Pumped about physics

Matt Arthurs, a grade 11 student from Millwood High School, suspending balls in the air as part of Physics Fun & Discovery Days (Bruce Bottomley photo)

In a classroom in the Sir James Dunn Building, a group of high school kids gather. They are watching as two undergrads place several metal pipes into a container of liquid nitrogen. The liquid, which is at a temperature of -196 degrees Celsius, hisses as it makes contact with the objects at room temperature and instantly boils. It shoots up the pipes and cascades out the top, seemingly all over the floor of the classroom, but then evaporates instantly, leaving the floor untouched.

From the rapt expressions on the faces of the students, you can tell that this is not their average science lesson.

This was the third year that the Faculty of Science held its Physics Fun & Discovery Days. Over the course of five days, close to 530 students from grades 6 to 12 were on campus participating in sessions run by the Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, with the financial support of the Faculty of Science’s outreach committee. It was a unique opportunity for students to not only visit Dalhousie and get a sense for the campus, but also to take part in fun demonstrations about physics.

"We do this to get them excited about science," says Theresa Myra, who works in school outreach with the Faculty of Science. "They see that post-secondary education is important, and they can get in here and see the fun behind science."

"We like to show them that there is more to science than what goes on in the classroom," agrees Simon de Vet, an instructor with the department, adding that for many students, it is their first time inside a university classroom as well as a unique opportunity to get a sense of what their first year as an undergraduate at Dalhousie might be like.

Physics Fun & Discovery Days relies upon the help of many undergraduate and graduate students from the department. Participating in the event is as beneficial to them as it is to their audience, as for many it’s their first time demonstrating physics to a group. 

"It's one thing to sit in a lecture, but it's another thing to present that information to others," says Stephen Payne, another instructor in the Physics Department. Dr. Payne is one of a group of faculty, that also includes Kevin Hewitt, who have conceived and supported Physics Fun & Discovery Days over the past three years. "It's excellent exposure for them."

The students agree. "It's good to have a chance to share that excitement again," says Jessie Harlow, a fourth-year undergraduate student.

"I find it has the same effect on me as it does on the kids. Sometimes it's like 'Wow, this is cool'," agrees Jacqueline Byers, a third-year undergraduate.

The visiting students passed through four different exhibits: a discovery room in which they had the chance to take part in several hands-on activities, a Holo-tent, where they had the opportunity to make their own hologram, a planetarium show in Nova Scotia’s only permanent planetarium, and the ever-popular liquid nitrogen show.

When asked what they thought about the day, the visiting students were excited. "It was fun!" says Sam Beeston, a grade 10 student from West Kings High School. "This way I can see what the campus is like."

Ms. Myra is proud of the excitement and interest in the program, pointing out that they have a waiting list every year to get in. She thinks that Dalhousie is in a great position to use its place in the community to share knowledge.  "We have excellent resources here," she says. "We should give back to teachers who may not have the same knowledge and resources."