Ohio University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy got to amaze attendees with flying hovercrafts, cosmic rays and catapults during its biannual open house Saturday.
More than 900 people came in and out of Clippinger Laboratories and were greeted with indoor and outdoor demonstrations, shows and hands-on experiments.
“We do this every two years,” said Joe Shields, vice president for research and faculty member of the astronomy and physics department. “It’s a large-scale production.”
Launching water bottle rockets, giving children rides on hovercrafts and freezing balloons with liquid nitrogen — the day was a showcase of faculty and student projects that educated visitors on how physics can relate to everyday life.
“I think it is fun to see people of all ages participate with the shows and interact with the faculty and students while learning about physics,” Shields said.
An estimated $2,000 from the department was used to advertise for the open house and to purchase small prizes for children who attended the event, said Wayne Chiasson, department administrator.
“I love how many people come through the building,” Chiasson said. “It’s a good time.”
One presentation included a visual display of cosmic rays and how particles from outer space fall into the Earth’s atmosphere. Bubbles within the display indicated if the particles were present.
Another project depicted angular momentum, and one graduate student used examples in which individuals could move a bicycle wheel to demonstrate the amount of rotation an object has depending on mass and shape.
“(The open house) is an opportunity for the department to serve the community,” said Zhiyuan Fan, a sixth-year graduate student studying physics. “It’s to encourage them and to encourage them to learn more about physics.”
Some students from area high schools came for extra credit opportunities and enjoyed the open house because of its wide range of activities.
“I never heard of (the open house) ’til now,” said Chloe Chubb, a freshman at Nelsonville-York High School. “I would consider coming back in two years.”
Among attendees were OU President Roderick McDavis and his wife, Deborah McDavis.
"I thought it was a well-organized, informative, fun event,” McDavis said in an email. “The faculty, staff and students did a great job hosting the open house. I enjoyed visiting the exhibits and learned some interesting facts about physics and astronomy."
hy135010@ohio.edu
@HannahMYang
