- Pitch Drop experiment
We're home to the famous Pitch Drop experiment, which holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-running laboratory experiment .
The experiment demonstrates the fluidity and high viscosity of pitch, a derivative of tar that is the world's thickest known fluid and was once used for waterproofing boats.
Thomas Parnell, UQ's first Professor of Physics, created the experiment in 1927 to illustrate that everyday materials can exhibit quite surprising properties.
At room temperature pitch feels solid - even brittle - and can easily be shattered with a hammer. But, in fact, at room temperature the substance - which is 100 billion times more viscous than water - is actually fluid.
The experiment explained
In 1927 Professor Parnell heated a sample of pitch and poured it into a glass funnel with a sealed stem. He allowed the pitch to cool and settle for three years, and then in 1930 he cut the funnel's stem.
Since then, the pitch has slowly dripped out of the funnel - so slowly that it took eight years for the first drop to fall, and more than 40 years for another five to follow.
Now, 87 years after the funnel was cut, only nine drops have fallen - the last drop fell in April 2014 and we expect the next one to fall sometime in the 2020s.
The experiment was set up as a demonstration and is not kept under special environmental conditions - it's kept in a display cabinet - so the rate of flow of the pitch varies with seasonal changes in temperature.
The late Professor John Mainstone became the experiment's second custodian in 1961. He looked after the experiment for 52 years but, like his predecessor Professor Parnell, he passed away before seeing a drop fall.
In the 86 years that the pitch has been dripping, various glitches have prevented anyone from seeing a drop fall.
See for yourself
To see the experiment for yourself, view the physical set-up in its display case in the foyer of the Parnell Building (Building 7).
Alternatively, you can watch the experiment's live video stream . More than 35,000 people from some 160 countries are registered to view the stream.
Professor Andrew White is the Pitch Drop's third and current custodian.
Email your Pitch Drop enquiry to [email protected] .
Related links
UQ News explainer: the Pitch Drop experiment
Pitch Drop experiment paper (PDF, 252kB)
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- The Famous Pitch Drop Experiment
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Location: Parnell Building Foyer, directly opposite the Physics Museum.
Recognised by the Guiness Book of Records as the longest running scientific experiment in the world, the Pitch Drop experiment is remembered by generations of staff and students at UQ.
The first Professor of Physics at the University of Queensland, Professor Thomas Parnell, began the experiment in 1927 to illustrate that everyday materials can exhibit quite surprising properties. The experiment demonstrates the fluidity and high viscosity of pitch, a derivative of tar once used for waterproofing boats. At room temperature pitch feels solid - even brittle - and can easily be shattered with a blow from a hammer. It's quite amazing then, to see that pitch at room temperature is actually fluid!
In 1927 Professor Parnell heated a sample of pitch and poured it into a glass funnel with a sealed stem. Three years were allowed for the pitch to settle, and in 1930 the sealed stem was cut. From that date on the pitch has slowly dripped out of the funnel - so slowly that now, more than 80 years later, the tenth drop is only just forming.
The experiment was set up as a demonstration and is not kept under special environmental conditions (it is actually kept in a display cabinet in the foyer of the Department), so the rate of flow of the pitch varies with seasonal changes in temperature. Nonetheless, it is possible to make an estimate of the viscosity of this sample of pitch . There is a linkto a paper by Edgeworth et al below which shows that the pitch turns out to be about 100 billion times more viscous than water! The picture above is of the late Professor John Mainstone, jointly (with Parnell) awarded the Ig Nobel Prize for Physics in 2005 for his work as longtime custodian of the experiment.
In the more than 80 years that the pitch has been dripping no-one has ever seen the drop fall. There is now a live video feed accessible via the website linked below so you can one of the first to do so. You can also see students of The University of Queensland milling around outside the cabinet, so it is more exciting than watching grass grow!
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Listening Practice: Lecture about an exp...
Listening Practice: Lecture about an experiment
12 questions
Introducing new Paper mode
No student devices needed. Know more
The pitch drop experiment is …
a. the oldest experiment in history.
b. the oldest experiment that is still running today.
c. the longest experiment in 1927.
The creator of the experiment wanted to …
a. have an experiment that lasted a long time.
b. show the dangers of everyday materials.
c. show that common substances have extraordinary properties.
Pitch is a substance …
a. that looks solid but is actually liquid.
b. that looks liquid but is actually solid.
c. that doesn’t appear to be liquid or solid.
The first time a drop of pitch fell was …
a. eight years after the experiment began.
b. three years after the experiment began.
c. forty years after the experiment began.
Which of the following sentences is NOT true about Professor John Mainstone?
a. He never saw the pitch drop.
b. He was responsible for the experiment for over fifty years.
c. He took over the experiment in 1927.
In the year 2000, …
a. an electricity failure meant the pitch drop was not filmed.
b. scientists set up a live stream of the experiment.
c. the ninth drop of pitch fell.
When pitch is at room temperature, you can break it ……………………………… .
Professor Parnell put pitch into a glass funnel, let it cool, then turned it ………….............. and cut off the top.
In total, only ……………………………… have fallen from the funnel.
The next pitch drop is expected to fall in ……………………………… .
In 1988, the scientist responsible for the experiment missed seeing the pitch drop by ……………………………… .
The speaker notes it’s interesting how news about a slow experiment can spread ……………………………… .
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Latest News
Radiolab: the pitch drop experiment.
It’s about one of the world’s longest running science experiments, underway at the University of Queensland in Australia since 1927.
If, after listening to the piece , you’re interested in becoming a “pitch drop junkie” yourself, you can do so here . The ninth drop is expected to fall sometime in the next year. Will you be watching live?
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IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
The Pitch Drop experiment, created by UQ's first Professor of Physics in 1927, demonstrates the fluidity and high viscosity of pitch, a derivative of tar. The experiment holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-running laboratory experiment and has only seen nine drops fall in 87 years.
Learn about the Pitch Drop Experiment, a long-term demonstration of the viscosity of pitch at the University of Queensland. Watch the video to see the pitch drops, the experimental conditions, the ...
Professor John Mainstone explains the Pitch Drop Experiment to Charlie Pickering from The Project. Written by @twhittyer.
Listening practice; listening comprehension; listening material about a lecture about an experiment.You may create questions and exercises using this audio. ...
In the last seven years, the University of Queensland pitch drop experiment has become semi-famous, earning an 2005 IgNobel Award and a feature on NPR's Radiolab. Begun in 1927, the pitch drop is ...
The pitch drop experiment is a long-term demonstration of the viscosity of bitumen, a highly viscous liquid. The best-known version was started in 1927 at the University of Queensland and is recorded as the world's longest continuously running laboratory experiment.
Recognised by the Guiness Book of Records as the longest running scientific experiment in the world, the Pitch Drop experiment is remembered by generations of staff and students at UQ. The first Professor of Physics at the University of Queensland, Professor Thomas Parnell, began the experiment in 1927 to illustrate that everyday materials can ...
Watch University of Queensland's The Pitch Drop Experiment on Livestream.com. On Livestream. We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By using our site, you agree to our use of cookies. See more in our Cookie Policy. OK. Products Solutions Pricing. Vimeo Enterprise ...
After the listening exercise you will be asked some comprehension questions so keep a pen and paper handy! And in the final part you'll hear the correct answers so you can mark your own! ... The 'pitch drop' experiment. This is a B2 listening exercise for intermediate - upper intermediate English learners. ...
Listening Practice: Lecture about an experiment quiz for University students. Find other quizzes for English and more on Quizizz for free!
a. He never saw the pitch drop. b. He was responsible for the experiment for over fifty years. c. He took over the experiment in 1927. In the year 2000, ... a. an electricity failure meant the pitch drop was not filmed. b. scientists set up a live stream of the experiment. c. the ninth drop of pitch fell. Task 2. Complete the sentences with one ...
Radiolab: The Pitch Drop Experiment. 02.18.13. For the last three weeks, I've been in the Congolese rainforest, almost completely incommunicado thanks to a finicky satellite phone. ... If, after listening to the piece, you're interested in becoming a "pitch drop junkie" yourself, you can do so here. The ninth drop is expected to fall ...
B2 Listening Exercise - The 'pitch drop' experiment. From Aprende Inglés Escuchando. ratings: up votes, mark as like 0. 0 down votes, mark as dislike. Length: 8 minutes. Released: Dec 31, 2020. Format: Podcast episode. Description. This is a B2 listening exercise for intermediate - upper intermediate English learners. After the listening ...
00:07:38 - This is a B2 listening exercise for intermediate - upper intermediate English learners. After the listening exercise you will be asked some comprehe… B2 Listening Exercise - The 'pitch drop' experiment | Listen Notes
"In 1988, with the experiment proudly displayed at Brisbane's World Expo, Prof Mainstone was fetching a drink when the seventh drop fell. By 2000, a video camera had been set up to capture drop number eight, but it malfunctioned at the crucial moment."