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L. R. Ingersoll Physics Museum facts for kids

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The L.R. Ingersoll Physics Museum is located on the second floor of Chamberlin Hall on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. It is one of several museums on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus that focus on hands-on exhibits and public outreach. The museum runs on donations and charges no admission.

History

The museum was established in 1918 by Professor Snow and the museum's namesake, Leonard Rose Ingersoll (1880-1958), who taught at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. L.R. Ingersoll began advocating for the museum in 1917 and it became the first museum in the United States to focus solely on physics. Ingersoll wanted to create a museum that was accessible to young audiences. Since then, exhibits have continued to be designed by University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty and added to the museum.

Exhibits

The L.R. Ingersoll Physics Museum displays more than 70 interactive exhibits that cross several categories of Physics concepts.

A few exhibits include:

Mechanics

  • Gravity Pit - demonstrates the concept of a gravity well with a hyperbolic funnel wishing well.
  • Newton's Cradle
  • Pulleys
  • Spinning Platform
  • Gyroscope
  • Foucault Pendulum
  • Torsion Pendulum
  • Unequal Arm Balance
  • Coupled Pendulums

Electricity and Magnetism

Light and Optics

Wave and Sound

Modern Physics

Computer Demonstrations

  • Chaos Demonstration
  • Lissajous Curve Demonstration
  • Your Voice
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