A variation of the “classical” experiment for the measurement of Planck’s constant h using LEDs was proposed at the 2018 AI F Summer school of L’Aquila. This variation, in which the discharge of a capacitor provides the needed variable voltage and the measurements are made with an Arduino board, […]
This experiment demonstrates the photoconductive effect for Si and Ge samples illuminated by quasi monochromatic light. The vanishing of the effect for longer wavelengths allows a qualitative estimation of the fotonductive threshold which is related to the energy gap of the material. […]
The inverted torsional pendulum (often used as a tool to study non-linear oscillations and the transition to deterministic chaos) is here compared to an electric non-linear oscillator which shows a quite similar dynamic behaviour: the motion equation of the second system is exactly described by the Duffing equation, […]
This article describes a simple method to experiment the relation Q/V=const, by means of the direct measurement of Q and V. The necessary equipment can be easily found in any physics laboratory, as it is basically made of a 0-600V dc generator, […]
In this work it is shown how it is possible to build a simple device: the dripping faucet. This physical system exhibits an extremely interesting dynamic behaviour, useful to introduce the subject of deterministic chaos in high schools […]
Triboluminescence was studied using a self-built 8-litre vacuum chamber operated at a pressure of about 1mtorr. Luminescence is observed in the chamber along the peeling line of an unrolled adhesive tape. The tribo-mechanism produced electrons and X-rays are revealed by the intense luminescence of a BGO crystal positioned close to the peeling line. […]
A simple dissipative mechanical system is discussed in order to introduce, at high school level, the basic ideas on which are founded some typical experimental techniques concerning condensed matter. Some reflections are made concerning the passage from a macroscopic description to a microscopic one. […]