Updated February 20, 2006

I've noted the availability of University of Alberta Physics Department high school labs before on the ScienceMan pages, but we finally had the chance to record some of the activities in this great field trip. Along with witnessing several very cool superconductivity demonstrations, we also did two labs - Spectroscopy involving helium and hydrogen emission spectrum, and determination of the charge to mass ratio of an electron with a Helmholtz coil.

In the first spectroscopy lab, we used a high voltage helium lamp to produce an emission spectrum in the spectroscope;

Students then carefully measured the angles to the various bands of light on either side of the central maximum, and used the numbers to calculate the wavelengths of the bands of light;

In the second lab we got to use the large Helmholtz coils to investigate the electron;

The idea behind the coil is to accelerate electrons and then expose them to a variable magnetic field. When a charged particle enters a magnetic field, its path curves. By equating the magnetic and centripetal forces, the charge to mass ratio of an electron can be determined.

In the pictures below, you can see the coil shot with night vision (Sony Digital CamCorder) and then in the dark - if you look carefully at the dark picture, you will see the curving electron beam;

Notice the glowing pegs - by lining the beam up the pegs, students can determine the radius of the deflecting beam. You can see this a little better in the QuickTime movie below;

The trip also included a cool superconductivity demo... thanks to the U of A physics department for a great trip!