Physics Department to Host Open House for All Ages
OGDEN, Utah – What do cats, time travel and drones have in common? All are part of the ninth annual Physics Open House, returning to Weber State University October 9 from 6-9 p.m.
The Department of Physics will host the open house in various rooms in and outside of Lind Lecture Hall. The free event is open to all ages and will feature presentations, demonstrations and interactive activities conducted by WSU physics faculty and students.
Scheduled events include the Circus of Physics, presented by professors Adam Johnston and Colin Inglefield, featuring levitating billiard balls and disappearing test tubes using electricity and spinning objects.
Professor Ron Galli will answer the age-old question: “Why do cats always land on their feet?”
Professor John Armstrong will cover the physics of time travel and 3-D physics.
Outdoor presentations will include water balloon ballistics, rocket launching and drones. In addition, the Ott Planetarium will present shows featuring the space race, constellations and the electromagnetic spectrum.
Schedule of Events:
Outside Events: 6 p.m.-sundown
Rockets: Science in the Parks
Catapult: water balloon ballistics
Alternative energy demonstrations: Robotics and drones
Activity Rooms
6-8:45 p.m., Room 221: Danger, 100,000 Ohms!
6-8:45 p.m., Room 222: Optics and lasers
6-8:45 p.m., Room 223: Physics of air
6-8:45 p.m., Room 228: Magnetarium
6-8:45 p.m., Main floor museum activities
6-9:30 p.m., Room 203: Planetarium shows (free, every 30 minutes, tickets required)
Demonstrations
6-6:45 p.m., Room 121: Circus of Physics
7-7:45 p.m., Room 121: Spinning objects, electricity
8-8:45 p.m., Room 121: Circus of Physics
6-8:45 p.m., Room 123: High Altitude Reconnaissance Balloon for Outreach and Research (HARBOR)
6-8:45 p.m., Room 125: 3-D Physics
8-8:45 p.m., Room 122: Physics of time travel
While the event is free to the public, event organizers are conducting a canned-food drive. Visitors are encouraged to bring canned foods to the open house and race them down a slope. After the event, all donated canned goods will be given to the Utah Food Bank.
Since its inception in 2007, community interest and participation in the annual open house has been strong, with attendance as high as 1,400 people.
Visit physics.weber.edu for directions and other event information.
Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
For high-resolution photos, please visit the following link:
Melissa Smith, office of Media Relations
801-626-6348 • melissasmith9@weber.edu- Contact:
John Armstong, associate physics professor
801-626-6215 • jcarmstrong@weber.edu