. What is a quantum computer?
• Special Relativity - What would it really be like to travel near the speed of light? Students can try their own 'thought experiments' to imagine running at the speed of light.
• Biophysics - An investigation of the interesting science where biology and physics meet. Students gain an insight into the exciting areas of this rapidly growing field.
• Cosmology - How did the universe begin? What is it like today? And most importantly, how will it end? We'll discuss the concept of entropy, and bring along our own E.E.D. (Entropy Enhancement Device!).
• A Journey into a Black Hole - What would it really be like to travel into a black hole? Have the science fiction writers got it right? Could we really tunnel into another universe through a black hole?

The forums work best for a general audience (years 8 - 12, and adults - we like to invite parents to attend as well!). Questions and interaction are strongly encouraged, and we are constantly surprised at the depth of insight that many students demonstrate when presented with this advanced material.

Online notes:

Below are some of the slides we use in our activities. You are welcome to use these in your classroom - we hope that they'll inspire some interesting discussion and activities! We'd love to hear from you if you find them useful - just drop us an email. Feel free to pass on the links to other interested teachers, but we'd appreciate it if you don't reproduce them electronically on the web without emailing us first.

• Energy and motion - The physics of sound, whirlpools, Tippe Tops and more!
• Light - Lasers, polarisers, rainbows and liquid optical fibres!
• Useful links - Websites we recommend, including sources of equipment.