It is often interesting to learn about experiments and new ideas. Many students love physics and its various experiments that have changed the world. It is like an adventure to go in-depth and understand the subject. The procedure starts from afundamental understanding of science.
What is physics?
Physics is one of the fundamental branches of science that deals with nature and natural processes. Physics relates to the study of matter and energy generation. It also defines the relationship between these two. You can take online help from academics to understand physics in the best way to deliver more.
Matters and energy constitute the whole world. The discoveries find several applications of science in every field. A student gets to know about many of the experiments from their syllabus.You should beaware of these greatest physics experiments and its effects:
- Galileo’s Falling Object Experiment (1589)
- Newton’s Prism Experiment (1665)
- Young’s Interference Experiment (1803)
- Joule’s Conservation of Energy (1845)
- Fizeau-Foucault Apparatus (1848)
- Oil Drop Experiment (1909)
- Rutherford’s Nuclear Model (1911)
- Fermi Chain Reaction (1942)
- Galileo’s Falling Object Experiment (1589):
The Italian scientist Galileo Galilei has dropped two sphere balls of different masses from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to demonstrate the fact that matters will fall at the same time. He then challenged Aristotle, a Greek philosopher which cost him to lose his job.
According to Aristotle, the heavier object will fall faster than alighter object. Aristotle experiments this with a feather and a stone to explain his concept. Galileo proved this statement was false. The demonstration with two different weight balls confirms that every matter will fall at the same time and is independent of their masses.
Galileo also explains that a feather takes more time because of air resistance to hit the ground. In recent studies, scientists have discovered that there is no air on themoon and confirms Galileo’s experiment with a feature and a stone.
Effect:
It will be interesting to know that you will the Galileo’s falling object experiment helps in understanding the speed of landing of skydivers. Proper knowledge of this fact helps the skydivers to take a practical step when they fall.
- Newton’s Prism Experiment (1665):
Isaac Newton was a young scientist when he proposed that white light or sunlight can spread into several colors. In 1665, when Newton came back home from Cambridge University in England locked his room and darkened. He made a single small hole and allowed sunlight to enter. Newton placed a prism and proved his hypothesis that light can decompose into aspectrum.
This statement withdraws the previous phenomenon that was given by Aristotle that white light is the purest form of light. Newton also told that these colors are composed into seven; violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red. This band of colors can be combined to form white light again.
Effect:
This experiment turns into a great advantage in understanding the phenomenon of rainbows. The demonstration also helps to study the refraction and bending of light rays through aprism.
- Young’s Interference Experiment (1803):
Isaac Newton always argued about the fact that light consists of particles. An English physician and physicist Thomas Young demonstrate that lights consist of waves rather than particles.
Young has explained the process of interference of light rays that occurs in a similar way like the vibration of two strings to produce sound beats. He also demonstrated the interference of water waves. The idea of interference is the main principle of quantum theory.
Effect:
The practical application of interference is the acceptance of signal wave from a tower. The radio transmission station transmits the signal, and it receives with an antenna.
- Joule’s Conversation of Energy (1845):
James Prescott Joule has explained that the amount of energy utilized is equal to the amount of energy released. Joule demonstrated his phenomenon with an experiment in which he shows the potential energy gain by a ball that is converted into heat energy. The ballis connectedto a string, and the string is connected to a paddle wheel that is kept inside a water tank. When theball falls, paddle wheel spins and liberates heat.
Effect:
The experiment determines that energy cannot be destroyed only its form is changed from one form to another. The practical application you can find in rocket propulsion where heat energy is usedis converted into kinetic energy.
- Fizeau-Foucault Apparatus (1848):
French scientist Louis Fizeau measures the speed of light with its demonstration with a wheel that can rotate hundreds of time per second. He allowed light rays to travel and reflect back using a mirror that is kept at a distance of 8km and watch it through atelescope. Finally, he figured out the speed of light is 3.1 x 108 m/s.
Effect:
Today, theapplicationspeed of light can be found in surgeries and for various research purposes.
- Oil Drop Experiment (1909):
Oil drop experiment was performed by the American physicist Robert A. Millikan. He demonstrated anexperiment in a closed transparent chamber. The top and bottom of the plates were parallel metal plates attached to a battery source. A small hole is madeat one endand oil is dropped. The oil droplets get charged up and start traveling to the other end.
Effect:
The oil drop experiment helps in determining the charge of an electron. Thisexperiment was too simple to perform.
- Rutherford’s Nuclear Model (1911):
Ernest Rutherford had experiment the radioactivity of atoms. He explained that an atom can be bombarded into a smaller nucleus, and all the mass is stored in it.
Effect:
Rutherford experiment helps James Chadwick to discover neutrons.
- Fermi Chain Reaction (1942):
Enrico Fermi hadexperimented on thenucleus of an atom and showed chain reaction. If a neutron is fired on uranium atom,then it will split into smaller uranium atom and two nuclei. This process is uncontrollable and continues till the last particle of the uranium atom left.
Effect:
The chain reaction technology is implemented in making nuclear bombs. The process is controlled using controlling rods and used in nuclear power plants to generate energy.
Physics is a very vast field, and any knowledgeable person can utilize the physics in such a way to change their life. Physicshelps students to understand the basics of natural philosophy on earth.