A group of CMU physics students put on a unique demonstration on campus Monday afternoon to promote their club. The students created an unusual float called a “solar sausage” that uses the principles of density in order to become airborne.

“The students used a material that is a little thinner than a garbage bag, filled it up with air, and tied it up at both ends,” Physics Professor David Collins said. “They then let the sun heat up the material in order to make the air inside it less dense. This allowed the denser air in the atmosphere to lift the solar sausage.”

Students around the Delta Quad watched in awe as the float soared into the air. The students who put on the demonstration are members of the Society of Physics Students, also known as SPS. It is a national society that has chapters in universities around the country.

Their purpose is to bring students who are interested in the field of physics together and create different demos that are fun and interesting. These demos include imploding barrels, launching trashcans and throwing pumpkins from the top of the Fine Arts Building.

“Our meetings consist mainly of planning out what our next demonstrations are and how we plan to make them work,” Professor and SPS Supervisor Chad Middleton said. “We usually do a different demo once every other week. You don’t need to be a physics or engineering major to be a part of the group, you just need to be interested in physics.”

The group meets every Tuesday at noon in the physics labs in Wubben Science Hall. Contact Middleton for more information on the society and its activities on campus.

mfreter@mavs.coloradomesa.edu