Demonstrations for Children of All Age- The Cork Canon

Demonstrations are one of the most useful techniques for teaching science to anyone, regardless of age. Demonstrations attract attention and normally make the observer want to learn more about what is happening. This paper reports on The Cork Cannon, one of the favorite demonstrations done in the demonstration road show, Phun Physics, that travels to schools within about 60 miles of Charlottesville. The Department of Physics and the Center for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Education sponsor this demonstration show, which was seen by about 8000 persons during the last school year. Although quite simple, the Cork Cannon demonstration is rich in pedagogy and can be used to illuminate several ideas, including temperature, pressure, phase change, heat conduction, water vapor, humidity, projectile motion, air resistance, atmosphere, and kinetic theory