L. R. Ingersoll Physics Museum
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.