MIT Physics Instructional Resources Lab

The MIT Physics Instructional Resources Lab (PIRL) (formerly Technical Services Group/TSG) provides technical and teaching support for undergraduate courses at MIT. Our many rooms of physics demos, accumulated over the past century, display subtle physics concepts ranging from electromagnetism, to kinematics, to optics.

Building A Vacuum Tube (ESI Solder Glass Vacuum Technique Series)

Building A Vacuum Tube (ESI Solder Glass Vacuum Technique Series)
Electric Fields / Electric Lines of Force (PSSC 1959)

Electric Fields / Electric Lines of Force (PSSC 1959)
The Stern-Gerlach Experiment (ESI College Physics Film Program 1967)

The Stern-Gerlach Experiment (ESI College Physics Film Program 1967)
Pull Car Out of Mud (B45) [1M20.11]

Pull Car Out of Mud (B45) [1M20.11]
Doppler Effect Using a Sound Tube (C57) [3D30.35]

Doppler Effect Using a Sound Tube (C57) [3D30.35]
Angular Momentum (B114) [1Q40.10]

Angular Momentum (B114) [1Q40.10]
Cloud Chamber (V6) [7D30.60]

Cloud Chamber (V6) [7D30.60]
Photoelectric Effect (V2) [7A10.10]

Photoelectric Effect (V2) [7A10.10]
Tuning Forks (C46) [3B70.10]

Tuning Forks (C46) [3B70.10]
Barkhausen Effect (J3) [5G20.10]

Barkhausen Effect (J3) [5G20.10]
Curie Point of Iron (J10) [5G50.10]

Curie Point of Iron (J10) [5G50.10]
Simulation of Magnetic Domains (J1) [5G20.30]

Simulation of Magnetic Domains (J1) [5G20.30]
Surface Distribution of Charge (D28) [5B30.20]

Surface Distribution of Charge (D28) [5B30.20]
Fiber Optic Bundle (M4) [6A44.40]

Fiber Optic Bundle (M4) [6A44.40]
Lenz's Law with Copper Pipe (H16) [5K20.25]

Lenz's Law with Copper Pipe (H16) [5K20.25]
Charge and Electric Field of a Hollow Conductor (D27) [5B20.10]

Charge and Electric Field of a Hollow Conductor (D27) [5B20.10]
Field of a Sphere and an Infinite Plane (D21) [5B10.51]

Field of a Sphere and an Infinite Plane (D21) [5B10.51]
Paramagnetism of Liquid Oxygen (J4) [5G30.20]

Paramagnetism of Liquid Oxygen (J4) [5G30.20]
Ring Falling in a Magnetic Field (H5)

Ring Falling in a Magnetic Field (H5)
Sound Wave Interference (P3) [3B55.10]

Sound Wave Interference (P3) [3B55.10]
Steel Ball Dropped in a Viscous Fluid (A11) [2C30.51]

Steel Ball Dropped in a Viscous Fluid (A11) [2C30.51]
Bell Labs Wave Machine: Matched Impedence

Bell Labs Wave Machine: Matched Impedence
Bell Labes Wave Machine: Mismatched Impedence

Bell Labes Wave Machine: Mismatched Impedence
Bell Labs Wave Machine: Standing Waves

Bell Labs Wave Machine: Standing Waves
Interrupted Pendulum (B96) [1M40.15]

Interrupted Pendulum (B96) [1M40.15]