What Cold Weather Physics Experiments Can You Try in Alaska?

[Pythagorean]

I'm a physics major in Alaska, where it's not uncommon to have temperatures of -40.

Are there any interesting experiments or designs that I can do in my freetime that are convenient because of the cold weather?

I remember learning briefly about gradients being a source of power. If someone could give me a good keyword for that, I could better Google it (or look it up in my physics textbooks). Is the temp difference of -40 (outside) to 68 (inside my house) a large enough difference to even consider generating power (even if for fun).

 

[Tide]

Please verify for us that mercury freezes at -38 F and measure the speed of sound! :)

 

[ZapperZ]

Please verify for us that mercury freezes at -38 F and measure the speed of sound! :)

... or that warm water freezes faster than cold water. :)

Zz.

 

[PerennialII]

Breaking things has typically the best success ratio in cold climate.

 

[BlueParrot]

I'm a physics major in Alaska, where it's not uncommon to have temperatures of -40.
Are there any interesting experiments or designs that I can do in my freetime that are convenient because of the cold weather?
I remember learning briefly about gradients being a source of power. If someone could give me a good keyword for that, I could better Google it (or look it up in my physics textbooks). Is the temp difference of -40 (outside) to 68 (inside my house) a large enough difference to even consider generating power (even if for fun).

I didn't realize you were talking about Fahrenheit until I read you had 68 degrees indoors( Yes I have experienced outdoor temperatures close to -40 C )

 

[pallidin]

Temperature gradients can most certainly be used as a "source of power" Thermocouples, and its cousin thermopiles, are an example of this.

 

[krab]

-40c = -40f

 

[Pythagorean]

Temperature gradients can most certainly be used as a "source of power" Thermocouples, and its cousin thermopiles, are an example of this.

thank you, knowing the name always make googling easier :P

 

[whozum]

-40c = -40f

 

[cepheid]

Yup, just do the conversion:

1. Shift zero point to that of the Celsius scale

-40^oF - 32^oF = -72^oF

2. Convert to Celsius degrees

-72^oF * 5^oC/9^oF = (-72/9)*5 ^oC = -40^oC

 

[Pieter Kuiper]

Or google: http://www.google.com/search?q=-40+Celsius+in+Fahrenheit

 

[GENIERE]

...Is the temp difference of -40 (outside) to 68 (inside my house) a large enough difference to even consider generating power (even if for fun).

Might be an ideal application for a Sterling Engine.

 

[krab]

Is the temp difference of -40 (outside) to 68 (inside my house) a large enough difference to even consider generating power (even if for fun).

Sure, but I hope you don't imagine that this gives energy for free. A large temperature difference makes an engine more efficient, but you still have to supply the energy. In this case, your furnace will be providing the energy, as the operation of the engine will take heat out of your house.

 

[Pythagorean]

Sure, but I hope you don't imagine that this gives energy for free. A large temperature difference makes an engine more efficient, but you still have to supply the energy. In this case, your furnace will be providing the energy, as the operation of the engine will take heat out of your house.

Absolutely not! I'm willing to put energy into the experiment. I've been salvaging electronics from the dump, and usually, the components are good (I ignore the integrated circuits, aka circuitboards.)

I just have no idea how you would be able to even get a potential difference. What sucks is I did a lab where we did this with two wires (one silver and one copper), and a pot of boiling water as the hot end. The wires were somehow wired through a part of the pot with boiling so that the wires will conduct heat, and the ratio between their heat conductivity will generate a voltage.

I'm really shaky on this; I've looked it up, but I haven't nailed the right keyword yet. I can't even find it in my physics book, usind the index, thumbing through pages. As a matter of fact, I save my lab reports, and I can't find the particular lab I'm thinking of. It's almost as if I've dreamed it up! But I remember measuring a voltage across two different materials (both heat and electricity conductors) and there was a pot of boiling water involved!

 

[Pieter Kuiper]

The keyword are Seebeck-effect, or thermoelectric effect, or Peltier effect (when you run it the other way around).

(It does not depend on the thermal conductivity.)

 

[Pythagorean]

Might be an ideal application for a Sterling Engine.

ah yes, this is beautiful, this. Very simple.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/stirling-engine2.htm"