Peter Hill Explains

Shaping the end, and using a water fogger are two of the not so radical modifications that are worth exploring with students as an extra curricula extension. Podcast

Let's call it a "Hill" burner, but the principles are well established. The idea is to get a ring of gas jets to collide in the centre creating a magical floating flame just sitting in space. It is constructed using a scaple to cut pneumatic pipe and 4 or more T press seal pneumatic junctions and .... glue dispensing nozzles for jets.  Briefly described is a central ion infuser that is assisted by current flow.  This level of construction was held back to avoid confusion. Podcast

The basic teaching techniques of this essential science experiment is discussed along with some tricks of the trade to make a really memorable lesson. Podcast

I make a few comments about a community play: An inspector calls.  The play highlights some of the social problems of the rich (capitalists) exploiting everyone.  The device of using a police inspector who is able to ask probing questions is great but raises the issue who is doing this role in our current society. Podcast

A tour is given for iron chloride. We see how it goes into solution, how it is made and what is going on with ionization and electron affinity. Podcast

We are working towards a fun activity with salts to colour the flames from Harry Potter wands. But first we have to review flame chemistry, atomic ionization energy and the often overlooked electron affinity. Podcast

This plotting game ( a bit like battle ship but the ships and fire is moving) carefully make the moves each second and each grid square 1 meter. It is interesting how easy and intuitive it is to add gravity. Podcast

Alexander Pearce was an Irish convict who ate his fellow escapees to survive the wilds of Tasmania.  For some reason this dramatic story is not commonly known in Australia. Podcast

Ultra-short laser pulses are made by converting the incoming pulse to a rainbow and using a prism or diffraction grating to fold the colours on-top of each other in time. Podcast

I had to pay a $5.40 fee for being 25 minutes late out of a car park. I was sensitive not to the letter of the law but who had power in this situation. PODCAST