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Apr 2004

Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 196-256

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The Solar Constant

Uri Ganiel

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 196

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus

Dog Eyes in Flash Photos

Alan J. DeWeerd

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 196

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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01.55.+b General physics
07.68.+m Photography, photographic instruments; xerography

Shells

Brian W. Holmes

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 196 | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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01.55.+b General physics
01.40.-d Education
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Seduction

Karl C. Mamola

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 198

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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01.40.G- Curricula and evaluation
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2004 Distinguished Service Citations Awarded: Lila Adair

Chris Chiaverina, Awards Committee Chair

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 199

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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01.10.Cr Announcements, news, and awards
01.40.-d Education

2004 Distinguished Service Citations Awarded: Jennifer Hickman

Chris Chiaverina, Awards Committee Chair

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 199

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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01.10.Cr Announcements, news, and awards
01.40.-d Education

2004 Distinguished Service Citations Awarded: Ruth Howes

Chris Chiaverina, Awards Committee Chair

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 200

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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01.10.Cr Announcements, news, and awards
01.40.-d Education

2004 Distinguished Service Citations Awarded: James Watson

Chris Chiaverina, Awards Committee Chair

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 201

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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01.10.Cr Announcements, news, and awards
01.40.-d Education

2004 Distinguished Service Citations Awarded: Nancy Watson

Chris Chiaverina, Awards Committee Chair

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 202

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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01.10.Cr Announcements, news, and awards
01.40.-d Education
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Ohm's Law and Proper Lines

Paul Hewitt

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 204

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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01.50.F- Audio and visual aids
41.20.-q Applied classical electromagnetism
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Egg Drop Competition Involving Only Toothpicks and Glue

Stephen Houpt

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 205 | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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The Winston Science Egg Drop Competition is held annually in November, one of a large group of science competitions organized by Lehman Marks of the Winston School in Dallas, TX. The rules for the competition state that the egg package may be constructed of toothpicks and glue only, with a mass limit of 50 g, not including the egg. Once the egg is placed inside the package, it is dropped from a height of 8 m. The winning entry is the one that makes impact in the least amount of time while still protecting the egg. Timing is electronic.
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01.40.E- Science in school
45.50.Dd General motion

Detecting Our Own Solar System from Afar

Michael C. LoPresto and Rachel McKay

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 208 | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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As the list1 of extra-solar planets orbiting Sun-like stars continues to grow, more members of multiple-planet systems2 are being discovered. An intriguing way to bring the data and detection methods for extra-solar planets into the classroom is to ask the question, “What would our solar system look like if viewed from afar by an observer using the same detection methods that we do?”
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01.40.G- Curricula and evaluation
97.82.-j Extrasolar planetary systems
95.75.-z Observation and data reduction techniques; computer modeling and simulation

Variations on the Frictionless Inclined Plane Problem

Richard P. McCall

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 212

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Most introductory physics texts1 describe the motion of an object moving down an inclined plane. Different types of objects such as blocks sliding, balls or cylinders rolling,2 or boxes tumbling3 down the incline have been investigated in depth. One study4 looked at a block sliding down an inclined plane with the plane resting on a frictionless surface. Another study5 shows a calculation of the maximum horizontal speed of a ball rolling down an incline as a function of the angle of inclination of the plane. In this paper we present calculations of the time required for an object to slide down a frictionless inclined plane as a function of the angle of inclination. In addition, we include variations of this problem in which the length of the incline is changed.
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01.40.G- Curricula and evaluation
45.50.Dd General motion

How Many Students Does It Take Before We See the Light?

Paula V. Engelhardt, Kara E. Gray, and N. Sanjay Rebello

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 216 | Cited 3 times

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Prior research suggests that students who cannot light a bulb given a single wire, a bulb, and a battery are not able to reason correctly regarding complete circuits. Our research shows that students believe that the wires from the filament are connected to the base of the bulb at the bottom. The percentage of students with this belief seems to be dependent on the level of the introductory physics course taken (conceptual, algebra, calculus). We have proposed three activities that appear to aid students in developing the correct model of how a light bulb is wired and a definition of complete circuit that classifies a short circuit as a complete circuit but one that is not advantageous.
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01.40.G- Curricula and evaluation
84.30.-r Electronic circuits

An Inexpensive Interferometric Setup for Measuring Microscopic Displacements

Elvio Alanís, Graciela Romero, Carlos Martínez, Liliana Álvarez, and Germán Salazar

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 223 | Cited 3 times

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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In an interesting article published in an issue of The Physics Teacher, Reichert1 gives some didactic examples about static friction force between a plastic block and a wooden plane on which it rests. To explain the experiments, he uses a simple model based on a microscopic “elastic band” that connects the atoms of both surfaces. Reichert remarks that “the block moves, albeit a microscopic distance,” and that it would be helpful if the student could see these displacements. In another paragraph he states that “measuring it (displacement) requires delicate and expensive optical instruments.” Effectively, a measurement of such small displacements generally requires interferometric devices. At our university, we teach basic physics and we are aware of the difficulties that beginners have grasping the concepts involved in static friction force. At the same time, as our research field is related to optics metrology, we could not ignore Reichert's statement. Could we design an experimental device to measure the microscopic displacement referred to by Reichert, keeping it inexpensive and easy to implement? Incidentally, in the same issue of The Physics Teacher, Sawicki2 gives an excellent example of how, with a few common elements, a simple experiment of interferometric measurement can be put within students' reach. In this paper, we suggest the use of a simple interferometric device, built with very common and inexpensive elements, and describe an experiment on static friction force in which the instrument is applied to measure microscopic displacements.
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01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
06.30.Bp Spatial dimensions (e.g., position, lengths, volume, angles, and displacements)
07.60.Ly Interferometers

Versatile Physical Pendulum

Paul Gluck

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 226 | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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It makes good sense to extend the range of usefulness of a piece of equipment beyond that intended originally. A commonly available “variable g” physical pendulum1 allows one to vary the angle α of its plane of oscillation to the vertical, so that in the expression for its period, g cos α replaces g. As shown in Fig. 1, the physical pendulum consists of a heavy cylindrical steel bob that can slide up and down a light aluminum rod whose top is attached to a cylindrical pivot resting on ball bearings. The aim of this paper is to describe a sequence of activities in rigid-body dynamics based on a triply modified version of this pendulum, extending over two lab sessions, carried out toward the end of a calculus-based mechanics course. However, the experiment can be analyzed at various levels, whether calculus based or by more elementary means. Figure 1 shows how we bolted a protractor to the top front of the instrument, so that one can measure the initial amplitude θ0 from which the bob is released. This enables one to study the amplitude dependence of the period between 0–90°. In addition, we have turned on the lathe an aluminum bob of identical shape and size. For this much lighter bob, the aluminum rod contributes a significant fraction to the total moment of inertia of the pendulum. Finally, we have improved the pivot's ball bearings, so that when released from 90° the pendulum continues swinging for 20 minutes or more, enabling one to observe the decay of its amplitude over a long time.
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01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
45.50.Dd General motion

The Foley Acoustic Wave Front Slides

Thomas B. Greenslade, Jr.

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 231 | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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In 1912 Arthur L. Foley of Indiana University published an article in Physical Review about his technique for photographing acoustic wave fronts. Subsequently, the Central Scientific Company published a series of glass lantern slides of his illustrations. These have been unavailable for about 60 years. Here I discuss how Foley made his slides and give examples of use to the present-day physics teacher.
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
01.50.F- Audio and visual aids
43.10.Sv Education in acoustics, tutorial papers of interest to acoustics educators

Analysis of a Projectile Motion Problem in a Free-Fall Frame

Daniel M. Smith, Jr.

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 236

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Recently a problem in projectile motion was posed by Hewitt1 and later analyzed by Pratt2 in this journal. Briefly stated, the problem is as follows: At what angle should a spring-loaded gun at P (see Fig. 1) be aimed to hit a target at position 0 if one has previously fired the gun directly at the target and missed it by a distance y below the target? Pratt's analysis of the problem can be greatly simplified by considering the problem in a free-fall (or free-float) frame,3 like that attached to a freely falling elevator.
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01.40.G- Curricula and evaluation
45.50.Dd General motion

Simple Excitation of Standing Waves in Rubber Bands and Membranes

Adolf Cortel

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 239 | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Many methods to excite standing waves in strings, plates, membranes, rods, tubes, and soap bubbles have been described.1 Usually a loudspeaker or a vibrating reed is driven by the amplified output of an audio oscillator. A novel and simple method consists of using a tuning fork or a singing rod to excite transversal standing waves in stretched rubber membranes sprinkled with fine sand.
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
46.40.Cd Mechanical wave propagation (including diffraction, scattering, and dispersion)

Floating Magnets as Two-Dimensional Atomic Models

Héctor G. Riveros, Enrique Cabrera, and Jorge Fujioka

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 242

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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The equilibrium configurations (ECs) of any mechanical system made up of interacting parts (when the interactions are due to conservative forces) always correspond to configurations for which the potential energy of the system reaches an extremum (usually a minimum). This idea, although very simple, is extremely useful in understanding a variety of processes that are physically important. The formation of small (and not so small) clusters of atoms is predicted and explained by means of sophisticated algorithms designed to calculate very rapidly the minimum energy configuration of the system.1 In crystal growth, the early stages of nucleation are understood by minimum energy considerations. The structure of molecules is also calculated with programs that minimize the potential energy.2 The crystalline structure of solids is also shown to correspond to minimum energy configurations.
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
63.50.-x Vibrational states in disordered systems
64.60.-i General studies of phase transitions
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A Simple Construction to Illustrate Lissajous Figures

C. Criado and N. Alamo

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 248

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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In a recent and interesting paper in The Physics Teacher, Thomas B. Greenslade Jr. presents a nice collection of devices that have been developed to display Lissajous figures.1 In this paper we discuss a very simple construction to illustrate the Lissajous figures using a method described by V.I. Arnold.2
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
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Parallel Plate Capacitor at Home

Wojciech Dindorf

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 250

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
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Large Scale Demonstration of the Minimum Angle of Deviation [Phys. Teach. 7, 513 (Dec. 1969)]

Wallace A. Hilton

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 251

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
42.25.Gy Edge and boundary effects; reflection and refraction
42.79.Bh Lenses, prisms and mirrors

Images from a Piece of a Lens [Phys. Teach. 7, 246 (April 1969)]

Samuel Hirschman

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 251

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
42.15.Dp Wave fronts and ray tracing
42.30.Va Image forming and processing
42.79.Bh Lenses, prisms and mirrors
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Awesome Oscillations

Boris Korsunsky

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 252

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus

Using the Surplus

Boris Korsunsky

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 252

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus

What a Waste!

Boris Korsunsky

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 252

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.40.Fk Research in physics education
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Tips for Using a Peer Response System in a Large Introductory Physics Class

Marina Milner-Bolotin

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 253 | Cited 6 times

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Teaching a large introductory physics course can be a challenge for a young physics instructor, and making a large physics lecture interactive may seem almost impossible. The most difficult part about the large class is that due to its size there is very little real-time interaction between the students and the lecturer. The instructor often does not know how well the students understand the lecture or how actively they are involved in it. The lack of real-time communication might make it very difficult and misleading for both the students and the instructor. Fortunately, recently we witnessed the proliferation of technological tools that can help the instructor get instantaneous feedback during the lecture. One of these tools is the peer response system (PRS).1
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01.40.G- Curricula and evaluation
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World Year of Physics 2005, http:∕∕www.physics2005.org

Andrew Graham

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 255

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.30.Xx Publications in electronic media
01.55.+b General physics

Gateway to Educational Materials, http:∕∕www.thegateway.org∕

Andrew Graham

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 255

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.30.Xx Publications in electronic media
01.40.-d Education

DMOZ — Directory Mozilla The Open Directory Project, http:∕∕dmoz.org

Andrew Graham

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 255

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.30.Xx Publications in electronic media
01.40.-d Education

The Net Advance of Physics-Review Articles and Tutorials in an Encyclopedic Format, http:∕∕web.mit.edu∕redingtn∕www∕netadv∕

Andrew Graham

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 255

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.30.Xx Publications in electronic media
01.55.+b General physics

Spectrum of Physics — A Physics Directory, http:∕∕www.tardyon.de∕links∕

Andrew Graham

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 255

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.30.Xx Publications in electronic media
01.55.+b General physics
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Hands-on Middle School Experience — Middle School Science with Computers: Science Experiments Using Vernier Sensors with Logger Pro™: Don Volz and Sandy Sapatka

John L. Hubisz, Reviewer

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 256

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.30.Vv Book reviews
01.40.E- Science in school

Hands-on Middle School Experience — Middle School Science with Calculators: Science Experiments Using Vernier Sensors with the LabPro™ or the CBL2™,: Don Volz and Sandy Sapatka

John L. Hubisz, Reviewer

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 256

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.30.Vv Book reviews
01.40.E- Science in school

MicroReviews by the Book Reviews Editor: The Copenhagen Papers: An Intrigue: Michael Frayn and David Burke

John L. Hubisz, Reviewer

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 256

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.30.Vv Book reviews
01.65.+g History of science

MicroReviews by the Book Reviews Editor: Demonstration Experiments in Physics: Richard Manliffe Sutton

John L. Hubisz, Reviewer

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 256

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.30.Vv Book reviews
01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus

MicroReviews by the Book Reviews Editor: Learner-Centered Astronomy Teaching: Strategies for ASTRO 101: Timothy F. Slater and Jeffrey P. Adams

John L. Hubisz, Reviewer

The Physics Teacher -- April 2004 -- Volume 42, Issue 4, pp. 256

Online Publication Date: Mar 2004

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.30.Vv Book reviews
01.40.G- Curricula and evaluation
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