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Dec 1999

Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 516-557

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Contact and field forces

John A. McClelland

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 516

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01.55.+b General physics

Editor's Response

Clifford E. Swartz

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 516

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01.55.+b General physics

“s”=?

John A. Grant, Jr.

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 516

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01.55.+b General physics

High tides?

Donald W. Olson and Thomas E. Lytle

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 517

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91.10.Tq Earth tides
45.50.Pk Celestial mechanics
92.60.hh Acoustic gravity waves, tides, and compressional waves
92.10.Hm Ocean waves and oscillations

An empirical verification

Camille L. Wainwright

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 517

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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
42.66.Si Psychophysics of vision, visual perception; binocular vision

Just-in-time braking

Richard L. Hall

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 518

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45.80.+r Control of mechanical systems

Minor flaw in major trivia

James F. Jackson

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 518

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01.10.Cr Announcements, news, and awards

Alternative conception

Ronald L. Greene

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 518

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01.40.Fk Research in physics education
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Basic physics of the incandescent lamp (lightbulb)

Dan MacIsaac, Gary Kanner, and Graydon Anderson

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 520 | Cited 8 times

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We describe the basic electrical and optical characteristics of the incandescent lamp (lightbulb), as an appropriate exemplar for use in teaching introductory electricity and magnetism. We discuss filament characteristics, blackbody physics, mechanical bulb manufacture, and halogen technology. Variants of the incandescent bulb are also addressed.
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42.72.Bj Visible and ultraviolet sources
84.32.Ff Conductors, resistors (including thermistors, varistors, and photoresistors)
44.40.+a Thermal radiation
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Distance, velocity and time

Paul Hewitt

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 526

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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
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How “full” are the outer planets?

Jim Shaw

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 528

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The percent “fullness” of the outer planets (using Mars as an example) is calculated.
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95.10.Ce Celestial mechanics (including n-body problems)
96.50.Vg Energetic particles
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A short course on observational astronomy

Richard J. Thompson, Jr.

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 530

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This note describes an experimental course carried out in collaboration between a small liberal arts university and a private research foundation which exposes students to the many aspects of astronomical research, including planning and carrying out a three-day observing trip and analyzing the acquired data.
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95.85.Kr Visible (390-750 nm)
95.55.-n Astronomical and space-research instrumentation
01.40.Di Course design and evaluation
01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus

Festive fractals

Dane Camp, Chris Chiaverina, and Tom Senior

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 532

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Inspired by the laboratory observations of a research group at the University of Maryland, we set out to capture the spirit of the holiday season by photographing festive colored patterns. Red, green, and white light enter the openings in a pyramid of four silver spheres stacked cannonball fashion, while ambient light enters the opening through which the photograph was taken.
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61.43.Hv Fractals; macroscopic aggregates (including diffusion-limited aggregates)
42.25.Fx Diffraction and scattering
07.68.+m Photography, photographic instruments; xerography

The wall of death: Newtons, nerves, and nausea

Niran Charoenkul, David Wheeler, and Chanwit Dejasvanong

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 533 | Cited 1 time

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What really happens on the “Wall of Death”? We ride it (by motorcycle and car) and find out … and put the resulting video on a website!
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45.40.-f Dynamics and kinematics of rigid bodies
87.19.L- Neuroscience
87.19.lt Sensory systems: visual, auditory, tactile, taste, and olfaction
87.19.rs Movement
87.19.ru Locomotion

Radioactivity experiments for project investigation

Se-yuen Mak

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 536

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Two radioactivity experiments, using KCI as the source, are recommended for pupils’ project investigation: (1) The mass absorption coefficient of β-particles for four different substances were determined and compared with an empirical formula. (2) The half-life of 40K was determined from the count-rate. Possibilities for improvement are discussed.
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23.40.-s β decay; double β decay; electron and muon capture
29.40.Cs Gas-filled counters: ionization chambers, proportional, and avalanche counters
23.90.+w Other topics in radioactive decay and in-beam spectroscopy (restricted to new topics in section 23)

Animations in spreadsheets

Gordon J. Aubrecht, II, T. Kenneth Bolland, and Michael G. Ziegler

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 540 | Cited 4 times

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Recently, Ole Haglund mentioned in this journal that it was possible to incorporate animations into spreadsheets. We would like to describe what might be an easier way to incorporate animations into spreadsheets using Excel™ software.
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07.05.Rm Data presentation and visualization: algorithms and implementation
01.50.ht Instructional computer use
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Science Fun with Toys: A Guide for Parents and Teachers with Resource Descriptions for Unique and Educational Toys, by Thomas W. Sills

John L. Hubisz, Reviewer

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 542

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01.50.Wg Physics of toys
01.30.Vv Book reviews

The History and Practice of Ancient Astronomy, by James Evans

Stephen P. Reynolds, Reviewer

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 542

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95.10.Ce Celestial mechanics (including n-body problems)
01.65.+g History of science
01.30.Vv Book reviews
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“What is man, that thou art mindful of him?”

Clifford E. Swartz

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 544

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The year ends, a new millennium begins, and we are mindful of the psalmist’s question. Within this century we have expanded the universe we know to profound limits. We have learned that our Sun is a star within a galaxy of 100 billion other stars. We have counted 100 billion other galaxies racing away from each other. There is a limit to all of this. It is our role as humans to measure our universe, and someday, perhaps, to understand it.
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98.80.Es Observational cosmology (including Hubble constant, distance scale, cosmological constant, early Universe, etc)
29.40.-n Radiation detectors
25.43.+t Antiproton-induced reactions
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Additions to a circular-motion lab

Bill Jameson

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 545 | Cited 1 time

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Building on a previous Apparatus article, some additions to a circular motion lab allow quick, accurate determination of the mathematical model F=mv2∕R. Using a force probe and motion detector interfaced to a computer, data is quick and easy to acquire
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01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
45.40.-f Dynamics and kinematics of rigid bodies
06.30.Gv Velocity, acceleration, and rotation
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Two rollers and a yardstick

Martin Gardner

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 546

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A physics trick involving two paper-towel tubes and a yardstick is described.
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
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Camera and telescope free-for-all!

Gene Byrd and Mark Graham

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 547

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Would you believe that for practically no expense you can do a lab in which each student dissects a camera and builds a telescope?
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07.68.+m Photography, photographic instruments; xerography
95.55.Cs Ground-based ultraviolet, optical and infrared telescopes
01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus

Heating water: Rate correction due to Newtonian cooling

James O’Connell

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 551 | Cited 3 times

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Water temperature does not increase linearly when heated at a constant rate because of concurrent Newtonian cooling. The correction to the linear temperature vs time curve can be obtained experimentally by measuring the exponential cooling curve from high temperature to room temperature.
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44.10.+i Heat conduction
44.27.+g Forced convection
44.40.+a Thermal radiation
44.05.+e Analytical and numerical techniques

Using an internet message board in teaching

Peter Sullivan

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 553

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The use of an Internet-accessible web-based message board system for engaging students in rich out-of-class discussions is described. Examples of the message board webpages are included.
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01.55.+b General physics
01.40.E- Science in school

Mechanics in a wheelchair

Karin Bernhard and Jonte Bernhard

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 555

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It is not only possible for a student sitting in a wheelchair to participate in many active engagement activities. Using a wheelchair is also of extra value for non-physically disabled students in many experiential mechanics activities since the friction is low and kinesthetic experience involved. A wheelchair can also be used as an engaging “tool” for connecting mechanical concepts and real-world phenomena.
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
07.05.Rm Data presentation and visualization: algorithms and implementation
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A mathematical physics for all students

Stewart E. Brekke

The Physics Teacher -- December 1999 -- Volume 37, Issue 9, pp. 557 | Cited 1 time

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For 23 years I have been teaching physics and other subjects in science and math in Chicago public high schools. In the 1970s, an integration consent decree issued in federal court mandated that, except for impaired learners, all students in the high school where I was teaching must take four years of science and mathematics. The students at Robeson High were poor African-American students, most of whom had weak reading and math backgrounds.
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01.40.E- Science in school
01.40.Di Course design and evaluation
01.40.G- Curricula and evaluation
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