Stanley Micklavzina sometimes ends his demonstrations by propelling himself across the stage with a fire extinguisher-powered go-cart. This time, he caused a 55-gallon drum to collapse.
Dr. Stan's Science Circus came to town Saturday at Regener Hall with science demonstrations aimed at entertaining parents, teachers, children and UNM students.
Micklavzina, a physics professor from the University of Oregon, hosted the program titled, "From Newton to Einstein."
Micklavzina said he prefers teaching younger children as opposed to University students.
"I enjoy demonstrating to the younger children," he said. "They are more enthusiastic and susceptible to volunteering to participate than the older students."
The UNM physics department and the American Association of Physics Teachers hosted the show.
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The show began with Micklavzina swinging a bowling ball suspended from the ceiling into a stack of cans and cardboard containers.
"Energy makes things happen," he said to the crowd of more than 200. "Physics can be looked at as a study of energy."
Micklavzina said doing these demonstrations for young people is important to the future of the sciences of America.
"There is a drop in students studying physics and other sciences in the U.S.," he said. "I hope to encourage more students to go into the world of wonder - science."
Steven Shropshire, a professor of physics from Idaho State University, also came to demonstrate. He agreed with Micklavzina about the importance of teaching America's youth about science.
He said America ranks very low in the sciences compared to the rest of the world and most good scientists are being imported from other countries.
"We put on this demonstration to try to enhance and encourage the students to get involved in science," Shropshire said. "Science can be fun."
Children in the audience were asked to participate in many of the demonstrations.
One young volunteer offered to place her hands on a Van de Graff electroscope to demonstrate the transferring of electrons.
"Thousands of electrons that are invisible to the naked eye are moving into her body right now," the demonstrator said.
After a few minutes, the electrons had made their way to the volunteer's hair, causing it to stand on end.
Shropshire said he also prefers to teach young children.
"Kids find physics exciting whereas the university student is not as interested," he said. "I like to show all of the students how physics works by making things explode."
Shropshire ended the show with a bang when he caused a 55-gallon drum to collapse. He had filled the drum with hot steam and then sealed it tightly before covering the drum in water and ice.
This method placed a pressure of 14 pounds per square inch on the drum and caused the steam to turn back into water, Shropshire said.
The audience jumped when the drum collapsed loudly a few minutes later.
