Trinitite is glassified soil from the Trinity site of the first atomic blast in 1945. 67 years later it is only mildly radioactive. The site is now covered and new samples are not able to be collected. Nevertheless it was only a few dollars on eBay for this 1.83 g sample. This sample is seen over the port of my pancake Geiger counter.
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A compact copper ring with a bright green LED, turned on by a hidden microswitch.
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Lots of fun to be had with liquid Nitrogen.
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I made about 50 ml of liquid oxygen by passing medical grade oxygen through a condenser in a dewar of LN2. The photo shows it adhering to a magnet, due to it’s paramagnetism.
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Ex medical ophthalmic (eye) class IV laser Nd:YAG 3W 20ms 15J, Q switched 12ns 0.2J with HeNe 0.1 mW. It weighs 400 kg including a solid pallet.
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Another iteration of a Nitrogen laser and my best performer.”Continue reading” for more details of this laser. Continue reading
The Levitron (R) is a small spinning top like magnet that is fully hovering in mid air unsupported. It is rather critical in its dimensions and operation. This requires adjustment by very small weight changes. It is commercially made and sold as a science toy. See their site for details.
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A model boat demonstrates magnetohydrodynamics. In one of its forms it gives electrical propulsion with no moving parts by applying an electric current to a fluid in a magnetic field generating thrust. This applies to any conductive fluid including water (preferably salt), liquid metal or plasma. Here I am demonstrating the principle with water.
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My magnetic levitation display keeping a magnet spinning in mid-air.
After my earlier proof of concept Magnetic Levitation 1 it was time for a serious setup.
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I have a lot of thoughts about future laser projects. I would like to make a nitrogen laser with low pressure pure nitrogen. I have the regulator and also a refrigerator compressor to use as the vacuum pump.
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