The L.R. Ingersoll Physics Museum is located on the second floor of Chamberlin Hall on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. It is one of several museums on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus that focus on hands-on exhibits and public outreach. The museum runs on donations and charges no admission.
History edit
The museum was established in 1918 by Professor Snow and the museum's namesake, Leonard Rose Ingersoll (1880-1958), who taught at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. L.R. Ingersoll began advocating for the museum in 1917 and it became the first museum in the United States to focus solely on physics. Ingersoll wanted to create a museum that was accessible to young audiences.[1] Since then, exhibits have continued to be designed by University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty and added to the museum.[2]
Exhibits edit
The L.R. Ingersoll Physics Museum displays more than 70 interactive exhibits that cross several categories of Physics concepts.
A few exhibits include:
Mechanics edit
- Gravity Pit - demonstrates the concept of a gravity well with a hyperbolic funnel wishing well.
- Newton's Cradle
- Pulleys
- Spinning Platform
- Gyroscope
- Foucault Pendulum
- Torsion Pendulum
- Unequal Arm Balance
- Coupled Pendulums
Electricity and Magnetism edit
- AC - DC Generators
- Series and parallel circuits puzzle
- Circle of Magnetism
- Dynamo 1 and 2
- Induced Currents - Eddy Currents
- Lenz's Law
- The Magnetic Field - Lines of Force
- The Rotating Copper Disk
- Rotating Pepsi Can
- Helmholtz Coils
- Electrons Beam
Light and Optics edit
- Additive Color Mixing
- Subtractive Color Mixing
- Color of an Object
- Light and Atomic Spectra
- Mystery Window
- The Radiometer
- Polarized Light
- Light Waves
- Telescope
- Convex, Plane & Concave Mirrors
- As Others See You
- Your Profiles
- Infinite Reflections
- Real Image
Wave and Sound edit
- Transverse Waves
- Sound Pipes
Modern Physics edit
- Plasma Tube
- Cosmic Rays
- Spirograph
- Probability Board
Computer Demonstrations edit
- Chaos Demonstration
- Lissajous Curve Demonstration
- Your Voice
References edit
- ^ The University Archives. "Where on campus can you witness lines of force and a chaos demonstration?". Letters and Science News. Letters and Science News Team. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
- ^ "Museum History". L.R. Ingersoll Physics Museum. Retrieved 10 December 2014.