Lava lamp facts
This section of the lava lamp course will take you through some of the facts on the lava lamp, it's inventor Brent Blake and the history of the lava lamp.
What was Blake Brent’s occupation before he moved to Soap Lake?
Brent Blake
Watch the video below for more information about Brent Blake, the creator of the Soap Lake lava lamp.
- He was an accountant
- He was an architect
- He was a primary school teacher
- He was lead designer at Matmos
Name the two reasons why the Soap Lake Lava Lamp was created?
Why was the Soap Lake Lava Lamp conceived?
The Soap Lake lava lamp was conceived to remind people of the huge prehistoric lava flow that shaped the region. Soap Lake is surrounded by lava rock. The lamp's soothing, curative qualities are similar to the qualities in the lake's water. In the past, people with ailments including arthritis and psoriasis came to the Soap Lake spas for treatments.
(Left) Artist impression of SoLaLa |
Watch the movie below to learn more about the Soap Lake history.
- Soap Lake is the American base of the Mathmos company.
- The designer Brent Blake has been one of the lead designers at Mathmos for years.
- The lava lamp would remind people of the huge prehistoric lava flow that shaped the region.
- The lamp's supposed soothing, curative qualities should bring to mind similar qualities in the lake's water.
What is the principle function of the Soap Lake Lava Lamp?
SoLaLaLa
The Soap Lake Lava Lamp is a technically advanced structure incorporating fabric tension, high efficiency solar cell, and advanced laser projection technology to mimic the random, fluid, bubble-like "lava" forms universally associated with the classic Lava Lamp manufactured by Lava Lite LLC.
The laser projectors have the capability of projecting a wide variety of images via rear screen projection onto the enclosing weatherproof fabric scrim fabricated from Tenara architectural fabric by SEFAR. This remarkable fabric is woven with durable fibers developed by W. L. Gore (manufactures of Gore-Tex).
The principal function of the Lava Lamp will be one hour "performances" beginning at dusk every evening and cycling through a complete event. The event would begin with a slow, rolling effect of the lava solids as they appear to slowly heat, shift, and position before transforming into the world famous shape mutations, gently rising and falling for several minutes then eventually subsiding and returning to rest at the bottom of the lamp until the next showing. Through the night a soft, warm glow would be visible until daybreak when the sculptural form will stand quietly alone in preparation for the next nightly "event."
The Lava Lamp will also be used for special events and seasonal showings. Customized thematic programs will be developed for holidays and for special interest groups such as the Ice Age Floods Geologic Trail, Coulee Corridor National Scenic Byway, the Audubon Society's Great Washington State Coulee Corridor Birding Trail, Soap Lake Conservancy, Soap Lake Heritage, the Colville Indian tribes, and others. Seasonal shows will be available to enhance local town celebrations and activities such as Winterfest, New Year's, 4th of July, Lava Love Run, Smokiam Days, and others.
It is anticipated visitors will be inclined to have a meal, stay overnight, visit other area attractions, and return often to see new showings. The technology is such that no two showings will be the same.
- Hourly
- Daily
- Weekly
- Monthly
A lava lamp has showings with a slow, rolling effect of the lava solids as they appear to slowly heat, shift, and position before transforming into the world famous shape mutations, gently rising and falling for several minutes then eventually subsiding and returning to rest at the bottom of the lamp until the next showing.
What is the interval of these showings?
When was the opening of the Soap Lake lava lamp?
A Beacon of Hope: The 60-Foot Lava Lamp with John Patrick Pullen
Listen to the New Disruptors podcast from November 2013 for an interview on the Soap Lake lava lamp.
- It opened in September 2011
- The Soap Lake lava lamp project hasn't been realized yet.
- It opened in September 2013
- It opened in September 2012
Which two of the following facts apply to the Soap Lake lava lamp?
Interesting facts
- The Soap Lake Lava Lamp idea was originally conceived by Local Artist Brent Blake in 2002
- The Original Lava Lamp was invented in 1963 by British Inventor and Naturist Edward Craven-Walker
- Overall Soap Lake Lava Lamp Height from average grade: 60 Feet
- Base Height: 23 Feet 6 Inches
- Base Construction: Cast Concrete Clad with Metallic Oxide Glazed Porcelain Tiles
- Total weight of 12" Diameter Center Support Column: 2,700 Pounds
- Weight of Each of the 21 Base Splines: 225 Pounds
- Diameter At Base: 18 Feet
- Diameter At Upper Platform: 14 Feet 3 1⁄2 Inches
- Diameter of Cap: 6 feet 6 inches
- Height of Cap: 6 feet 6 inches
- Weight of Cap and Stainless Steel Spoke: 4,635.7 Pounds
- Weight of Steel Above Concrete Deck: 12,000 Pounds
- Primary Metal Component: Stainless Steel
- Tension Fabric System Engineered and Fabrication by Eide Industries, Inc. California
- Tension Fabric Cables: 1⁄4" Diameter Stainless Steel Aircraft Cable
- Tension Fabric Material: A Naturally Self-cleaning 100% Fluoropolymer Fabric Called Tenara
- Total Weight of Tension Fabric: 277.7 Pounds
- Lasersmith of Grand Coulee Laser show fame is engineering the technological equipment and programs
- Laser Light Wattage Usage Per Projector: 1.5 To 3 Watts,
- The overall Soap Lake Lava®Lamp height from average grade: 65 Feet
- The Soap Lake Lava®Lamp idea was originally conceived by Local Artist Brent Blake in 2002
- The case construction is cast concrete clad with metallic oxide glazed porcelain tiles
- Laser Light Wattage Usage Per Projector: 5.5 to 8 Watts
On easygenerator course creation
In this course we will give some explanation why we did things in a certain way. This info is added in separate pages.
Please note that we use these content items just for introductions and extra info. In easygenerator you should add the primary learning content directly to the question. The template you will choose for the course will determine how it is displayed (questions only (like in exam), or first the content and than the question on that content (like in the Simple course template.
This means that your structure will be:
- Create learning objective
- Some content items with extra info on:
- how to use the course
- a story line
- an introduction
- Add questions and add the learning content directly to the questions
Creating e-Learning is not the same as creating a presentation in PowerPoint. So the worst thing you can do is to create a whole bunch of content items and that is it, that doesn't make your content into a course. The goal is not to put in as much info as possible, but as little as possible. When you only add content to questions, you have the guarantee that there is no content that is not connected directly to the learning goal. Making your course shorter and more effective for the learner.