School of Physics

Schools and colleges

Practical physics workshops in our teaching labs

We can arrange workshops in our undergraduate teaching labs, from lighter activities to more focused sessions designed to supplement students’ practical abilities and reinforce data analysis and error estimation techniques. All activities are thoroughly assessed for risks and are supervised.

Workshops generally begin with a short introductory talk about the science and applications of the techniques, then the students work in pairs to complete the experiments.

The workshops we currently offer are:

  • Waves Workshop: This can be tailored for pre-GCSE to A-level. The workshop involves a selection of experiments ranging from the measurement of the speed of sound and experimenting with standing waves on strings and Chladni plates, to more complicated electron diffraction experiments allowing the calculation of Planck’s constant.
  • Fun with Liquid Nitrogen: After a short talk introducing liquid nitrogen (its properties, hazards and applications) students are allowed to experiment in small groups. The effects of superconductivity are demonstrated, and the ‘The Physics of Ice-cream’ talk can be incorporated.
  • Fun with Holography: Students can fabricate their own holograms in a darkroom, using a laser to expose the films and a development procedure similar to that used for traditional photographs. (Suitable only for very small groups.)

If you would like to enquire further or discuss the possibility of a session specifically tailored to supplement theoretical knowledge from school classes, please contact Dr Gemma Winter at schools@phy.bris.ac.uk

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Particle Physics Masterclass

This year's workshops will take place on 16th & 18th April 2013 and are designed for 16 - 18 year-olds / sixth formers.

Further information

Booking form

Please contact Sophie Cran via particle-physics@bristol.ac.uk with any queries.

Work experience

A week of work experience is organised every year in which students are able to spend time with various research groups, work in the teaching labs, and attend talks and demonstrations within the school.

This year's Work Experience Week will run from 1st - 5th July 2013. To apply for work experience please contact Anona.Williams@bristol.ac.uk

Read what previous work experience students have to say in the Work Experience Report 2011 (PDF, 642kB).

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School children taking part in a physics experiment

Outreach in schools

A number of our academics give talks and demonstrations at schools and colleges.

Invite a speaker

HiSparc cosmic ray detection

Cosmic ray detection

HiSparc is a very successful outreach programme which invites schools to participate in real research into cosmic rays.

HiSparc

Contacts

For further information about outreach please contact the Schools Liaison Officers, Dr Helen Heath and Dr Gemma Winter via schools@phy.bris.ac.uk