Geyser demo, Fisher burner
3/8 inch ID Tygon vacuum tubing, Liquid Nitrogen, Gloves, Safety Glasses.

 

Code Number: 4C30.25

Demo Title: Geyser - Relaxation Oscillator

Condition: Good

Principle: Bernoulli Principle, Convection, Pressure Effects on Changes of State

Area of Study: Thermodynamics

Equipment: 

Geyser demo, Fisher burner. Liquid Nitrogen Reservoir, 3/8 inch ID Tygon vacuum tubing, Liquid Nitrogen, Gloves, Safety Glasses.

Procedure:

See the 8A50.85 entry.

Fill the geyser demo with water to a depth of about 2" above the central hole.  Place the fisher burner under the demo and bring to a boil.  The cycle period for this geyser is about 30 sec to 1 min once completely warmed.  NOTE: The splash screen may be taken out of the demo for better viewing, however extreme caution must be taken due to the boiling water that splashes out.

This Demo is located at 8A50.85 in the Astronomy Section.  A liquid nitrogen geyser may be produced by inserting a piece of Tygon Vaccum tubing into a reservoir of liquid nitrogen.  Gas and liquid will spew forth quite dramatically. 

We have a variety of relaxation oscillators available.  Look at these webpages:

3A95.10 - Relaxation Oscillators

6-00.00 - Stroboscope (we have small variable frequency strobe lights available).

2B60.30 - Tantalus Cups

3D32.15 - Stadium Horn

4C30.25 - Geyser

4C31.30 - Drinking Bird

4C31.37 - Franklin's Pulse Glass Engine

5A40.70 - Kelvin Water Dropper

5F30.60 - Relaxation Oscillators - Neon Bulb, Doorbell, and Strobe Lights

10A06.10 - Relaxation Oscillators

13A10.10 - Perpetual Motion

References:

  • Jean Zheng, "Grand Prismatic Spring", TPT, Vol. 57, #2, Feb. 2019, p. 128.
  • Paul Hewitt, "Figuring Physics", TPT, Vol. 25, #5, May 1987, p. 340.
  • John S. Rinehart, "Old Faithful Geyser", TPT, Vol. 7, #4, Apr. 1969, p. 221.
  • National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK., "Smoke From the Deep", Physics Today, Vol. 63, #5, May 2010, p. 72.
  • Hj-5: Freier and Anderson, A Demonstration Handbook for Physics.
  • H-264: "Pop Corn and Geyser Simulator", DICK and RAE Physics Demo Notebook.
  • Tik Liem, "How Does a Geyser Work?", Investigation to Science Inquiry,  p. 402.
  • L. Karlstrom et. al, "Dynamics of a Geyser", Physics Today, Sept. 2013, p. 17.
  • Julien Clinton Sprott, "2.6, Model Geyser", Physics Demonstrations, ISBN 0-299-21580-6, p. 79.
  • Jearl Walker, "4.51, Geysers and Coffee Percolators", The Flying Circus of Physics Ed. 2, p. 199.
  • Janice VanCleave, "Pop Top", Earth Science for Every Kid - 101 Easy Experiments That Really Work, p. 58.
  • "Hot Springs and Geysers", How it Works - Science Supplement, Spring 2001, p. 102.
  • Guinness Book of World Records, "Largest Geyser Death Toll", 2003, p. 69.
  • Prof. Robert Griffith, "Geysers and How to Make One", Boys' Useful Pastimes, p. 136.
https://water.lsbu.ac.uk/water/phase_anomalies.html
 
4C30.25 - Geyser

 

4C30.25 - Liquid Nitrogen Geyser