Dancing Fire

1
Dancing Fire

• Don Cameron
• University of Denver H.S.

2
Outline

• How to build a dancing fire apparatus
• Safety Consideration
• The Demo
• The Science
• Binary Communication (if time allows)
• Conclusion

3
How to Build Apparatus

• Mark and Drill Holes
• Insert Valve
• Roll and Seal Tube
• Create Diaphram
• Attach Diaphram
• Cost 50 for materials

4
Completed Apparatus
5
Safety Considerations

• Use only in a well ventilated area, a fume hood
  is not recommended because it will have too great
  an airflow.
  
• Have a fire extinguisher/CO2 cylinder handy.
• Have a hot pad/glove handy if you will move the
  tube while hot.
  
• Warn viewers that they may smell a little gas
  before or after the demo.
  
• Place the tube on a non-flammable surface.
• Remove all flammable items from close proximity
  of the demonstration.
  
• Dont let the flames be too short, or play music
  too loud, as you can pull vacuum on the tube and
  turn out the flame, or get gas burning inside the
  tube.

6
Safety Considerations Cont

• Dont panic if you have a leak, blow it out if it
  catches fire.
  
• Have a plan to exit yourself and kids if a fire
  starts.
  
• Practice without kids so you are comfortable with
  the apparatus.

7
The Demonstration

• A mix of musical tunes that work well
• A set of increasing and decreasing amplitudes
• A set of increasing and decreasing frequencies.

8
Back up Movie If Needed

• Music

• Amplitude Sweep

• Variable Tones

9
The Science particle model
10
The Science

• Gas Laws
• How do sound changes and pressure changes get
  translated into height of the wave?
  
• Energy
• Talk about energy transfers (how many types can
  you come up with?)
  

11
The Science

• Talk about energy conversion (chemical, to
  mechanical, to the ear, electrical)
  
• Talk about gas laws (volume, pressure, flame
  height)
  
• Talk about longitudinal waves (from the end of
  the tube) being converted by the shape of the
  flame line to transverse waves as seen by the
  height off the flames.
• Talk about a speaker and how it works to move
  air, remove the speaker cover if you can and for
  low frequency you may be able to follow the
  motion.
• Talk about wave length, do some calculations, see
  if the tube can support a wave of a certain
  length (Due to reflection this may be hard to
  simulate.)
• Talk about decibels being a measure of pressure
  difference and how louder music results in a
  greater change in volume and a greater change in
  flame height.
• Try different frequencies and see if you can make
  standing waves.

12
Acknowledgements

• DU High School for financial support
• Connie Wells AP Physics (Pembroke High School,
  Kansas City, MO), instructor who showed me Sweet
  Dreams demo, 2004.

BiNaRy CoMmUnIcAtIoN