*more info coming! this post is waiting on a document to verify some awesome new content!*
Dear not so frequent visitors,
Over the past week "I Think Therefore I Science" (ITTIS) has been posting photos of a mystery science object. If you haven't been keeping up and you'd still like to try and have a guess:
Dear not so frequent visitors,
Over the past week "I Think Therefore I Science" (ITTIS) has been posting photos of a mystery science object. If you haven't been keeping up and you'd still like to try and have a guess:
Check out "I Spy..." and "I Spy: Welcome to 'Heaven'?" for a few hints to help you figure it out on your own.
Or skip it, and see the answer, which is:
Or skip it, and see the answer, which is:
It's the Van de Graff generator! "What's that?" you say? It's the big machine at the Museum of Science, Boston that shoots lightning bolts.
Let's start at the bottom:
... here:
Insulated by the surrounding air and the concrete of the dome's columns, the potential of the seperated charge builds up until it is realeased from....
If you've never experienced a Museum of Science Lightning Show before here's a taste:
Some fun facts about the van de graff generator at the museum of science:
- It is the largest of it's kind in the world.
- This Van de Graff generator was built by Mr. Van de Graff.
* A note: These photos were taken while cleaning and maintenance was taking place. The two photos shown here of the inside of the machine do not show it totally assembled. Typically large cylinders span the length of the frame that Greg is inspecting and the one above Britt's head. These cylinders rotate the belts that span through the neck of right dome's support. The left support is where the ladder is allowing access to the domes.
Let's start at the bottom:
 |
Britt: demonstrating the relative size of the lower frame
|
Before you ascend the yellow ladder (seen in "I Spy") to the dome of the VDG (Van de Graff generator) you pass through here. Typically, enormous cylinders would span the length of the frame over Britt's head carrying large rubber belts. When the generator is running, these belts carry a charge from the base of the machine up the hollow neck to...
 |
Greg: inspecting bolts on the upper frame
|
... here:
Insulated by the surrounding air and the concrete of the dome's columns, the potential of the seperated charge builds up until it is realeased from....
...that!
 |
| The Museum of Science's Van de Graff generator in the Theatre of Electricty (ToE) |
If you've never experienced a Museum of Science Lightning Show before here's a taste:
Some fun facts about the van de graff generator at the museum of science:
- It is the largest of it's kind in the world.
- This Van de Graff generator was built by Mr. Van de Graff.
* A note: These photos were taken while cleaning and maintenance was taking place. The two photos shown here of the inside of the machine do not show it totally assembled. Typically large cylinders span the length of the frame that Greg is inspecting and the one above Britt's head. These cylinders rotate the belts that span through the neck of right dome's support. The left support is where the ladder is allowing access to the domes.
