Goodness Gracious, Great (Rubens' Tubes) of Fire!

Last week, Mr. David Beach used a Rubens' tube to demonstrate sound waves to his physics classes. Sound waves are created by the speaker at one end and move through the gas in the tube. The result allowed students to see the waves passing through as the flames get bigger and smaller. A Ruben’s tube, also known as a standing wave flame tube, is an antique physics apparatus invented by German scientist Heinrich Rubens in 1905.

Experiments like this allow students to apply what they’ve learned in a laboratory setting. It is also a creative way to warm up on a cold winter day!