CHAIN EXPERIMENT Jurij Bajc Katarina Susman Saa Ziherl

CHAIN EXPERIMENT Jurij Bajc, Katarina Susman, Saša Ziherl University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education

Since 2005 • New challenge for physics students • Promotion of physics • Annual event in May University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education; DMFA; The Technical Museum of Slovenia

What is the chain experiment? • A “system of dominoes” • A set of dynamic devices • Each device is a whole for itself but also a part of the whole • Entertainment, fun with experimentation • Idea, challenge • Team work University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education; DMFA; The Technical Museum of Slovenia

Concepts of the chain • Physical phenomena • Well defined linking element • Sufficiently slow dynamics that one is able to observe it easily • Accessible, waste material University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education; DMFA; The Technical Museum of Slovenia

The project • The first spin-off project of the WYP 2005 in Slovenia • Promotions all over the country with demo version of the chain experiment • Schools are invited to develop new contraptions • Annual event in May – one long chain of contraptions University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education; DMFA; The Technical Museum of Slovenia

The demo version • 10 contraptions in the chain • Cooperation of students from 3 Slovenian faculties • Presentations all over Slovenia and neighbouring countries • More than 3000 spectators per year University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education; DMFA; The Technical Museum of Slovenia

The Slovenian event • First event in 2005 in the cultural and congress center in Slovenia – Over 50 contraptions, 80 meters long chain – 200 constructors – 1500 spectators • Every year in Technical Museum of Slovenia all the contraptions made that year are shown University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education; DMFA; The Technical Museum of Slovenia

Ambitions • 30 th May 2009 – the longest chain experiment ever – All interested in making the contraptions are invited to join in. • Limited budget for accommodation foreign groups University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education; DMFA; The Technical Museum of Slovenia

Chain experiment Contacts: – sasa. ziherl@gmail. com – katarina. susman@gmail. com – jure. bajc@gmail. com Links: – http: //www. pef. uni-lj. si – http: //tms. pfmb. uni-mb. si/ – http: //www 2. pef. uni-lj. si/chain. experiment/index_slo. htm University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education; DMFA; The Technical Museum of Slovenia