Demonstrations in Physics

You bet; this is a high quality series. Each episode is a fifteen minute black and white short subject. All are action demonstrations, no straight lecture. Minimalistic. Very fast paced bench physics demos with Prof Julius Sumner Miller narrating as he goes along. He looks every bit the part of the mad scientist, white hair akimbo, fast talking, excitable. Not dumbed down. He wasn't the type who would suffer fools well. Accompanied by the math. Dense. Fast. Kind of funny in a way. If he drops something, or something misfires, he just plows along and does it again. As the demo reaches its(often swift)dramatic peak, Prof Julius Sumner Miller will exhort "Watch it!, Watch it!" Have taught physics myself and appreciate the depth and cogency he packs in fifteen minutes. A good guide for classroom demos. A real jewel. Relates the demo to the math very clearly, but it is his almost frenetic bench demo presence that makes it a compelling watch. So in the old master's own words, "Watch it, watch it!"

I spent a few years as a physics demonstrator, providing setups and equipment for the professors. The various demonstrations done by Professor Miller were all familiar to me and it was fun watching him do them. Sometimes they wouldn't work and he'd admit that, in the business of physics you learn from your mistakes.

His delivery was fast-paced and unless you knew what was going on you might get a little lost. It was great material to show in conjunction with various chapters in a course when you couldn't do the demonstrations in class.

Most of all I got a sense that he _loved_ doing physics and showing all the viewers how things worked. This is something I'd really like to have on DVD.

Not only did I view this series of programs in High School Physics class, but I have also found that it is broadcast on my local television network. I must say that this is the only program I watch with any great regularity.

Professor Julius Sumner Miller was a fantastic instructor. He relates material extraordinarily and his very keen intellect and mastery of his course material are displayed.

I recommend watching these programs often and learning from them!