Hunterian Schools Physics Centre

Background

The Glasgow University Hunterian Schools Physics Centre is a physics teaching resource originally conceived as a joint initiative between the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Hunterian Museum, to encourage and promote science (but particularly physics) to schools and the general public. This is currently achieved through interactive science shows and activities.

An electricity show at the schools physics centre.

Electricity being made from fizzy drinks with a coke battery, and
a half-million volt discharge from a Tesla coil strikes a Faraday cage.
Funding for the centre has come primarily from a public understanding of science award from the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council PPARC. Additional support has been provided by the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Hunterian Museum at the University of Glasgow.

Concept

In its final form, the schools physics centre will provide a selection of hands-on exhibits for school children to come and use, guided by museum staff and volunteer demonstrators from the Physics and Astronomy Department. Initially, the centre has taken the form of a large stage on which specially conducted science shows Arcs and Sparks, and Swings and Roundabouts, have been presented.

Having fun with liquid nitrogen, and drawing electrical energy from a plasma globe.
In its first ten days during the Science Engineering and Technology week in 1996 it attracted over 3000 people, including public and schools.

Location and Details

The setting for the science shows is the Upper Hall (also called the Kelvin hall) of the Hunterian Museum. This refurbished hall provides a spacious and extremely impressive backdrop for the shows. For further information about future events, or details of the shows, contact Ken Skeldon or Rebecca Crawford on (0141) 339 8855 x 6396 (answering service available).

Credits
Created and maintained by: Ken Skeldon & William Hamish Bell.
Photography: Media Services, Milne Photography, Kenneth Strain, Iain McVicar.
Text by: Rebecca Crawford & Ken Skeldon.