Maryland Day 2023

Six different optical experiments were presented: diffraction, polarization, 3D images, liquid crystals for heat sensors, fluorescence, and microscopy.  In addition, we had two experiments for nonlinear dynamic systems to demonstrate chaotic movement (double pendulum) and synchronization in dynamic systems. More details are under each image below.

Yi-Siou Huang, Niloy Acharjee, Daniel Serrano, and Marc Swisdak

 

Professor Carlos Rios Ocampo

We showed fluorescence in a variety of cooking oils and inks.

Professor Carlos Rios Ocampo, Yi-Siou Huang, Kishalay Mahato, and Hanqing Ma

Hanqing is working on a polarization demonstration. We used two polarizer plates, an LED white screen, and tape to create color patterns using the polarization of light and their application in stress analysis in industry.

 

Chuanyu Lian and Marc Swisdak

We gave away diffraction grating glasses to kidsand to more mature kids.

Chih-Yu Lee and Alexandra Pick-Aluas

Alex is showing the fluorescence in oils (inside the box) and Chih is talking people through different optical phenomena: diffractions, 3D image forming using a phone, microscopy, and liquid crystals (colors from heat).

 Kishalay Mahato and Professor Tom Murphy

Tom is setting up the synchronization of dynamic systems using 5 different metronomes when coupled (sitting on top of the white tubes) .

  In the picture above, the metronomes are not coupled, i.e., on top of the white tubes.

 

Dr. Marc Swisdak

Marc is describing the double pendulum, which is a chaotic system first described in detailed at UMD. The experiment belongs to Prof. Raj Roy, who is an expert in the physics governing these systems.

Let's let it go and start it swinging.

Many thanks to IREAP's Executive Committee for funding our presentations for Maryland Day.   We also wish to thank Carlos Rios Ocampo and Meredith Pettit for taking pictures.  And a special thanks to Meredith Pettit for her untiring efforts to make IREAP's presentations at Maryland Day a huge success.