Sweet Experiments in Physics and Optics with Candy Glass
1
Two Methods for Measuring Index of Refraction Sweet Experiments in Physics and Optics with Candy Glass Materials Preparation & Processing 1. Candy making 2. Phase Diagrams 3. Fiber Drawing Properties 4. Crystallization and Kinetics (moisture and thermal mediated)* 5. Refractive Index 6.. Nano-carbon Fluorescence 7. Thermal Analysis 8. Electrical Conductivity 9. Thermal Conductivity Message: We have multiple activities to engage students in hands-on glass science. The experiments are linked to form a mini-curriculum on which the student can build from the basic materials preparation (cooking) to increasingly more complicated experiments including characterization methods. All experiments can be done within the resources of a high school lab or even the home. The approach is open ended, encouraging the student to experience the joy of building and discovery. Many could be appropriate for the undergraduate science lab. These and other activities are available to all on our IMI website at: http://www.lehigh.edu/imi Abstract: We present a collection hands-on experiment and home-built apparatus designed to explore physics and “real” glass science through a common and accessible sugar glass also known as hard candy. Experiments are all low-cost and inter- related and include: synthesis, phase diagram, refractive index measurement, nano-carbon fluorescence and crystallization phenomena, as well as apparatus for differential thermal analysis, electrical conductivity and “optical fiber” drawing. Most of the experiments can be assembled in a high school or college lab with minimal cost. The scientific content of these experiments progresses systematically, providing an environment to develop an understanding of glassy materials and participate in the process of scientific inquiry and discovery through experimentation, within a framework of active prolonged engagement. The Making of Hard Candy (Glass) – Material Synthesis Phenomenological approach Sucrose, Corn Syrup and Water are combined and cooked- • first to dissolve into a single liquid phase & • then to remove most of the water. Boiling temp provides measure of the water content. Boil to ~ 150° C. Cost ~ $5 in materials for many batches Data from Food Industries Manual, 24th ed, (1997). Materials Preparation Phase Diagrams Elect. conductivity in Glass Curriculum activities www.lehigh.edu/imi International Materials Institute for New Functionality in Glass Sponsored by US National Science Foundation 1. W . R. Heffner and H. Jain, “Building a Low Cost, Hands-on Learning Curriculum on Glass Science and Engineering using Candy Glass” in MRS Proceedings 1233 , Boston, 2009, edited by M. M. Patterson (Materials Research Society, 2010). 2. W. R. Heffner and H Jain, “Low-Cost, Experimental Curriculum in Materials Science Using Candy Glass Part 2: Home- Built Apparatuses” in MRS Proceedings 1657, Boston, 2014, (Materials Research Society, 2014). Both papers as well as additional information are available on the IMI website at: http://www.lehigh.edu/imi Acknowledgement: This work has been supported by IMI-NFG, Lehigh University through National Science Foundations (NSF) Grants : DMR-0409588 and DMR-0844014 References to Additional Information Differential Thermal Analysis - DTA William R. Heffner and Himanshu Jain IMI-NFG, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA Fluorescence – A Carbon Nano-dot Experiment Quantitative Fluorescence Monitor Thermal Conductivity Crystallization in Glass Problem with Sucrose alone: Very prone to crystallization at low water, Which is why we add corn syrup (glucose and long chain dextrins). Simple DTA can be constructed with some test tubes, heated temperature bath, thermocouples and some simple electronics to measure the differential and bath temperatures. Open students to T g and associated relaxation processes. Thermal Conductivity Apparatus relies on measuring small differential temperatures as the DTA. Good correlation with literature values of common insulators was obtained. Fluorescence experiment introduces student to the field of nan-dot fluorescence and the characteristic shift in emission with excitation wavelength – a great gateway into other open-ended investigations. Fiber Drawing Tower
Transcript of Sweet Experiments in Physics and Optics with Candy Glass
Two Methods for Measuring Index of Refraction
Sweet Experiments in Physics and Optics with Candy Glass
Materials Preparation & Processing
1. Candy making
2. Phase Diagrams
3. Fiber Drawing
Properties
4. Crystallization and Kinetics
(moisture and thermal mediated)*
5. Refractive Index
6.. Nano-carbon Fluorescence
7. Thermal Analysis
8. Electrical Conductivity
9. Thermal Conductivity
Message:
We have multiple activities to engage students in hands-on glass science. The experiments are
linked to form a mini-curriculum on which the student can build from the basic materials preparation
(cooking) to increasingly more complicated experiments including characterization methods. All
experiments can be done within the resources of a high school lab or even the home. The approach is
open ended, encouraging the student to experience the joy of building and discovery. Many could be
appropriate for the undergraduate science lab. These and other activities are available to all on our
IMI website at: http://www.lehigh.edu/imi
Abstract: We present a collection hands-on experiment and home-built apparatus designed to explore physics and “real” glass science through a common and accessible sugar glass also known as hard candy. Experiments are all low-cost and inter-
related and include: synthesis, phase diagram, refractive index measurement, nano-carbon fluorescence and crystallization phenomena, as well as apparatus for differential thermal analysis, electrical conductivity and “optical fiber” drawing. Most of the
experiments can be assembled in a high school or college lab with minimal cost. The scientific content of these experiments progresses systematically, providing an environment to develop an understanding of glassy materials and participate in the process
of scientific inquiry and discovery through experimentation, within a framework of active prolonged engagement.
The Making of Hard Candy
(Glass) – Material Synthesis
Phenomenological approach
Sucrose, Corn Syrup and Water are
combined and cooked-
• first to dissolve into a single liquid phase &
• then to remove most of the water.
Boiling temp provides measure of the water
content. Boil to ~ 150° C.
Cost ~ $5 in materials
for many batches Data from Food Industries Manual, 24th ed, (1997).
Materials Preparation
Phase Diagrams
Elect. conductivity in Glass
Curriculum activities
www.lehigh.edu/imi
International Materials Institute for New Functionality in Glass
Sponsored by US National Science Foundation
1. W. R. Heffner and H. Jain, “Building a Low Cost, Hands-on Learning Curriculum on Glass Science and Engineering using
Candy Glass” in MRS Proceedings 1233 , Boston, 2009, edited by M. M. Patterson (Materials Research Society, 2010).
2. W. R. Heffner and H Jain, “Low-Cost, Experimental Curriculum in Materials Science Using Candy Glass Part 2: Home-
Built Apparatuses” in MRS Proceedings 1657, Boston, 2014, (Materials Research Society, 2014).
Both papers as well as additional information are available on the IMI website at: http://www.lehigh.edu/imi
Acknowledgement: This work has been supported by IMI-NFG, Lehigh University through National Science Foundations (NSF) Grants : DMR-0409588 and DMR-0844014
References to Additional Information
Differential Thermal Analysis - DTA
William R. Heffner and Himanshu JainIMI-NFG, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
Fluorescence – A Carbon Nano-dot Experiment
Quantitative Fluorescence Monitor
Thermal Conductivity
Crystallization in Glass
Problem with Sucrose alone: Very prone to crystallization at low water,
Which is why we add corn syrup (glucose and long chain dextrins).
Simple DTA can be constructed with some test tubes, heated temperature bath, thermocouples and some simple electronics
to measure the differential and bath temperatures. Open students to Tg and associated relaxation processes.
Thermal Conductivity Apparatus relies on measuring
small differential temperatures as the DTA. Good
correlation with literature values of common insulators
was obtained.
Fluorescence experiment introduces student to the field of nan-dot fluorescence
and the characteristic shift in emission with excitation wavelength – a great
gateway into other open-ended investigations.
Fiber Drawing Tower
