Why is ketchup so hard to pour?
Adults PhysicsEver go to pour ketchup on your fries...and nothing comes out? Or the opposite happens, and your plate is suddenly swimming in a sea of red? George Zaidan describes the physics behind this frustrating phenomenon, explaining how ketchup and other non-Newtonian fluids can suddenly transition from solid to liquid and back again.
Anti-Gravity Wheel Explained
Adults PhysicsIt's a little shaky but if you average out the oscillations I think the result is clear. Again, huge thank you's to A/Prof Emeritus Rod Cross, Helen Georgiou, Alex Yeung, and Chris Stewart, the University of Sydney Mechanical Engineering shop, Duncan and co. Ralph and the School of Physics.
When Water Flows Uphill
Adults PhysicsIn the Leidenfrost Effect, a water droplet will float on a layer of its own vapor if heated to certain temperature. This common cooking phenomenon takes center stage in a series of playful experiments by physicists at the University of Bath, who discovered new and fun means to manipulate the movement of water.
Incredible Chemical Reaction!
Adults PhysicsThis is a classic chemical reaction. It's called the iodine clock reaction. There are several variations of how this chemical reaction can be performed using different chemicals than the ones I used in the video. You can order clock reaction kits from several science related websites. You can also use simple store bought chemicals like vitamin C, iodine, hydrogen peroxide and starch. A quick internet search will turn up multiple ways of performing the experiment.
Amazing Resonance Experiment!
Adults PhysicsSo this experiment is the Chladni plate experiment. I used a tone generator, a wave driver (speaker) and a metal plate attached to the speaker. First add sand to the plate then begin playing a tone. Certain frequencies vibrate the metal plate in such a way that it creates areas where there is no vibration. The sand "falls" into those areas, creating beautiful geometric patterns. As the frequency increases in pitch the patterns become more complex.
How Liquipel Will Make Your Phone Waterproof
Adults PhysicsWe check in with the team at Liquipel, a company that impressed us last year with its water-resistent nano-coating for smartphones. Dunking an iPhone into a tub of water and watching it still work perfectly is still amazing and something our brains struggle to comprehend.