Learn all about how low-temperature physics affects our daily lives – from refrigeration to cell phones. You’ll also find great demonstrations, and thought-provoking questions for further discussion. Here are the different topics:
Topic 1: Measuring the Cold - Thermometers
Topic 2: Understanding Heat and Energy
Topic 3: States of Matter
Topic 4: Refrigeration
Topic 5: Cryogenics
Topic 6: The Quest for Absolute Zero
Topic 7: How Animals Survive the Cold
Topic 8: Superconductivity
Topic 9: Astronomy
Topic 10: Spaceflight
Topic 11: Agriculture
Topic 12: Cold Medicine
The Fountain Effect
John F. Allen and Harry Jones discovered the "fountain effect", in which superfluid Helium flows up a tube and shoots into the air upon being exposed to a small heat source (the heat source in the original experiment was a flashlight that they were using to look at the apparatus). Allen also used a movie camera to film his experiments, such as the superfluid helium fountain (seen here). His was an early use of moving images to document experiments and inform students and the general public.
Thank you to our Underwriters: National Science Foundation, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Credits: 2006 - Design and Development: Devillier Communications and Wood St. Content - Devillier Communcations. All Rights Reserved.
John F. Allen and Harry Jones discovered the "fountain effect", in which superfluid Helium flows up a tube and shoots into the air upon being exposed to a small heat source (the heat source in the original experiment was a flashlight that they were using to look at the apparatus). Allen also used a movie camera to film his experiments, such as the superfluid helium fountain (seen here). His was an early use of moving images to document experiments and inform students and the general public.