Ion acoustic wave experiments in a high school plasma physics laboratory

Abstract

We describe a successful alliance between a university and several high schools. The alliance is centered on a laboratory experiment constructed by students and faculty. The experiment involves sophisticated concepts and equipment not readily available in high schools. Much of the experiment is directly related to the science and mathematics learned in high school, with opportunities to extend their understanding by applying it to a research experience. The experiment is in plasma physics, but a similar alliance can be implemented in any area of science. Although the number of high school students affected by any one alliance is small, the impact is potentially large in the scientific life of a participating student or teacher.

Why do aged fluorescent tubes flicker?

“…Fascinating phenomena may emerge from the interplay between electromagnetism, fluid dynamics and quantum physics in plasma physics. Several experimental devices have recently been designed as educational tools at the undergraduate level [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. Widely used, fluorescent tubes or other plasma-based lighting devices remain an affordable and simple way to introduce several fundamental concepts of plasma physics [8][9][10][11][12].…”

Beam excited acoustic instability in semiconductor quantum plasmas

“…The Ion-Acoustic Waves (IAWs) are the primary example of low frequency electrostatic compressional modes in gaseous plasmas. The contribution of the ions in the IAWs is same as of the neutral atoms/molecules in sound waves 13 propagating in neutral fluids. The interaction of ions in the plasmas extends over the long distances by their electric fields and therefore the IAWs do propagate even in collisionless gaseous plasmas.…”

Drift waves and chaos in a LAPTAG plasma physics experiment

“…The LAPTAG students and teachers played a large role in the fabrication of the device, with the help of their faculty advisors, and the research resulted in a publication. 1 In 2007 a magnetized plasma device was constructed in the LAPTAG lab to replace the original machine, and is there for the sole use of high school students. The addition of a magnetic field opened up the possibility for the study of a large variety of waves including drift waves, which were observed on the plasma edge.…”