Demonstrates to students/visitors the theory of Charle's law - Effect of Temperature on Pressure!
Background
This exhibit is a practical demonstration of "Charles Law" of Physics, which describes how a gas expands as the temperature increases; conversely, a decrease in temperature will lead to decrease in volume.
This project was developed for an NGO which is into building Scientific Exhibitions, Museums and upgrade Science Demonstration infrastructure in schools called Deenabandhu. As part of an Fun Science Museum they were setting up this exhibit was developed by Ideas Unlimited, Mysuru.
Deenabandhu is a charitable Non-Profit Organization located in Chamarajnagar. Deenabandhu works towards the education and rehabilitation of orphan, destitute and estranged children. The trust is also into Science, innovation and teaching Science to school children and other activities.
Deenabandhu Trust, Chamarajanagar, Karnataka
To demonstrate this concept a sealed glass tube has quick heating coil. The top cover of the tube has a small opening through which air can pass into a tube. To this tube a baloon is attached.
Whenever heat is produced the volume of air expands, pushing it into the baloon and you can see the baloon bloat.
Video of the Charles Law Fun Science Exhibit
To ensure safety of the entire demonstration exhibit and to make it monkey-proof in the field, we have incorporated a microcontroller that runs a small program inside to control the exhibit.
When a button is pressed, it has a one shot trigger which starts a 30 second program, where the coil gets heated for a preset time just enough to create change in volume/pressure and at the same time ensures overheating of glass tube does not occur.
Also after the exhibit demonstrates it also provides a 9 second cooling period, which ensures that the tube and coil are sufficiently cooled down, so next demo can be started. In between even if start button is pressed, the demo will not start. The Controller also has LED Indicators to display which phase of the demo it is in. This ensures overall longevity of the exhibit and can be safely run in a museum without damaging it during normal usage.
At heating stage coil gets red hot and baloon inflates!
At heating stage coil gets red hot and baloon inflates!
At cooling stage coil gets cool down and baloon deflates
When button pressed UI indicating that's in heating cycle
After heating cycle it jumps to cooling cycle
The system has a button for the user to start demo cycle and demonstrate Charles law and then cool the system, before allowing next demo button press to be honored. The exhibit also has a display of what state it is in currently. Only when the entire system is in "Ready" state, a button press will be honored.
How it was built?
Click on left/right buttons to scroll through the pictures and description to see how it was built!
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