Homemade Cloud Chamber

One of our professors told us how he made a cloud chamber from a mason jar when he was kid and how cool it was, so Dan and I set out to make one of our own. This is what happens when a physicist and a chemist get bored.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• cloud
• chamber
• science
• homemade
• cosmic
• rays
• physics
• chemistry
• experiment

[Tanq06]

@mrlarry1975

.....-Place your hand on the non dry-ice end of the jar to keep it warm with respect to the lid. This will maintain the temperature gradient.

-Turn off all the lights (it works best at night) and shine a flashlight into the jar. You should see a tiny, raining atmosphere in the jar near the dry ice end. Adjust until you get a good angle, watch and wait! :)

[Tanq06]

@mrlarry1975

.....(we used 70%, but I'd be interested to see how it does with 100%

-Cut out a circle of black felt or cloth to fit on the inside of the jar lid and put it there.

-Screw the lid in the jar and set the jar upside down (on its lid)

-Let it sit for about 15 minutes or so to let the environment in the jar saturate

-Make a cylindrical hole in the dry ice for the jar lid to fit in and set the jar ( lid down) in the dry ice) Wait about 5 minutes while the jar lid gets cold.....

[Tanq06]

@mrlarry1975

Here's how we did it:

-Start with a mason jar. If you can find a lid that is completely metal (as opposed to one with rubber insulation in the lid) that is better. You can find completely metal lids on candle jars.

-Get a sponge or some absorbent material (we used filter paper) and wedge it in the bottom of the jar so it will stay when turned upside down.

-Pour isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol onto the absorbent material so that it is completely saturated. Pour out the excess.....

[mrlarry1975]

Instructions would be nice :-)