TY - JOUR A1 - Vollmer, Michael A1 - Möllmann, Klaus-Peter A1 - Schlichting, Hans Joachim T1 - Double pane windows—elastic deformations, gas thermodynamics, thermal and optical phenomena T2 - In: European Journal of Physics 35 (2014) 4, 045023 N2 - Double pane windows are common objects which can enrich physics teaching at undergraduate level at least in five different fields. First, having sealed inner spaces filled with gas, one can discuss gas law problems upon changes of pressure and/or temperature. Second, when discussing temperature differences between inside and outside, one needs to take into account the associated heat transfer mechanisms which define the pane temperatures, enclosing the gas. Third, using elastic properties of the glass, one may treat deformations of the window panes upon those changes or additional manually applied external pressure. Fourth, the reflective properties of glass combined with the pane deformations result in concave or convex mirrors, which when illuminated by the Sun, may lead to focal points on projection areas such as facing houses. Fifth, such areas receive an increased irradiance which leads to associated thermal effects. Starting from the most obvious daily life phenomenon, the fascinating caustics of reflected sunlight on streets or walls, all of these double pane window phenomena are investigated experimentally as well as theoretically. Y1 - 2014 UR - https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-fhbrb/frontdoor/index/index/docId/870 ER -