Describes a student laboratory project involving the design of an "acoustic suspension speaker system. The characteristics of the loudspeaker used are measured as an extension of the inertia-balance experiment. The experiment may be extended to a study of Stelmholtz resonators, coupled oscillators, electromagnetic forces, thermodynamics and…

Describes modifications of a commercially available strip-type transmission line, which makes possible reproducible measurements of standing waves on the line. Experimental data yield values for the characteristic impedance, phase velocity and line wavelength of radiation in the transmission line, and the dielectric constant of material in the…

The mercury-drag effect is demonstrated when mercury vapor diffuses through nitrogen gas at low pressure, passing through tubes of different radii to liquid nitrogen-cooled cold traps. The pressure changes of the nitrogen gas on the mercury-deficient side of the cold traps are observed and compared with theoretical and experimental valves from the…

Describes three elementary optics experiments using a laser instead of conventional light sources. Experiments illustrate the Fresnel-Arago law, elliptical polarization, double refraction and polarization in calcite, and interference by a Fresnel biprism. Because of the high intensity of the laser beam, these experiments lend themselves very well…

The diffraction of a full thermal atomic potassium beam by a single slit was observed. Four experimental diffraction patterns were compared with that predicted by de Brogtie's hypothesis and simple scalar Fresnel diffraction theory. Possible reasons for the differences were discussed. (LC)

Describes an apparatus designed to investigate molecular motion by means of light scattering. Light from a He-Ne laser is focused into a cell containing a suspension of polystyrene spheres. The scattered light, collected on the photosurface of a photomultiplier tube, is analyzed. The apparatus won first prize in Demonstration Lecture Apparatus in…