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Sep 2008

Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 323-384

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Response to “Clickers or Flashcards?”

Paul Rider

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 323

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.40.Fk Research in physics education
01.50.F- Audio and visual aids

Answer Manual for The Quantum World

Kenneth Ford and Diane Goldstein

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 323

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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01.30.M- Textbooks
01.50.-i Educational aids
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Remembering Fermi as a Teacher

Mildred Dresselhaus

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 324

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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01.60.+q Biographies, tributes, personal notes, and obituaries
01.65.+g History of science
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ACTION-REACTION

Paul Hewitt

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 326

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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01.50.Kw Techniques of testing
01.50.fh Posters, cartoons, art, etc.
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Rainbow-Like Spectra with a CD: An Active-Learning Exercise

G. Planinšič, A. Corona, and J. Slisko

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 329 | Cited 2 times

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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Rainbow-like spectra, produced by reflexive diffraction of white light on a CD, offer a spectacular visual effect as well as an excellent classroom opportunity for students to learn how physics works. In this paper we show that building a coherent qualitative explanation can be a challenging task that requires students to combine gained knowledge with observations and explorations.
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.55.+b General physics
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The Blowgun Demonstration Experiment

Koji Tsukamoto and Masanori Uchino

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 334 | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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We have found that a simple demonstration experiment using a match or a cotton swab and a drinking straw or an acrylic pipe serves as an effective introduction to dynamics. The most basic apparatus has a cotton swab serving as a dart and the straw as the blowgun. When blown from a starting point near the exit end of the straw, the cotton swab does not fly a significant distance. When the starting point is closer to the lips, the straw is projected 2–3 m. If two or three straws are connected to form a longer blowgun, the cotton swab flies even farther.
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.55.+b General physics
01.40.J- Teacher training

Torsional Oscillations and Waves Projected on the Wall

Albert A. Bartlett

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 338

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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The article “Torsional Oscillations with Lorentz Force”1 by Paul Gluck provides a glimpse into the major world of ancient physics demonstrations in the late 19th and first half of the 20th centuries. The apparatus that was described and similar pieces of apparatus are the basis for many memorable but long forgotten educational demonstrations. The apparatus described was a small hairpin loop of wire whose long axis is perpendicular to a constant magnetic field. The loop carries an alternating current in a dc magnetic field, so the loop experiences rotational oscillations about the long axis of the hairpin. A tiny mirror cemented to the loop reflects a laser beam onto a distant wall, so when an alternating current is passed through the loop, the mirror oscillates and the reflected beam spot on the wall moves up and down. The following are just small glimpses of the wonderful physics demonstrations that the “ancients” developed, based on this wonderful device.
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.40.J- Teacher training
01.55.+b General physics

Conservation of Mechanical Energy Using Dry Ice Slider-Projectiles

Jenna Gales and Blane Baker

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 341

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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Energy concepts are fundamentally important for describing and analyzing systems ranging from subatomic particles to spiral galaxies. In general, students first encounter such concepts in introductory courses that typically focus on forms of energy, energy transfer, and conservation laws. Within these courses, conservation of mechanical energy is particularly useful for solving problems (since the physical quantities being analyzed do not require vector analysis). However, strictly speaking, conservation of mechanical energy is valid only when no energy is transferred across the boundary of the system being considered.
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.55.+b General physics
01.40.J- Teacher training

The Egg Joust

Wade A. Bosworth and John Wilkinson

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 344

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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The use of eggs and mousetraps in physics is commonplace in most American high school physics classrooms. The egg drops,1,2 the egg walk,3 and the great Canadian egg race,4 as well as the mousetrap cars,5 have all been well-documented in this journal. These types of collaborative, competitive projects are a great way to motivate6 students. Students at Greendale High School in suburban Milwaukee, WI, participate in an annual egg-jousting competition that combines the energy of a mousetrap with the delicateness of an egg. For this evening event, students gather in costume for a night of medieval intrigue where parents and friends witness the peril of two eggs colliding while atop their trusty steed.
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01.40.Fk Research in physics education
01.55.+b General physics
01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus

The Phase Shift in the Jumping Ring

Rondo N. Jeffery and Farhang Amiri

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 350 | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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The popular physics demonstration experiment known as Thomson's Jumping Ring (JR) has been variously explained as a simple example of Lenz's law, or as the result of a phase shift of the ring current relative to the induced emf. The failure of the first-quadrant Lenz's law explanation is shown by the time the ring takes to jump and by levitation. A method is given for measuring the phase shift with results for aluminum and brass rings.
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
41.00.00 Electromagnetism; electron and ion optics
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A Physics Show Performed by Students for Kids: From Mechanics to Elementary Particle Physics

Herbi K. Dreiner

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 358

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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Physics students spend the early part of their training attending physics and mathematics lectures, solving problem sets, and experimenting in laboratory courses. The program is typically intensive and fairly rigid. They have little opportunity to follow their own curiosity or apply their knowledge. There have been many attempts to address this deficiency, specifically through outreach activities.1–23 For example, since 1984 Clint Sprott (University of Wisconsin) hosts a physics show entitled “The Wonders of Physics!” Dressed up as a circus director and assisted by students, Professor Sprott presents entertaining and educating experiments to a regularly packed auditorium of all age groups.5 This was in turn inspired by the “Chemistry is Fun” presentations of Basam Shakhashiri (University of Wisconsin), where the students are also involved.6
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01.50.F- Audio and visual aids
01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.50.ff Films; electronic video devices
01.50.H- Computers in education

The Gravitational Landscape of the Solar System

Willem H. van den Berg

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 363

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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The Sun's gravitational influence is of course much greater than that of any of the planets. Just how much greater can be dramatically illustrated by plotting their combined gravitational potential on the same graph.
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01.40.J- Teacher training
01.55.+b General physics

Millikan Movies

Xueli Zou, Eric Dietz, Trevor McGuire, Louise Fox, Tiara Norris, Brendan Diamond, Ricardo Chavez, and Stephen Cheng

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 365 | Cited 2 times

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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Since Robert Millikan discovered the quantization of electric charge and measured its fundamental value over 90 years ago, his oil-drop experiment has become essential in physics laboratory classes at both the high school and college level. As physics instructors, however, many of us have used the traditional setup and experienced the tedium of collecting data and the frustration of students who obtain disappointing results for the charges on individual oil drops after two or three hours of hard work. Some novel approaches have been developed to make the data collection easier and more accurate. One method is to attach a CCD (charge coupled device) camera to the microscope of the traditional setup.1,2 Through the CCD camera, the motion of an oil drop can be displayed on a TV monitor1 and∕or on a computer.2 This allows several students to view the image of a droplet simultaneously instead of taking turns squinting through the tiny microscope eyepiece on the traditional setup. Furthermore, the motion of an oil drop can be captured and analyzed using software such as VideoPoint,3 which enhances the accuracy of the measurement of the charge on each oil drop.2 While these innovative methods improve the convenience and efficiency with which data can be collected, an instructor has to invest a considerable amount of money and time so as to adapt the new techniques to his or her own classroom. In this paper, we will report on the QuickTime movies we made, which can be used to analyze the motions of 16 selected oil drops. These digital videos are available on the web4 for teachers to download and use with their own students. We will also share the procedure for analyzing the videos using Logger Pro,5 as well as our results for the charges on the oil drops and some pedagogical aspects of using the movies with students.
Show PACS
01.40.gb Teaching methods and strategies
01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
01.50.ff Films; electronic video devices

Mechanical Simulation of a Half-Life

T. T. Grove and M. F. Masters

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 369 | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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The exponential function model of radioactive decay and the concept of a half-life are used in nuclear experiments1–4 that appear in introductory and intermediate laboratories. In our interactions with students, we have found that students at all levels have significant confusion about both the term exponential and what is meant by a half-life as well as fundamental misconceptions regarding curve fitting.
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01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
01.40.gb Teaching methods and strategies
01.40.J- Teacher training

Keeping the Coffee Warm: A Challenge for Amateurs and Professionals

Ole Anton Haugland

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 372 | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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When introducing heat transfer and insulation to my students, I have found that an insulation contest can be a good start. The experiment is fun, and it gets students thinking and wondering about heat transfer. When they have experienced how difficult it is to construct their own insulated container, they are very interested to know how a real Thermos® bottle works. One could also let a Thermos® bottle be an extra “participant” in the contest.
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01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
44.00.00 Heat transfer
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An Inexpensive Toroidal Solenoid for an Investigative Student Lab

Andrew Ferstl and John Broberg

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 376

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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Magnetism and Ampère's law is a common subject in most calculus-based introductory physics courses. Many textbooks offer examples to calculate the magnetic field produced by a symmetric current by using Ampère's law.1 These examples include the solenoid and the toroidal solenoid (sometimes called a torus; see Fig. 1), which are used in many applications, including the study of plasmas.
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01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
01.40.Fk Research in physics education
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Half and Half

Boris Korsunsky

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 378

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.Rt Physics tournaments and contests
01.40.J- Teacher training
01.55.+b General physics
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Fermi Questions

Larry Weinstein

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 379

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.Rt Physics tournaments and contests
01.40.J- Teacher training
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Paraffin Puzzler

Michelle Tantillo

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 380

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.40.Fk Research in physics education
01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.40.Ha Learning theory and science teaching
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Dealing with Resistance to Reform

Marc Reif

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 381

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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About the author: Any teacher, new or experienced, will at times face criticism, resistance, and even hostility from students, parents, and colleagues. An inexperienced teacher who runs a reformed classroom based on classroom discourse and “interactive engagement,” both of which may run counter to school culture, risks resistance or even outright revolt. In this essay, which grew out of discussions on the Modeling Instruction Program Listserv,1 Marc Reif shares some strategies that can be used to forestall or deal with classroom opposition.
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01.40.gb Teaching methods and strategies
01.40.J- Teacher training
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Getting Connected with Other Physics Educators and the Physics Community

Dan MacIsaac

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 383

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.H- Computers in education
01.40.J- Teacher training

The Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics outreach website: http:∕∕www.perimeterinstitute.ca∕en∕Outreach∕General∕Outreach_Overview∕

Dave Doucette

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 383

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.H- Computers in education
01.40.J- Teacher training
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Cliff's Nodes: Editorials from The Physics Teacher: Clifford Swartz

John L. Hubisz

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 384

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.30.Os Books of general interest to physics teachers
01.30.Vv Book reviews

MicroReviews by the Book Review Editor: Women Astronomers: Reaching for the Stars: Mabel Armstrong

John L. Hubisz

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 384

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.30.Os Books of general interest to physics teachers
01.75.+m Science and society
01.30.Vv Book reviews

MicroReviews by the Book Review Editor: • Hiding in the Mirror: The Quest for Alternate Realities, From Plato to String Theory (by Way of Alice in Wonderland, Einstein, and The Twilight Zone): Lawrence M. Krauss

John L. Hubisz

The Physics Teacher -- September 2008 -- Volume 46, Issue 6, pp. 384

Online Publication Date: Aug 2008

Full Text: Read Online (HTML) | Download PDF

Abstract Unavailable
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01.30.Os Books of general interest to physics teachers
01.40.J- Teacher training
01.30.Bb Publications of lectures (advanced institutes, summer schools, etc.)
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