5N20.80 - Tesla Coil and Pinwheel - Ion Motor

Code Number:
5N20.80
Demo Title:
Tesla Coil and Pinwheel - Ion Motor
Condition:
Excellent
Principle:
High Frequency Tuned Coils, Ion Streams and Repulsion
Area of Study:
Electricity & Magnetism
Equipment:
Hand Held and Table Top Tesla Coil with Pointed Tip Discharge Head, and Pinwheel.
Procedure:

Placing the pinwheel directly onto the point of the large Tesla coil will give large corona discharges from the pinwheel points.

Screw the pinwheel tip adapter onto the table top Tesla coil.  Place the pinwheel on this and turn on the coil.  A corona discharge should be readily visible from the points of the pinwheel in a darkened room and the pinwheel should start to turn after several seconds.

Place the tip of the handheld Tesla coil on the small pin near the lower edge of the pinwheel.  A corona discharge should be visible from the pinwheel points, and the pinwheel will start to turn.

Video Credit: Daniel Reinart.

References:
  • Stephen G. Benka, "Unexpected Wear May Yield New Plasma Rockets", Physics Today, Vol. 64, #5, May 2011, p. 17.
  • Sam Blum, "Plane Achieves Flight with No Moving Parts", Popular Mechanics, Vol. 196, #3, Mar. 2019, p. 18.
  • Paul Noel, "Wimshurst Instruction Manuel", AAPT Summer Meeting 2019.


Disclaimer: These demonstrations are provided only for illustrative use by persons affiliated with The University of Iowa and only under the direction of a trained instructor or physicist.  The University of Iowa is not responsible for demonstrations performed by those using their own equipment or who choose to use this reference material for their own purpose.  The demonstrations included here are within the public domain and can be found in materials contained in libraries, bookstores, and through electronic sources.  Performing all or any portion of any of these demonstrations, with or without revisions not depicted here entails inherent risks.  These risks include, without limitation, bodily injury (and possibly death), including risks to health that may be temporary or permanent and that may exacerbate a pre-existing medical condition; and property loss or damage.  Anyone performing any part of these demonstrations, even with revisions, knowingly and voluntarily assumes all risks associated with them.