The 20th annual Physics At Work event for students aged 14-16 kicks off tomorrow (September 21), with a huge range of exhibits on topics ranging from day-to-day life in Antarctica to cutting-edge research into roll-up TV screens.

Around 2,000 teenagers from schools across the region will visit the exhibition, which takes place at the University of Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory from September 21-23. There are no tickets remaining for the event.

Physics At Work 2004 offers school students the chance to see the practical applications of physics in the real world and the many ways it affects our lives. The teenagers will meet scientists from a wide range of industries and academic research teams. After short presentations about their work, the scientists throw open the session for students to ask questions and probe in more detail the areas that most interest them.

This year's exhibitors include: a team from Rolls Royce, demonstrating how jet engines work; British Antarctic Survey scientists on the hole in the ozone layer and the practicalities of living and working in Antarctica; University of Cambridge scientists creating computer programmes to discover what makes diamond so strong and researching ways to make TV screens you can roll up from semi-conductive polymers; and The Technology Partnership, a Cambridge company that has designed a button-pop system for dispensing mint sweets.

Physics At Work 2004 has been organised by the University of Cambridge Department of Physics' educational outreach team and it is funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Dr Paula Martin, educational outreach officer for the University of Cambridge Department of Physics, said:

"Our aim is to stimulate interest in physics and encourage students to consider pursuing their study of physics at A-level and beyond. The students who come along to the event find it very rewarding and definitely enjoy it. Physics At Work is an opportunity for them to meet scientists and ask them all the questions they've always wanted to. The students really get involved and they always leave the exhibition with big smiles on their faces."

The event is supported by the Cavendish Laboratory, the Institute of Physics East Anglia branch, the Institute of Physics education department, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) through the Condensed Matter Theory Portfolio Partnership's outreach programme, the University of Cambridge Active Community Fund, Goodfellow Metals, Corus Education Support Service, Cooke Associates and TTP.

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