A scientific demonstration is a scientific
experiment carried out for the purposes of
demonstrating scientific principles, rather
than for hypothesis testing or knowledge gathering
(although they may originally have been carried
out for these purposes).
Most scientific demonstrations are simple
laboratory demonstrations intended to demonstrate
physical principles, often in a surprising
or entertaining way.
They are carried out in schools and universities,
and sometimes in public demonstrations in
popular science lectures and TV programs aimed
at the general public.
Many scientific demonstrations are chosen
for their combination of educational merit
and entertainment value, which is often provided
by dramatic phenomena such as explosions.
Public scientific demonstrations were a common
occurrence in the Age of Enlightenment, and
have long been a feature of the British Royal
Institution Christmas Lectures, which date
back to 1825.
In the television era, scientific demonstrations
have featured in science-related entertainment
shows such as MythBusters and Brainiac: Science
Abuse.
== Examples ==
Some famous scientific demonstrations include:
Al-Biruni's reaction time
Alhazen's camera obscura, lamp experiment
and magnifying lens
Al-Jazari's crankshaft, elephant clock and
programmable robots
Avenzoar's parasites
Detonating a cloud of flour
Foucault's pendulum
Galileo Galilei's ball experiments, pendulum
and telescope
Heron's fountain and aeolipile
Ibn al-Nafis' pulmonary circulation and coronary
circulation
Gyroscopic bicycle wheel
Nylon rope trick
Prince Rupert's Drops
Shooting a candle through a plank
Taqi al-Din's alarm clock, steam turbine
Using a linear motor as a gun
Using compressed air to drive a water rocket
Using liquid nitrogen to shatter a rose
William Harvey's circulatory systemNote: many
scientific demonstrations are potentially
dangerous, and should not be attempted without
considerable laboratory experience and appropriate
safety precautions.
Many older well-known scientific demonstrations,
once mainstays of science education, are now
effectively impossible to demonstrate to an
audience without breaking health and safety
laws.
Some older demonstrations, such as allowing
the audience to play with liquid mercury,
are sufficiently dangerous that they should
not be attempted by anyone under any circumstances.
== See also ==
Demonstration (teaching)
List of science demonstrations
Physics Instructional Resource Association
Science in the Age of Enlightenment
Technology demonstration
