Week Six

Week Six: Materials McGuyver

All of the materials for the adjustments to our project were acquired and are now being put together to form the three demonstrators. We are still unsure of how to use the electric current to heat the brass ball and hoop model; if all else fails we will have to use an open flame from a blow torch, but that is the very last resort. The liquid water demonstrator was updated to better its efficiency; the cap was replaced with a rubber stopper, and the straw will now be a pipet. These adjustments will limit the amount of air trapped in the bottle, if any at all, and give a clearer visual for the demonstration.

Figure 1: Above: The brass ball and hoop model is heated with an open flame

We have decided to add three informational sheets for each of the experiments. The first informational sheet will be an in-depth explanation of the brass ball and hoop model; it will include the set-up, materials needed, instructions for the experiment, and what is happening on a scientific level to the atoms of the brass ball as it is heated. The liquid water demonstrator will have a similar informational sheet with the corresponding subject matter. The purpose of these sheets is to provide a specific scientific explanation for each visual demonstration, and instructions on how to perform the experiment at home. The third will include brief instructions on how to build an atomic structure model and prompt the audience with conceptual questions; the structure of the sheet will be almost identical to the two described above.