Investigate what to do if your Van der Graaf generator doesn't work in front of an expectant year 11 group and what happens if you put a light bulb in a microwave oven and then turn it on. In this programme, David Richardson from the Institute of Physics does more experiments for the staff at St. James' Catholic High School in London. Head of Biology Wendy Butler has always been afraid of using the Van der Graaf Generator. David shows her how to use it dramatically and safely and she then uses his advice to demonstrate the Generator to her Year 11 group for the first time. Wendy is keen to impress her students and also tries out other Van der Graaf experiments that she has researched for herself. David does some other striking experiments, including partially immersing a light bulb in a beaker of water and placing it in a microwave oven. The bulb lights up and David explains why.

Video Series: KS3/4 Science
Release Date 2005