Forces are fundamental to everyday life and we experience their effects all the time, from opening doors to turning on the television. Although we can often see and feel the effects of some forces others remain inconspicuous yet have a huge influence on everything around us - gravity stops us from floating around and other forces keep our bodies together by preventing all our atoms from flying off in all directions.
This exhibition explores, among others, the concepts of gravity, magnetism, air pressure and electromagnetic force. One of the most popular exhibits is the Vacuum Chair, seen in the photograph above. A vacuum cleaner sucks air from beneath a large piston which is connected to the chair by a system of ropes and pulleys. Atmospheric air then pushes down on the piston resulting in the chair being raised.
Please note that some of the exhibits in the Forces Exhibition are not suitable for visitors with pacemakers, insulin pumps or cochlear implants. These exhibits are clearly labelled in the gallery and on the exhibit list which you can download.
Not all of the exhibits on the 'Exhibit List' may be available at the time of your visit.
