1. Protons for Breakfast Week 1: Electricity October 2010

2. In the event of an alarm sounding…

3. Toilets…

4. Parents and children…

5. The plan for the evening… 7:00 p.m. to 7:59 p.m. 8:00 p.m. to 8:29 p.m. Walkabout 8:59 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Feedback Talk 8:30 p.m. to 8:59 p.m. More talk

6. Who is helping? John Mountford Jonathan Pearce Joseph Thom Laurie Winkless Lindsay Chapman Lloyd England Mateusz Szymanski Neelaksh Sadhoo Paul Carroll Peter Quested Peter Woolliams Rainer Winkler Ralf Mouthaan Robert Goddard Ruth Montgomery Sharmila Hanson Stephanie Bell Tim Burnett Andrew Hanson Arzu Arinc Averil Horton Bufa Zhang Davide Di Maio Deborah Lea Eleanor Bakhshandeiar Emma Woolliams Gianluca Memoli Jacquie Elkin James Miall Jeff Flowers Jenny Wilkinson Jian Wang Joanna Lee John Makepeace

7. Acknowledgements NPL: –The National Physical Laboratory Serco: –Manage NPL on behalf of the BIS Amey: –Who set out the rooms Baxter Storey: –Who do the tea & biscuits

8. Who is Michael de Podesta? Age 50: Lecturer in Physics at Birkbeck College and University College London for 13 years At NPL for 10 years. Building the most accurate thermometer ever. Married with two sons (aged 12 & 14) Keen on Water Rockets

9. MBE!

10. Why am I here? I am here because I believe … Science is humanity’s greatest achievement

11. Why are you here? Hopeless at science at school as just didn't understand what the teachers were talking about. Would like to understand. To improve my understanding of Science and how to inspire children with Science in my lessons. To show my daughter how exciting Science is... To attend with my son, who constantly asks me complicated scientific questions and expects me to know all the answers! To help with my physics GCSE. To improve my science understanding because my science teacher is PANTS! Worked here for several years but never attended it, so have finally got it in my diary! Would like to learn more about science as I feel as though I missed out when I was a kid!

12. …there is a problem about how we, as citizens, relate to science…

13. The image of science:1 Mad Muppets top cult science poll Dr Honeydew is known the world over for his disastrous research at Muppet Labs, "where the future is being made today". His experiments invariably go awry, with poor old Beaker usually being blown to bits or electrocuted. BBC 6/9/2004

14. The image of science:2 Science Gone Wrong The final touch… What!BANG! Alex Noble (Age 9)

15. The image of science:3 An un-scientific experiment Scientist ……… Scientist

16. In contrast… A room full of people who want to learn about science Helped by volunteers In a world where ignorance makes us powerless

17. Tonight’s talk The scale and size of the Universe –Its very big, but full of very small things The electric force –It dominates every physical phenomenon on our scale. How the force works –Electric particles –Electric field Light –Waves in the Electric field

18. Tonight’s talk The scale and size of the Universe or ‘How not to be boggled!’

19. The imperceptible and the vast (1) As human beings we can judge: temperatures close to ‘normal’ weights greater than a gram up to around 1000 kilograms distances greater than a millimetre or less than a few kilometres. times greater than a second or less than a fraction of a lifetime.

20. The imperceptible and the vast (2) As human beings we cannot judge: temperatures more a few degrees away from ‘normal’ Such temperatures just feel ‘very hot’ or ‘very cold’ weights beyond a few tonnes or less than a gram Such weights seem either stupendously heavy or negligible distances less than a millimetre or greater than a few kilometres. Such distances are too tiny or too far to perceive directly times less than a second or more than a fraction of a lifetime. Such times are too small or too long for us to appreciate

21. The imperceptible and the vast (4) Measuring instruments extend our senses Telescopes & Microscopes, Weighing machines, Devices sensitive to electricity & light, Clocks NPL: Enables people to trust measurements

22. Quantities and qualities that extend beyond our ability to perceive them often seem: imperceptible or vast ? ? Science helps us extend our senses But we can still feel boggled!

23. Diameter: 12,800 km Deepest hole: 10 km Atmosphere: 10 km The Planet Earth Photo Credit: NASA

24. The Moon Diameter Earth: 12,800 km Moon: 3476 km Photo Credit: NASA

25. The Sun Diameter: 1,390,800 km Earth Photo Credit: NASA

26. Powers of Ten I hope that you are now a little unsettled and ready to go on a 9 minute journey to see how the world looks at different levels of ‘fantasy magnification’ Photo Credit: Powers of 10

27. Very Very Small Very Very Large Powers of Ten (1) 1 metre 1000 m 1000000 m 1000000000 m 1000000000000 m 0.001 m 0.000001 m 0.000000001 m Can you see the problem with very small and very large numbers?

28. Powers of Ten (2) Very Very Small Very Very Large 1 100010 3 10 6 10 9 10 12 10 15 1000000 0.00110 -3 10 -6 0.000001 10 18 10 24 10 30 10 36 10 21 10 27 10 33 10 -15 10 -9 10 -18 10 -12 10 0

29. Powers of Ten (3) Very Very Small Very Very Large 1 metre 10 3 10 6 10 9 10 12 10 15 10 -3 10 -6 10 18 10 24 10 30 10 36 10 21 10 27 10 33 10 -15 10 -9 10 -18 10 -12 10 12 1000000000000 m 0.000000000001 m

30. Powers of Ten Length Scale in metres Very Very Large 10 3 10 6 10 9 10 12 10 15 10 -3 10 -6 10 18 10 24 10 30 10 36 10 21 10 27 10 33 10 -15 10 -9 10 -18 10 -12 ? Very Very Small 10 0 Human Relationships Atoms & molecules Nuclei of atoms Current estimate of the size of the universe Nearest Star Light Year Tallest Mountain Nanotechnology Distance to the Sun Diameter of the Earth Diameter of a hair Microbes Viruses Quarks

31. Powers of Ten Length Scale in metres 10 3 10 6 10 9 10 12 10 15 10 -3 10 -6 10 18 10 24 10 30 10 36 10 21 10 27 10 33 10 -15 10 -9 10 -18 10 -12 10 0 Human Relationships Distance to the Sun Atoms & molecules Nuclei of atoms Current estimate of the size of the universe Nearest Star Light Year Tallest MountainNanotechnology Diameter of the Earth Diameter of a hair Microbes Viruses Quarks 10 -21 10 -24 10 -33 10 -27 10 -36 10 -30 Large Hadron Collider Large Hadron ColliderLarge Hadron Collider ? What goes on here? String Theory M-Branes ???????? ?

32. Powers of Ten Global Warming Very Very Large 10 0 10 3 10 6 10 9 10 12 10 15 10 -3 10 -6 10 18 10 24 10 30 10 36 10 21 10 27 10 33 10 -15 10 -9 10 -18 10 -12 Very Very Small Human Relationships The phenomenon of global warming involves physical processes with length scales spanning 20 powers of 10! Distance to the Sun Tallest Mountain Diameter of the Earth Atoms & molecules Microbes

33. Powers of Ten Nuclear Power Very Very Large 10 0 10 3 10 6 10 9 10 12 10 15 10 -3 10 -6 10 18 10 24 10 30 10 36 10 21 10 27 10 33 10 -15 10 -9 10 -18 10 -12 Very Very Small Human Relationships Tallest Mountain The issues surrounding nuclear power involve physical processes with length scales spanning 25 powers of 10! Nuclei of atoms Distance to the Sun Diameter of the Earth Atoms & molecules Microbes

34. Powers of Ten (time) Time scale in seconds Very Very short Very Very Long 10 0 10 3 10 6 10 9 10 12 10 15 10 -3 10 -6 10 18 10 24 10 21 10 -15 10 -9 10 -18 10 -12 Time for a molecule to jiggle once Light wave wiggles once Earth moves once around the Sun Estimated time since the big bang Age of the Earth End of last ice age Lifetime of a Civilisation A human lifetime Fastest response of human eye Sound travels 1 metre 1 second

35. The Universe –Its very big, but full of very small things ? ?

36. Electricity

37. Now we can begin… Electromagnetic waves Atoms Heat Electricity

38. Eeeee - lec- tric-ityElectricity

39. Some experiments…

40. Lets take a look at some odd phenomena… A balloon and a piece of paper

41. Lets take a look at some odd phenomena… If I balance my glasses carefully…

42. Even a sausage… Sausages…

43. …its everything… The balloon affects anything and everything nearby To understand this, we need to understand what matter is made of, and how this ‘influence’ is communicated across ‘space’

44. A simple scientific instrument: The gold leaf electroscope Scientists can develop instruments to measure the relative strengths of the ‘electric influence’ Based on the same effect we saw with bits of paper

45. The Van de Graaff Generator Photo Credits: Katherine Robinson and MIT Scientists can develop machines to automate and amplify the ‘rubbing’ process with the balloon

46. The Van de Graaff Generator It is not important to understand how a Van de Graaff generator works PictureCredits: http://www.ikp.uni-koeln.de/~3T/tandem-prinzip1.htmlhttp://science.howstuffworks.com/vdg1.htm

47. The Van de Graaff Generator It is not important to understand how a Van de Graaff generator works

48. The Wimshurst Machine Sorry: I cannot explain how a Wimshurst Machine works! Photo Credits: Wikipedia and http://www.coe.ufrj.br/~acmq/electrostatic.html

49. Electrostatic Generators People have been doing this for a long time… Photo Credits: http://www.ikp.uni-koeln.de/~3T/tandem-prinzip1.html

50. Conclusion… Electricity is present inside ALL matter Its ‘influence’ can be communicated across ‘empty’ space

51. Not Stuff the gaps in between matter fields Stuff matter How do we describe the world?

52. Not Stuff (Fields) Fields Gravitational Electroweak Strong Extend throughout space Stuff (Particles) Atoms Electrons Neutrons Protons Very small We need to know about both particles and fields Two different kinds of physical entity

53. How do we describe the world?

54. The electrical nature of matter Particle with electric charge Particle with electric charge Interact by means of an electric field

55. Tonight’s talk…(3) The scale and size of the Universe –Its very big, but full of very small things The electric force –It affects everything How the force works –Electric particles –Electric field Light –Waves in the Electric field

56. The electrical nature of matter Electric charge is a fundamental property of electrons and protons. Two types of charge (+ and -) If particles have the same sign of electric charge they repel If particles have different signs of electric charge they attract The forces (attractive or repulsive) get weaker as the particles get further apart.

57. How it all fits together… Electromagnetic waves Atoms Heat Electricity

58. Atoms Protons, neutrons and electrons normally exist inside atoms

59. Atoms are small Think of a millimetre Atoms 1 mm 0.1 mm 0.01 mm0.001 mm Atoms are roughly 10,000 times smaller than this…

60. Atoms There are VAST numbers of atoms in everything. –In just a handful of anything there are about the same number of atoms as there are grains of sand on all the beaches and deserts on Earth combined Photo Credit: http://www.morguefile.com ID = 104101

61. The electrical nature of matter Atoms Internal Structure

62. How are atoms made? proton Interact by the short range ‘strong’ force – not electrical Electrical Repulsion

63. How are atoms made?

64. Atoms (4) Electrons ‘orbit’ around the outside of an atom very light possess a property called electric charge Nucleus occupies the centre very tiny and very heavy protons have a property called electric charge neutrons have no electric charge

65. How are atoms made? Nuclei (+) attract electrons (-) until the atom as a whole is neutral The electrons repel each other –They try to get as far away from each other as they can, a –and as near to the nucleus as they can

66. The electrical nature of matter Chemistry Atoms, Elements & Molecules

67. Atoms The Periodic Table Atoms with up to about 82 protons can be stable. A material made up of a single type of atom is called an element C Carbon 6 Protons 6 Electrons

68. H Atoms & Molecules H2H2 N N A molecule is a collection of atoms stuck together electrically. H H 0 H20H20 H N2N2

69. The electrical nature of matter Solids

70. Atoms (3) Atoms can be imaged on a surface Photo Credit: Patrick Joseph Franks: NPL

71. The electrical nature of matter In ‘normal’ matter, there are equal quantities of positive and negative charge so that there is no attraction or repulsion of objects. Object 1 Object 2

72. The electrical nature of matter Mechanical Properties

73. Atoms and mechanics(9) Whenever two materials touch, the forces between them are the forces between the outer (valence) electrons All mechanical forces are actually electrical in nature Object 1 Object 2

74. The electrical nature of matter Conductors and Insulators

75. Atoms in solids (8) Solids are made up out of lots atoms very close together. –If the electrons can’t move easily from atom to atom: The material is called an insulator –If the electrons can move easily from atom to atom: The material is called a conductor

76. The electrical nature of matter How the balloon affected the paper…

77. Odd phenomena… A balloon and a piece of paper

78. Odd phenomena… A balloon and a piece of paper

79. The electrical nature of matter How is the electrical force transmitted from one charged particle to another?

80. How do charged particles interact? It’s a three-step process… Particle with electric charge Particle with electric charge Interact by means of an electric field …but the steps happen very quickly

81. The nature of interactions (1) Analogy with water level and water waves

82. Tonight’s talk…(4) The scale and size of the Universe –Its very big, but full of very small things The electric force –It affects everything. How the force works –Electric particles –Electric field Light –Waves in the Electric field

83. Summary Physics concepts span vast ranges of mass, length and time. The universe has two kinds of objects in it: Matter and Fields All matter (on Earth) is made of atoms which interact electrically. In matter as we normally experience it, there are equal amounts of the two types of electric charge and their effects cancel If we add or remove some particles with electric charge from matter then we can see the electrical effects.

84. Homework?

85. Homework Activity: Remember when you have your breakfast that you are eating protons and neutrons coated with tasty electrons. Research: What is the ‘frequency’ of your favourite radio station? Don’t just get the number (98.9, 198 etc.) get the units as well! They should be in –Hertz –Kilohertz –Megahertz

86. One minute feedback On the back of your handouts! Rip off the last sheet Please write down what is in on your mind RIGHT NOW! –A question? OK –A comment? OK –A surprising thought in your mind? I’d love to hear it!

87. On-line Resources www.protonsforbreakfast.org –This PowerPoint ™ presentation. –Handouts as a pdf file blog.protonsforbreakfast.org –Me going on about things links.protonsforbreakfast.org –Links to other sites & resources

88. See you next week! Don’t forget your pencils and badges! Goodnight