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Oct 2010

Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 438-495

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Women and men of the Manhattan Project: Clarifications/corrections

Jill Marshall

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 438

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01.60.+q Biographies, tributes, personal notes, and obituaries
99.10.-x Errata and other corrections
01.65.+g History of science

Teach the exciting topics

Jay Pasachoff

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 438

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01.40.Ha Learning theory and science teaching
01.40.ek Secondary school
95.10.-a Fundamental astronomy
98.80.-k Cosmology
97.10.-q Stellar characteristics and properties
96.00.00 Solar system; planetology

Author's response

Gina Barrier

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 439

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01.50.-i Educational aids

A sign of the times

Mark Paetkau

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 439

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01.50.-i Educational aids
01.40.-d Education
45.20.da Forces and torques
02.10.Ud Linear algebra

Sign issues for one‐dimensional vectors

Carl E. Mungan

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 439

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01.50.-i Educational aids
45.20.D- Newtonian mechanics

Authors' response

Kate M. Hayes and Michael C. Wittmann

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 440

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01.50.-i Educational aids
01.40.-d Education
45.20.da Forces and torques
02.10.Ud Linear algebra

Editor's Note:

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 440

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99.10.Np Editorial note
01.50.-i Educational aids
92.70.Jw Oceans, sea level change
92.10.Rw Sea ice (mechanics and air/sea/ice exchange processes)
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EQUATORIAL ROTATION

Paul Hewitt

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 441

Online Publication Date: Sep 2010

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01.50.-i Educational aids
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Distinguished Service Citations

Alex Dickison, AAPT Past President

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 442

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01.50.-i Educational aids
01.10.Cr Announcements, news, and awards
01.40.ek Secondary school

Millikan Medal Awarded to Pat Heller

Alex Dickison, AAPT Past President

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 443

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01.50.-i Educational aids
01.40.Fk Research in physics education
01.40.E- Science in school
01.10.Cr Announcements, news, and awards
01.60.+q Biographies, tributes, personal notes, and obituaries

Klopsteg Award to Robert Scherrer

Alex Dickison, AAPT Past President

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 443

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01.10.Cr Announcements, news, and awards
01.40.gb Teaching methods and strategies
01.50.-i Educational aids
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Another Demo of the Unusual Thermal Properties of Rubber

Mark I. Liff

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 444

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The unusual thermal behavior of rubbers, though discovered a long time ago, can still be mind‐boggling for students and teachers who encounter this class of polymeric systems. Unlike other solids, stretched elastic polymers shrink upon heating. This is a manifestation of the Gough‐Joule (G‐J) effect.1–4 Joule in the 1850s studied the thermal behavior of rubbers that was initially explored by Gough in 1805. Properties of rubbers such as contraction upon heating, or the related phenomenon of heating upon fast expansion, did not make much sense at that time. Joule's work validated Gough's results, but the molecular basis of the unusual thermal behavior of rubbers remained unexplained for another 70 years. The physical ideas, taking into account gigantic conformational entropy of elastic polymers that explain their contraction on heating, were developed by Staudinger, Kuhn, and others only in the 1920s and 1930s.5
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01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
65.90.+i Other topics in thermal properties of condensed matter (restricted to new topics in section 65)
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Measuring g Using a Magnetic Pendulum and Telephone Pickup

J. Sinacore and H. Takai

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 448

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The simple pendulum has long been used to measure g, the acceleration due to gravity, with a precision of a few percent. Achieving agreement with the accepted value of less than 1% is feasible in the high school laboratory, though it requires some care.1 The precision of the measurement is bound by how accurately the period and the pendulum length are determined. To improve on the period measurement, we have developed a simple and inexpensive method using a magnet and telephone pickup.2
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
07.10.-h Mechanical instruments and equipment

Enhancing the Bounce of a Ball

Rod Cross

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 450 | Cited 3 times

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In sports such as baseball, softball, golf, and tennis, a common objective is to hit the ball as fast or as far as possible. Another common objective is to hit the ball so that it spins as fast as possible, since the trajectory of the ball through the air is strongly affected by ball spin.1 In an attempt to enhance both the coefficient of restitution (COR) and the spin of a golf ball, I conducted several experiments to see what would happen when a 45‐g, 42.8‐mm diameter golf ball bounced on: (a) a 58‐mm diameter, 103‐g Super Ball®; (b) an 8‐mm thick, 56‐mm diameter circular disk of Super Ball material cut from a large Super Ball and glued to a 3.4‐kg lead brick; and (c) a 3‐mm thick sheet of rubber glued to a 3.4‐kg lead brick. (See Fig. 1.)
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.55.+b General physics
45.20.dc Rotational dynamics

Tutorials in Introductory Physics: The Pain and the Gain

Émerson Cruz, Brian O'Shea, Werner Schaffenberger, Steven Wolf, and Gerd Kortemeyer

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 453

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In an introductory physics sequence with a large enrollment of premedical students, traditional recitation sessions were replaced by Tutorials in Introductory Physics, developed by the Physics Education Group at the University of Washington. Initially, summative test scores (as well as FCI scores) dramatically increased, but so did student complaints and workload. Both effects decreased over time. The paper discusses issues that instructors should consider when contemplating implementation of the tutorials.
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01.50.-i Educational aids
01.40.Di Course design and evaluation
01.40.G- Curricula and evaluation
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Investigating Flight with a Toy Helicopter

Michael Liebl

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 458 | Cited 2 times

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Flight fascinates people of all ages. Recent advances in battery technology have extended the capabilities of model airplanes and toy helicopters. For those who have never outgrown a childhood enthusiasm for the wonders of flight, it is possible to buy inexpensive, remotely controlled planes and helicopters. A toy helicopter offers an opportunity to investigate and study some basics of flight.1
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
45.20.D- Newtonian mechanics

Experiments with Fluorescent Lamps

Yaakov Kraftmakher

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 461 | Cited 2 times

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The experiments described below show the irradiance and illuminance spectra of two fluorescent lamps in relation to their color temperatures, and the efficacy in comparison to that of an incandescent lamp. Spectra of “warm white” and “cool daylight” fluorescent lamps are demonstrated.
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01.50.-i Educational aids
42.72.Bj Visible and ultraviolet sources
01.40.-d Education

Simple Animations with Excels

Roger Blickensderfer

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 465

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In recent years there has been a rapid expansion in the use of animated drawings for teaching physics. The benefits to the students are obvious. Rather than looking at still pictures in a textbook, they can observe a physical event and see how it plays out over time.
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01.50.Kw Techniques of testing
01.50.ht Instructional computer use
01.50.hv Computer software and software reviews

Digitizing Sound: How Can Sound Waves be Turned into Ones and Zeros?

Matthew Vick

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 468

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From MP3 players to cell phones to computer games, we're surrounded by a constant stream of ones and zeros. Do we really need to know how this technology works? While nobody can understand everything, digital technology is increasingly making our lives a collection of “black boxes” that we can use but have no idea how they work. Pursuing scientific literacy should propel us to open up a few of these metaphorical boxes. High school physics offers opportunities to connect the curriculum to sports, art, music, and electricity, but it also offers connections to computers and digital music. Learning activities about digitizing sounds offer wonderful opportunities for technology integration and student problem solving. I used this series of lessons in high school physics after teaching about waves and sound but before optics and total internal reflection so that the concepts could be further extended when learning about fiber optics.
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01.50.Qb Laboratory course design, organization, and evaluation
43.75.-z Music and musical instruments

Swing Weights of Baseball and Softball Bats

Dan Russell

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 471

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Baseball and softball bats are sold according to length in inches and weight in ounces.1 Much to the consternation of players buying new bats, however, not all bats that weigh the same swing the same. The reason for this has to do with moment of inertia of the bat about a pivot point on the handle, or what the sporting goods industry refers to as swing weight.2–3 A number of recent field studies4–7 have confirmed that the speed with which a player can swing a baseball or softball bat depends more on the bat's moment of inertia than on its mass. In this paper we investigate the moment of inertia (swing weight) of a variety of baseball and softball bats.
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01.50.-i Educational aids
01.40.-d Education
45.20.dc Rotational dynamics

Is Magnification Consistent?

Christopher M. Graney

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 475 | Cited 2 times

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Is the phenomenon of magnification by a converging lens inconsistent and therefore unreliable? Can a lens magnify one part of an object but not another? Physics teachers and even students familiar with basic optics1 would answer “no,” yet many answer “yes.” Numerous telescope users believe that magnification is not a reliable phenomenon in that it does not work for stars. This belief was central to the arguments of one of science's most prominent modern critics—a great story of how misunderstanding basic optics helped to yield bad ideas about science. So magnification is a great topic! It is accessible to students. It gives students insight into the workings of a familiar device such as a telescope that even frequent telescope users often lack. And it has a fascinating side story about how misunderstanding basic science led to interesting consequences.
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01.50.-i Educational aids
42.15.-i Geometrical optics
01.40.-d Education

Falling and Rising in Water

Pirooz Mohazzabi

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 478

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When an object is immersed in a liquid and released, it may sink to the bottom or rise to the surface and float. If the object's density is greater than that of the liquid, it sinks. If the object's density is less than the density of the liquid, it floats. In the special case when the object's density matches the density of the liquid, it will remain in neutral equilibrium.
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01.50.-i Educational aids
47.20.Bp Buoyancy-driven instabilities (e.g., Rayleigh-Benard)
47.27.-i Turbulent flows

A Year Without Paper: Tablet Computers in the Classroom

John Fons

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 481

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Students can be seen throughout any campus in America carrying their cell phones, laptop computers, and iPhones. I've seen a tremendous increase in the student use of laptop computers during lectures and students often ask for electronic copies of lectures rather than printed versions. In an attempt to adapt to my students' increasingly technology‐driven lifestyle, I issued a tablet computer to all of my students, and for a year all course materials were digital, with no distribution of paper.
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01.50.ht Instructional computer use
01.50.Lc Laboratory computer use
01.40.gb Teaching methods and strategies

Quantum Mechanics for Beginning Physics Students

Mark B. Schneider

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 484

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The past two decades of attention to introductory physics education has emphasized enhanced development of conceptual understanding to accompany calculational ability. Given this, it is surprising that current texts continue to rely on the Bohr model to develop a flawed intuition, and introduce correct atomic physics on an ad hoc basis. For example, Halliday, Resnick, and Walker1 describe the origin of atomic quantum numbers as such: “The restrictions on the values of the quantum number for the hydrogen atom, as listed in Table 39‐2, are not arbitrary but come out of the solution to Schrödinger's equation.” They give no further justification, but do point out the values are in conflict with the predictions of the Bohr model.
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01.50.Kw Techniques of testing
01.40.gf Theory of testing and techniques
03.65.-w Quantum mechanics
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Uniform circular motion: Playing with mini wind‐up trains

Alzira Stein‐Barana, Deisy P. Munhoz, Douglas A. Galbiatti, and Cristiane S. Leme

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 487

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
47.00.00 Fluid dynamics
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A very inexpensive Magnus force demonstrator

David Kagan

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 488

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01.50.-i Educational aids
01.40.-d Education
45.20.da Forces and torques
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To accelerate or not to accelerate? That is the question

Diane Riendeau, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 489

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Thanks to Jim Hicks, Barrington High School, and Jaime Stasiorowski and Kristen Piggott, Deerfield High School, for their help with this month's column. If you have a YouTube video you use in class, please send the link and a brief description to: driendeau@dist113.org.
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01.50.ht Instructional computer use
01.50.ff Films; electronic video devices
01.40.gb Teaching methods and strategies
45.20.D- Newtonian mechanics
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Rubbing a ribbon

Boris Korsunsky, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 490

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01.50.-i Educational aids
46.55.+d Tribology and mechanical contacts
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Fermi Questions

Larry Weinstein, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 490

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01.50.-i Educational aids
45.20.dh Energy conservation
01.40.-d Education
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The physicist fish

Christian T. Corrao

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 491

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01.50.F- Audio and visual aids
01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
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Advertising physics by “tie”ing concepts together

Jeffrey M. Wetherhold

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 492

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01.50.-i Educational aids
01.40.-d Education
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Richard Feynman's Fun to imagine: Using physics to explain how the world works

Kevin O'Donnell

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 494

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.ff Films; electronic video devices
42.79.Bh Lenses, prisms and mirrors
89.20.Hh World Wide Web, Internet

College‐Ready physics standards: A look to the future, by P. Heller and G. Stewart

Frank Noschese

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 494

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.40.gb Teaching methods and strategies
01.40.gf Theory of testing and techniques
01.40.Ha Learning theory and science teaching
89.20.Hh World Wide Web, Internet

Joel Harden's RSS feeds

Joel Harden

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 494

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.ht Instructional computer use
01.50.hv Computer software and software reviews
89.20.Hh World Wide Web, Internet
01.40.-d Education

Physics and science teaching blogs

Dan MacIsaac, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 494

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01.50.hv Computer software and software reviews
89.20.Hh World Wide Web, Internet
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Principles of Physical Optics: C.A. Bennett

John L. Hubisz, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 495

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.-i Educational aids
01.30.Vv Book reviews
42.00.00 Optics

MicroReviews by the Book Review Editor: Interactive Lesson Guide for Astronomy 2nd ed.: Cooperative Learning Activities: Michael Zeilik

John L. Hubisz, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 495

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.40.Ha Learning theory and science teaching
01.30.Vv Book reviews

MicroReviews by the Book Review Editor: Interactive Physics™ Workbook: Cindy Schwarz and John Ertel

John L. Hubisz, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 495

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.ht Instructional computer use
01.30.Vv Book reviews

MicroReviews by the Book Review Editor: Chaos and Harmony: Perspectives on Scientific Revolutions of the Twentieth Century: Trinh Xuan Thuan

John L. Hubisz, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 495

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01.50.-i Educational aids
01.40.-d Education

MicroReviews by the Book Review Editor: A Geocentricity Primer: Introduction to Biblical Cosmology 2nd ed., corrected and revised by Gerardus D. Bouw & The Geocentric Bible 3: Gordon Bane

John L. Hubisz, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 495

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.-i Educational aids
96.10.+i General; solar nebula; cosmogony
01.30.Vv Book reviews
01.30.Os Books of general interest to physics teachers
98.80.-k Cosmology

MicroReviews by the Book Review Editor: God Created the Integers: The Mathematical Breakthroughs that Changed History: Stephen Hawking

John L. Hubisz, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- October 2010 -- Volume 48, Issue 7, pp. 495

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.-i Educational aids
01.40.-d Education
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