Are you looking for physics experiments to do at home or at school? Here are 10 explained for high school and easy to do.
Physics is an important science because it explains the world we live in and provides further foundations for other doctrines, such as chemistry and meteorology.It studies the fundamental concepts of matter and energy , space and time, and the interactions between these properties.
High school students looking for simple physics experiments can study the concepts of light , static electricity , and dynamics .Many physics teachers use experiments to show students the real-world application of phenomena, in a way that is more easily understandable. So let’s look at 10 simple physics experiments together .
Metal sphere and straw
For the first experiment , get a metal sphere, a ring of any material you want, but one that is large enough for the sphere to pass through, and a heat source. The sphere will initially pass through the ring without any problem. Then proceed to heat it with a heat source, for example a flame. The sphere, after a certain interval of time, will no longer be able to pass through the ring. This will demonstrate that it has increased in volume.
For the second experiment, put a straw in a bowl full of water and cover one end of the straw with your finger. If you lift the straw from the bowl, still holding the covered end, you will see that the water will not fall out but will remain inside.
Balloon and container filled with water
For the third experiment , take a balloon without inflating it completely and tie it with a knot. Place it near a heat source, such as a turned-on radiator. You will notice that after a while, the balloon will be more inflated than when you left it. This is the so-called phenomenon of thermal expansion , whereby a body, if subjected to heat sources, expands.
For the fourth experiment, put objects of different shapes and volumes into a container full of water, and objects of the same shape and volume but of different materials or contents. You will notice that the rule that the heaviest or largest sinks and the smallest floats does not apply. In fact, buoyancy depends on the density of the material taken into consideration with respect to the water.
Candle and egg
For the fifth experiment you will need a small floating candle, a deep plate, a glass and water. Put some water in the plate and the lit candle on it. Place a transparent glass upside down on top of the candle, so as to cover the candle. You will notice that the flame will gradually fade until it goes out completely; on the other hand, the water from the plate will rise into the glass. This experiment aims to demonstrate that the flame needs oxygen to feed itself, which was consumed inside the glass. The extinguishing of the flame will cause the temperature to cool , the pressure to decrease and therefore the water to rise.
For the sixth experiment, put an egg in a container that must be completely covered by vinegar, preferably white. Leave it for about two days. After this time, the eggshell will have disintegrated and will appear transparent.
Oil and pen
For the seventh experiment , let’s analyze the buoyancy of oil in water. Intuition may be misleading, as it is easy to think that oil is heavier than water; in reality, water has a greater density than oil and therefore oil will float on it.
For the eighth experiment , first of all, tear a sheet of paper into many very small pieces. Take a normal ballpoint pen, rub it against a woolen cloth for a sufficient amount of time. After the necessary time has passed, the pen that is now electrified, put in contact with the pieces of paper, will be able to attract them to itself. This happens because a passage of electrons has occurred that has negatively charged the pen.
Sheets and glass
For the ninth experiment , take two identical sheets of paper. Crumple one of them and leave the other open. Place them at the same height and drop them at the same time. The open sheet reaches the ground last. This is because the air creates friction, that is, it hinders free fall.
For the tenth experiment , you will need a glass, some water, and a piece of cardboard. Fill a glass with water and cover the opening with a piece of cardboard. Turn the glass upside down, holding the cardboard in your hand. After a few seconds, remove your hand and you will notice that the cardboard does not come off. This is because atmospheric pressure goes from the bottom to the top.
