Simon Poliakoff
@simonpoliakoff.bsky.social
Physics Teacher who loves demonstrations and practicals. Makes YouTube videos and free creative commons lesson resources. Website: www.teachphysics.org YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SimonPoliakoff
I made use of the hot sunny weather to make this video yesterday. What Herschel might have done with thermochromic paper youtu.be/M7nqcpd7x-A #ITeachPhysics
What Herschel might have done with thermochromic paper
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
youtu.be
Just shared my latest Creative Commons set of ideas for teaching physics via my website: www.teachphysics.org/home/atomic-... Nearly 200 ideas. Thanks to @ogdentrust.bsky.social for their support. Thanks to all those whose ideas are inlcuded. #ITeachPhysics #SciTeachUK
I noticed quite a few hits to my website www.teachphysics.org from the US which I now think is probably because it was featured in the websights section of the April issue of AAPT The Physics Teacher. I was wondering if someone who gets it could send me a photo of it. Thanks S. #ITeachPhysics
On a school trip to the zoo today and was pleased that I managed to get a nice photo of the structural colour of the morpho butterfly. #SciTeachUK #ITeachPhysics
Latest idea for using a Radiacode (Ad). A gamma camera. #ITeachphysics Demonstrating the idea of gamma camera imaging youtu.be/PyGlHtvihXA
Demonstrating the idea of gamma camera imaging
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
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As tungsten halogen lamps give out some UV I wondered if I could use a vintage Rank Aldis Tutor 2 slide projector to show UV beyond the visible light in a spectrum #ITeachPhysics #SciTeachUK Two simple ways to reveal the UV beyond the violet end of the visible light specturm youtu.be/8lr-LA-0xzc
Two simple ways to reveal the UV beyond the violet end of the visible light specturm
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
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The breaking stress of a crunchie bar practical is a standard for my physics lessons during the materials topic so I made this video describing it. #ITeachPhysics #SciTeachUK youtu.be/Kr6YKfMN1f0
Measuring the breaking stress of a crunchie bar
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
youtu.be
Making good use of the Radiacode 110 which they kindly sent me for using in my YouTube videos I made this video about radioactive things you can buy relatively cheaply. I hope you like it. #ITeachPhysics #SciTeachUK youtu.be/gdcyphtu26k
How much radioactive stuff can I buy for £50?
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
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Radiacode kindly agreed to send me one of their gamma ray detectors (the Radiacode 110) so that I could see how it might be used in physics teaching. Here is the first video making a gamma ray spectrum from the school cobalt 60 source #ITeachPhysics #SciTeachUK youtu.be/DRDnrSdAKTs
Surely you can't make a gamma spectrum of cobalt-60 in a school
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
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Inspired by @harvard.edu natural sciences lecture demonstrations video which shows a projected absorption spectrum of sodium I created this version with an extension to then project the emission spectrum. I hope you like it. #ITeachPhysics #SciTeachUK youtu.be/Gz--LUuYvSg
From absorption spectrum to emission spectrum in one beautiful physics demonstration
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
youtu.be
This video is about how to use 4 way stretch cloth to model electric fields. It is based on an activity in the @perimeterinstitute.ca resources for teaching fields available from here: resources.perimeterinstitute.ca/products/fie... if you make a free account. youtu.be/ea6RB8nb6iU #ITeachPhysics
Stretchy cloth model of electric fields
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
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Simple investigation of a a parallel plate capacitor using a multimeter, Aluminium foil and printer paper: #ITeachPhysics #SciTeachUK youtu.be/vhlyCSOw5f4
Investigating a parallel plate capacitor with aluminium foil and printer paper
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
youtu.be
Used my ‘new’ 1960’s slide projector to make the best projected spectrum I have managed. I hope my students appreciated it. #ITeachPhysics #SciTeachUK
I made this compilation of some of my favourite demonstration videos from the last couple of years Which almost look like magic (to me at least). I hope you like it. #ITeachPhysics #SciTeachUK youtu.be/jQKr1ZrQSjc
30 physics demonstrations that look like magic
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
youtu.be
I built a resistor cube to test the theoretical answer to the interesting extension question and filmed it with an infrared camera to show the current symmetry which is my favourite way to solve it. youtu.be/CQ5CAqUHHxc #ITeachPhysics #SciTeachUK
A real resistor cube - does theory agree with reality?
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
youtu.be
I made this video about the Photon Bricks Lego interferometer which UK schools can loan for free and they have instructions if you want to build your own (quite costly). Link to their site: artlab-nottingham.com/lego/ My A-Level students enjoyed it. #ITeachPhysics #SciTeachUK
A working interferometer built from Lego
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
youtu.be
I have made this video about electron diffraction which features what I think is a new demonstration which uses three crossed diffraction gratings, a violet laser and glow in the dark film to demonstrate and explain relatively simply why the electron diffraction produces rings at 3 mins 30.
The £100 gamble to show electron diffraction
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
youtu.be
There are some really good simulations and a simple video analysis tool on this site: #SciTeachUK #ITeachPhysics mintapps.org/html/mint-in...
Physik
Simulationen und Animationen zur Physik - von der Mechanik bis zu Quantenphysik
mintapps.org
What will happen to the balance reading when I drop a magnet through the copper pipe which is supported on a clamp stand on the zeroed balance? A predict and explain demonstration with electromagnetic induction, terminal velocity & Newton 3 #ITeachPhysics #SciTeachUK youtube.com/shorts/s0eOE...
What happens to the balance reading if a magnet is dropped through a copper pipe on it? #physicsfun
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
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Using a microammeter and low voltage power supply find the resistance of a person or even loop of people by measuring the potential difference across and current through them. It is a fun alternative to finding resistance of the usual components. #ITeachPhyiscs #SciTeachUK youtu.be/sDb9cUbs3gM
Measuring the resistance of a person
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
youtu.be
@lascells.bsky.social my monkey and hunter launcher was not hitting the switch when released earlier. The screw on the end of the spring bit seemed to not be pushing through. Any suggestions to fix? I have improvised a ripping Al foil method for my lesson tomorrow but hope to fix for next time.
After 20 years of teaching I finally built a working flame probe for measuring electric potential and used it with my students earlier in the week. It really is good for bringing alive the electric fields topic. I made this video about it: #SciTeachUK #ITeachPhysics youtu.be/f0YWO2PfBVU
Using the flame probe to its full potential
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
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Did this in my A-level lesson today which I think was interesting for the students. #IteachPhysics #SciTeachUK Measuring the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor by discharging it through an oscilloscope youtu.be/-4JNebKmJEU
Measuring the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor by discharging it through an oscilloscope
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
youtu.be
It was good to get A-level students doing some calculations with the shuttling ball demo yesterday: #SciTeachUK #ITeachPhysics youtu.be/usP5YtWQh6c
Calculations with the shuttling ball demonstration
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
youtu.be
Set up this old Nuffield demonstration for the first time yesterday afternoon ready for my first A-Level lesson of the electric fields topic on Monday. Simple but effective I think. #SciTeachUK #ITeachPhysics Paper indicator to show the direction of a uniform electric field: youtu.be/oAVDkdi7nb8
Paper indicator to show the direction of a uniform electric field
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
youtu.be
Added another nice rainbow photo to my collection yesterday when the low evening sun combined with a sudden rain shower. #ITeachPhysics
I was trying to have a break from thinking about physics teaching in the Azores but this beach got in the way: youtu.be/lj-ZZTG0ddU #ITeachPhysics #SciTeachUK
Giant natural ripple tank demonstrates wave diffraction on a beach
YouTube video by Physics with Simon Poliakoff
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