Feynman O-ring ice water demonstration

E5107

The Feynman O-ring ice water demonstration was a televised experiment by physicist Richard Feynman during the Challenger disaster investigation, vividly showing how cold temperatures compromised the shuttle’s O-ring seals.

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Label Occurrences
Feynman O-ring ice water demonstration canonical 1

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Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf public physics demonstration
scientific demonstration
televised experiment
associatedWithOrganization NASA
Rogers Commission investigation of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
surface form: Rogers Commission
broadcastOn US television networks
context investigation of Space Shuttle Challenger STS-51-L accident
countryOfOrigin United States of America
surface form: United States
dateApproximate 1986
demonstratedFailureMode impaired sealing of O-rings in cold weather
demonstratedProperty cold-induced brittleness of rubber O-rings
loss of elasticity of O-rings at low temperature
documentedIn Feynman’s book "What Do You Care What Other People Think?"
Rogers Commission investigation of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
surface form: Rogers Commission Report
genre expert testimony
science communication
hasLanguage English
hasSubject Space Shuttle safety
effect of temperature on mechanical components
highlightedIssue engineering management and communication failures at NASA
risk of launching at low ambient temperatures
impact iconic example of clear scientific communication
increased public understanding of Challenger accident cause
involvedMaterial rubber O-ring
involvedPhysicalEffect temperature dependence of elasticity
thermal contraction
location Rogers Commission investigation of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
surface form: Rogers Commission hearing room
medium television
notableFor clarifying technical cause of Challenger disaster to the public
dramatic visual explanation of engineering failure
performedBy Richard Feynman
surface form: Nobel Prize–winning physicist Richard Feynman

Richard Feynman
performedDuring Rogers Commission investigation of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
surface form: Rogers Commission investigation
performedInFrontOf Rogers Commission investigation of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
surface form: Rogers Commission members

television cameras
precededBy Challenger launch decision on a cold morning
purpose to show how low temperatures affected O-ring seals
relatedConcept engineering ethics
materials science of polymers
risk communication
relatedToComponent Space Shuttle solid rocket booster joint
relatedToEvent Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
showedFailureOf O-ring primary seal
O-ring redundancy at low temperature
usedObject clamp
ice water
solid rocket booster O-ring sample

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