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Mar 2009

Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 132-192

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More Physics with Cardiolite®

Terrence Toepker

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 132 | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.40.J- Teacher training
91.67.Qr Radiogenic isotope geochemistry
87.80.-y Biophysical techniques (research methods)
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FULL HEMISPHERE

Paul Hewitt

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 134

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.fh Posters, cartoons, art, etc.
01.50.Rt Physics tournaments and contests
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An Exercise in Vehicle Kinematics and Energetics

Solomon Fischer and Paul Gluck

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 137 | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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We physics teachers are forever in search of real-life applications of the theoretical concepts we teach. In mechanics we often utilize vehicle motion exercises, yet most textbook problems involving these are rather tame and deal with constant acceleration. What often captures the imagination of students is the actual performance of cars they drive: times for accelerating from zero to 100 km∕h, top speed, energy consumption, power, and so on. Such data, of major concern to car designers and salesmen, are now readily available on the Internet and in magazines such as Car & Driver and Road & Track for a wide spectrum of vehicles.1 Their use in the classroom has been recommended in several articles that appeared in this journal.2 When reporting acceleration of vehicles, the first (high-acceleration) stage, as the engine “revs up” to its full power, is usually omitted. A glance at a typical velocity-versus-time curve (Fig. 1, for a MINI Cooper S1a; these data are also used in Figs. 3 and 5) shows that as the velocity increases toward the maximum attainable speed in a finite time, the acceleration decreases. Thus, overtaking a car at high speeds takes much longer than the initial acceleration might suggest—this is most unlike a constant acceleration scenario.
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01.40.J- Teacher training
01.55.+b General physics
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Innovative Uses of Video Analysis

Douglas Brown and Anne J. Cox

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 145 | Cited 8 times

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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See Also: Erratum

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The value of video analysis in physics education is well established,1,2 and both commercial and free educational video analysis programs are readily available.3 The video format is familiar to students, contains a wealth of spatial and temporal data, and provides a bridge between direct observations and abstract representations of physical phenomena. This has made video analysis attractive for many 2D (and sometimes 3D) motion experiments including projectiles, oscillations, collisions, rotations, and even Brownian motion.4 This paper describes the use of Tracker,5 a free Java video analysis tool developed by the Open Source Physics Project,6 to extend video analysis beyond these traditional applications. Specifically, we discuss the following introductory physics video experiments, all of which are available for download from comPADRE or the BQ Learning database:71). 2D collisions in a center-of-mass reference frame. 2). Modeling the air resistance force on falling cupcake cups. 3). Thermal expansion using single-slit diffraction. 4). Nonthermal emission spectra of lasers, gases, fluorescent dyes, and fluorescent lamps.
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01.40.Fk Research in physics education
01.50.ff Films; electronic video devices
01.50.H- Computers in education
01.55.+b General physics

Laser-Based Identification of Pathogenic Bacteria

Steven J. Rehse

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 152

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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Bacteria are ubiquitous in our world. From our homes, to our work environment, to our own bodies, bacteria are the omnipresent although often unobserved companions to human life. Physicists are typically untroubled professionally by the presence of these bacteria, as their study usually falls safely outside the realm of our typical domain. In the last 10 years, however, several events have occurred that demand the attention of the general populace — including the ranks of physicists among them.
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01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
87.80.-y Biophysical techniques (research methods)
87.85.Pq Biomedical imaging

Choose Wisely: Static or Kinetic Friction—The Power of Dimensionless Plots

Daniel Ludwigsen and Kathryn Svinarich

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 158 | Cited 2 times

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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Consider a problem of sliding blocks, one stacked atop the other, resting on a frictionless table. If the bottom block is pulled horizontally, nature makes a choice: if the applied force is small, static friction between the blocks accelerates the blocks together, but with a large force the blocks slide apart. In that case, kinetic friction still forces the upper block forward but with less acceleration than the lower block. The choice, then, lies in the relative terms—what is meant by small and large? After a confusing experience during a recent exam, we've found a demonstration and graphical presentation that can help clarify the distinction between static and kinetic friction.
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01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
01.55.+b General physics
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Sinusoids in the Construction Trade

Thomas B. Greenslade, Jr.

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 162

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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Abstract Unavailable
Show PACS
01.50.fh Posters, cartoons, art, etc.
01.40.gb Teaching methods and strategies
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Energy and the Elliptical Orbit

Bill Nettles

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 163

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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In the January 2007 issue of The Physics Teacher, Prentis, Fulton, Hesse, and Mazzino1 describe a laboratory exercise in which students use a geometrical analysis inspired by Newton to show that an elliptical orbit and an inverse-square law force go hand in hand. The historical, geometrical, and teamwork aspects of the exercise are useful and important. This paper presents an exercise which uses an energy/angular momentum conservation model for elliptical orbits. This exercise can be done easily by an individual student and on regular notebook-sized paper.
Show PACS
01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.55.+b General physics
01.40.gb Teaching methods and strategies
FREE

Cellular Phones Helping To Get a Clearer Picture of Kinematics

A. E. G. Falcão, Jr., R. A. Gomes, J. M. Pereira, L. F. S. Coelho, and A. C. F. Santos

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 167 | Cited 3 times

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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The main purpose of this paper is to add to the list of examples of how cell phones may be used as teaching tools in the classroom.1 One very interesting example of this comes from the study of projectile motion, the classical “cannon ball” problem. This problem is central to the study of kinematics, the very first topic a student meets in physics. Our approach exploits the fact that these days almost all students carry cellular phones and the vast majority of the phones have built-in cameras.
Show PACS
01.40.gb Teaching methods and strategies
01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.55.+b General physics

Instructor-Designed Tutorials—Meeting the Needs of Our Students

J. P. Brichta, K. Bizheva, J. H. Sanderson, and J. Holbrook

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 169

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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We have developed an easy-to-use online tutorial generator designed to allow instructors to make tutorials quickly and with a minimal learning curve. The motivation was to create a generator that would allow instructors to create tutorials as needed and possibly build up a bank of tutorials over a number of years. A key design feature of the online tutorials was the inclusion of branching pathways through the material to provide targeted remedial aid for conceptual difficulties as they appear. We tested the generator by creating a small number of online tutorials that focus on areas where typical first-year students encounter difficulty: vectors, Newton's second law, circular motion, and rotation. We found that students using the online tutorials achieved a better result on the related online quizzes and final exam questions for these topics. The results of our analysis indicate that the online tutorials have been partially successful at reinforcing these key concepts.
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01.40.gb Teaching methods and strategies
01.50.ht Instructional computer use

Detecting Gender Bias Through Test Item Analysis

Wilson J. González-Espada

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 175 | Cited 2 times

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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Many physical science and physics instructors might not be trained in pedagogically appropriate test construction methods. This could lead to test items that do not measure what they are intended to measure. A subgroup of these items might show bias against some groups of students. This paper describes how the author became aware of potentially biased items against females in his examinations, which led to the exploration of fundamental issues related to item validity, gender bias, and differential item functioning, or DIF. A brief discussion of DIF in the context of university courses, as well as practical suggestions to detect possible gender-biased items, follows.
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01.75.+m Science and society
01.40.G- Curricula and evaluation
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A Simple Implementation of an Electromagnetic Coilgun Using a Camera Flash Circuit

Travis Z. Fullem and Michael S. Benedict

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 181

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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We present here a simple and inexpensive implementation of an electromagnetic coilgun. This device can launch small projectiles (∼200 g) over a distance of one or two meters. This project will provide students with experience in building simple circuits, a tangible demonstration of electromagnetic fields and can lead into a discussion of magnetic properties of materials.
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01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
01.55.+b General physics
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Fermi Questions

Larry Weinstein

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 184 | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.Rt Physics tournaments and contests
01.55.+b General physics
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Read Any Good Science Lately?

Patricia Blanton

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 185

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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A primary directive of any teacher is to help prepare students to meet the challenges they will face in their daily lives. Many of the high school and college students we teach have had so much “handed to them” and assume this will continue with little or no effort on their part. Members of this “me” generation are encouraged by everything around them to focus more on relationships, social status, and physical attributes, receiving less encouragement to focus on their intellectual development and preparation to compete in a global economy. The recent economic woes of the country may serve as a wake-up call to our students and their families, giving us the support we need to ignite a passion for learning in our students.
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The Long March of 2009

Boris Korsunsky

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 188

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.Rt Physics tournaments and contests
84.30.-r Electronic circuits
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Laser Beams, Plastic Cassette Boxes, and the Joy of Serendipitous Discovery

Jim Hicks

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 189

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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Abstract Unavailable
Show PACS
01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.40.gb Teaching methods and strategies
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The Summer 2009 Physics Teacher Professional Workshop announcements commence

Dan MacIsaac

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 191

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.10.Fv Conferences, lectures, and institutes
01.40.J- Teacher training
01.30.Xx Publications in electronic media

Free Online Physics Videos

Frank Noschese and Pat Viele, Cornell Physics and Astronomy Librarian

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 191

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.ht Instructional computer use
01.30.Rr Surveys and tutorial papers; resource letters
01.30.Xx Publications in electronic media

HS Physics Units and Lesson Plans development at the PhysicsFront

Dan MacIsaac

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 191

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

Full Text: Read Online (HTML) | Download PDF

Abstract Unavailable
Show PACS
01.50.ht Instructional computer use
01.30.Xx Publications in electronic media
01.30.Rr Surveys and tutorial papers; resource letters

Correction

Dan MacIsaac

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 191

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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Abstract Unavailable
Show PACS
01.30.Xx Publications in electronic media
99.10.Cd Errata
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The Physics of NASCAR: How to Make Steel + Gas + Rubber = Speed: Diandra Leslie-Pelecky

Patricia E. Allen

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 192

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.30.Bb Publications of lectures (advanced institutes, summer schools, etc.)
01.55.+b General physics
47.00.00 Fluid dynamics

MicroReview by The Book Review Editor: Science Project Helper: A comprehensive guide for middle and high school students to conceiving, designing, executing, and presenting science projects: Mike Dickinson

John L. Hubisz

The Physics Teacher -- March 2009 -- Volume 47, Issue 3, pp. 192

Online Publication Date: Feb 2009

Full Text: Read Online (HTML) | Download PDF

Abstract Unavailable
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