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Jan 2013

Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 6-62

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More smartphone acceleration

Jonathan Hall

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 6

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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
06.30.Gv Velocity, acceleration, and rotation

Authors' response

J. Kuhn and P. Vogt

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 6

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01.40.Di Course design and evaluation
84.40.Ua Telecommunications: signal transmission and processing; communication satellites

Providing essential physics skills

Conrad Schiff, PhD

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 6

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01.50.-i Educational aids

Third law first

Leo Takahashi

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 7

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99.10.Np Editorial note
01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
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COLLAPSING CAN

Paul Hewitt

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 8

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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
64.70.F- Liquid-vapor transitions
01.50.fh Posters, cartoons, art, etc.
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Tree Leaf Shadows to the Sun's Density: A Surprising Route

A. James Mallmann

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 10

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Rays of sunlight that strike raindrops produce rainbows that provide information about the spectrum of sunlight. Rays of sunlight that strike airborne ice crystals produce halos, sun pillars, and many other patterns of light and color in the sky. Analysis of those patterns makes it possible to determine the types and orientations of the ice crystals. Rays of sunlight that strike opaque objects produce shadow patterns that can be seen on any clear day. I was surprised to discover that the shadow patterns produced when sunlight strikes tree leaves provide all the information needed to determine the average density of the Sun. It seems unlikely that the Sun's density could be determined without knowing its mass or its volume. And, although it may seem even more unlikely, the density of the Sun can be determined using only information available in the shadows of tree leaves.
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01.50.-i Educational aids
92.60.Vb Radiative processes, solar radiation
96.60.Bn Diameter, rotation, and mass
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Reindeer Diode

Jukka O. Mattila

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 12

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In Finnish Lapland, like in other Northern European regions by the Arctic Sea, aboriginal Sami people still base much of their daily income on reindeer. Earlier the Sami people followed their reindeer herds more or less all the year round, in nomadic fashion. Moving to fixed dwellings has created a problem in herding and guarding the property of the moving wild packs of hundreds or thousands of reindeer, which Sami families usually possess. Already for decades the mobility provided by Ski-Doos—along with herding dogs—has helped with the job. However, the era of limitless wilderness in reindeer herding is over. Nowadays hundreds of kilometers of reindeer fence separate Sami herding districts from each other.
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01.50.-i Educational aids
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Supersonic Jump

Andreas Müller

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 14

Online Publication Date: Dec 2012

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On October 14,2012, Felix Baumgartner, an Austrian sky-diver, set some new world records for his discipline. Jumping from a height of about 39 km, he reached a top speed of 1342 km/h, becoming the first human being to break the sound barrier in free fall. In order to understand some essential physics aspects of this remarkable feat, we wonder why his start height had to be that high (when the tremendous effort that was necessary for leaping from such a height required $50 million, as reported in the press). More precisely, can you give an estimate for the minimal start height—which we will call the Baumgartner limit, zB—of a sky diver who wants to break the sound barrier in free fall?
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.50.Kw Techniques of testing
43.20.Hq Velocity and attenuation of acoustic waves

Demonstrating Sound Wave Propagation with Candle Flame and Loudspeaker

Zdeslav Hrepic, Corey Nettles, and Chelsea Bonilla

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 16

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The motion of a candle flame in front of a loudspeaker has been suggested as a productive demonstration of the longitudinal wave nature of sound.1 The demonstration has been used also as a research tool to investigate students' understanding about sound.2–4 The underpinning of both applications is the expectation of a horizontal, back-and-forth vibration of the flame around its upright position. Unlike experts, who regularly anticipate this outcome, students with no previous formal knowledge typically anticipate that the flame will lean away from the speaker.
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
82.33.Vx Reactions in flames, combustion, and explosions
43.20.-f General linear acoustics

Pressure-Height Properties of Water with Automated Data Collection

Alan Bates

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 20

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Instrumentation available for teachers and students has changed considerably during the last 20 years. The data logger-sensor system has the advantage of taking reliable measurements over time with suitable sample rates. This experiment is not an open-ended investigation but an opportunity to explore the established relationship between the pressure exerted by a fluid above a point in a cylinder of water and the height of water above that point. Both motion and pressure sensors1 are employed, leading to a measurement of the acceleration due to gravity. Earlier electronic data sampling techniques have been used to investigate fluid properties in a variety of experiments.2
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
07.07.Df Sensors (chemical, optical, electrical, movement, gas, etc.); remote sensing
06.30.Gv Velocity, acceleration, and rotation
06.30.Bp Spatial dimensions (e.g., position, lengths, volume, angles, and displacements)
47.80.Fg Pressure and temperature measurements

A Fresh Look at Longitudinal Standing Waves on a Spring

Casey Rutherford

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 22

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Transverse standing waves produced on a string, as shown in Fig. 1, are a common demonstration of standing wave patterns that have nodes at both ends. Longitudinal standing waves can be produced on a helical spring that is mounted vertically and attached to a speaker, as shown in Fig. 2, and used to produce both node-node (NN) and node-antinode (NA) standing waves. The resonant frequencies of the two standing wave patterns are related with theory that is accessible to students in algebra-based introductory physics courses, and actual measurements show good agreement with theoretical predictions.
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46.40.Cd Mechanical wave propagation (including diffraction, scattering, and dispersion)
01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.40.Di Course design and evaluation

A Remote Radioactivity Experiment

Kemi Jona and Mark Vondracek

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 25

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Imagine a high school with very few experimental resources and limited budgets that prevent the purchase of even basic laboratory equipment. For example, many high schools do not have the means of experimentally studying radioactivity because they lack Geiger counters and/or good radioactive sources. This was the case at the first high school one of us (MV) worked at, and after talking with numerous colleagues we know this is still the case at many schools. What options are there then for physics teachers to allow their students to experimentally investigate certain characteristics of radioactivity, such as how distance affects the intensity of radiation coming from a radioactive source? There are computer simulations that can be run, or perhaps the teacher has a light sensor and tries to make an analogy between the intensity of light from a light bulb and the intensity of radiation from a radioactive source based on geometric arguments to get an inverse-square law. But for many there is no direct experimental option if one does not possess a Geiger counter and good radioactive sample. It is for that teacher and class of students that an online, remote radioactivity experiment was created.
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01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
29.25.Rm Sources of radioactive nuclei

Modeling the Dynamics of Gel Electrophorresis in the High School Classroom

Skyler R. Saucedo

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 28

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Gel electrophoresis, used by geneticists and forensic experts alike, is an immensely popular technique that utilizes an electric field to separate molecules and proteins by size and charge. At the microscopic level, a dye or complex protein like DNA is passed through agarose, a gelatinous three-dimensional matrix of pores and nano-sized tunnels. When forced through a maze of holes, the molecule unravels, forming a long chain, slithering through the field of pores in a process colloquially coined “reputation.”1 As a result, the smaller molecules travel farther through the gel when compared to molecules of larger molecular weight. This highly effective “molecular sieve” provides consistent data and allows scientists to compare similar sequences of DNA base pairs in a routine fashion.2 When performed at the high school level, gel electrophoresis provides students the opportunity to learn about a contemporary lab technique of great scientific relevance. Doing real science certainly excites students and motivates them to learn more.
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01.50.Kw Techniques of testing
01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
82.45.-h Electrochemistry and electrophoresis

Learning About Non-Newtonian Fluids in a Student-Driven Classroom

D. R. Dounas-Frazer, J. Lynn, A. M. Zaniewski, and N. Roth

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 32

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We describe a simple, low-cost experiment and corresponding pedagogical strategies for studying fluids whose viscosities depend on shear rate, referred to as “non-Newtonian fluids.” We developed these materials teaching for the Compass Project,1 an organization that fosters a creative, diverse, and collaborative community of science students at UC Berkeley. Incoming freshmen worked together in a week-long residential program to explore physical phenomena through a combination of conceptual model-building and hands-on experimentation. During the program, students were exposed to three major aspects of scientific discovery: developing a model, testing the model, and investigating deviations from the model.
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
66.20.Cy Theory and modeling of viscosity and rheological properties, including computer simulation

Guitars, Keyboards, Strobes, and Motors — From Vibrational Motion to Active Research

Randall Tagg, John Carlson, Masoud Asadi-Zeydabadi, Brad Busley, Katie Law-Balding, and Mattea Juengel

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 35

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Physics First is offered to ninth graders at high schools in Aurora, CO. A unique new asset of this school system is an embedded research lab called the “Innovation Hyperlab.” The goal of the lab is to connect secondary school teaching to ongoing university scientific research, supporting the school district's aim to create opportunities to integrate P-20 (preschool to graduate school) learning. This paper is an example of how we create research connections in the context of introductory physics lessons on vibrations and waves. Key to the process is the use of several different types of technical resources, hence the name “hyperlab.” Students learn many practical experimental techniques, reinforcing their knowledge of fundamentals and preparing them to work effectively on open-ended research or engineering projects.
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.40.ek Secondary school
43.75.De Bowed stringed instruments
43.75.Mn Pianos and other struck string instruments
43.40.Cw Vibrations of strings, rods, and beams

The Fuse-Wires-in-Parallel Problem

William Layton

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 38

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
84.32.Vv Fuses
64.70.dj Melting of specific substances

Modeling the Water Balloon Slingshot

Benjamin D. Bousquet and Charles C. Figura

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 40

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In the introductory physics courses at Wartburg College, we have been working to create a lab experience focused on the scientific process itself rather than verification of physical laws presented in the classroom or textbook. To this end, we have developed a number of open-ended modeling exercises suitable for a variety of learning environments, from non-science major classes to algebra-based and calculus-based introductory physics classes.
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01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus

The Combination of Just-in-Time Teaching and Wikispaces in Physics Classrooms

Hashini E. Mohottala

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 44

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The general student population enrolled in today's physics classrooms is diverse. They come from a variety of different educational backgrounds. Some demonstrate a good knowledge of natural laws of physics with a better understanding of mathematical concepts, while others show a fair knowledge in fundamentals of physics with a minimum knowledge in mathematics. There are few who have not been exposed to physics or mathematics in their high schools (or at least they claim it to be the case). In addition, now we have “nontraditional” students: working part-time students, older students, commuting students, and, occasionally, military veterans. Regardless of the background, the majority of the students show little or no interest in physics and exhibit anxiety toward learning the subject. In order to address such a diverse and often unmotivated student population, and excite them about physics in a timely manner, we should deviate from conventional teaching techniques. Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) combined with wikis is an excellent way to accomplish this goal.
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01.40.Ha Learning theory and science teaching
01.40.gb Teaching methods and strategies
01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus

Mapping the Milky Way: William Herschel's Star Gages

Todd Timberlake

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 48

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William Herschel (Fig. 1) is rightfully known as one of the greatest astronomers of all time. Born in Hanover (in modern Germany) in 1738, Herschel immigrated to England in 1757 and began a successful career as a professional musician. Later in life Herschel developed a strong interest in astronomy. He began making his own reflecting telescopes in 1774, and soon his telescopes were recognized as the finest in the world. It was through one of his homemade telescopes, a Newtonian reflector with a focal length of seven feet and an aperture of 6.2 inches, that Herschel first spotted the planet Uranus in 1781. The discovery of a new planet catapulted Herschel to fame and secured him a position as personal astronomer to King George III.
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01.50.ht Instructional computer use
95.75.Pq Mathematical procedures and computer techniques
98.35.Ln Stellar content and populations; morphology and overall structure
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A simple solution for maximum range of projectile motion

Bons Bušiȇ

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 52

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.-i Educational aids
45.40.Gj Ballistics (projectiles; rockets)
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The 2013 Nationwide Survey of High School Physics Teachers

Susan White

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 52

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The data we report on in this column come from the Nationwide Survey of High School Physics Teachers. Since 1987, the American Institute of Physics (AIP) and the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) have sponsored the High School Teacher Survey. Prior to our initial study, much of the previous literature focusing on high school physics employed anecdotal evidence or qualitative surveys for curriculum reviews or explorations of teachers' experiences and pedagogical techniques. As a direct response to this dearth of data, the Nationwide Survey of High School Physics Teachers was initiated in 1986–87 to answer questions about the number of teachers teaching physics, the educational background of these teachers, the number of students enrolled in physics, the variety of physics classes being offered, the demographics of the students and teachers, the textbooks being used, and the number of high schools offering physics regularly. Since the beginning of this study, we have surveyed both public and private high schools in the United States. The results of our study provide the definitive data about physics in U.S. high schools. The initial survey was conducted during the 1986–87 school year. The second was completed during 1989–90. Beginning with the 1992–93 survey, we have conducted the survey every four years. The 2012–13 survey will be the eighth in the series. Thus, we have a rich history of physics teaching in U.S. high schools.
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01.10.Hx Physics organizational activities
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Mini-“Bell in a Bell Jar”

Zhang Wei, Hou Jiali, and Yang Wenfang

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 53

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A number of versions of the well-known “bell-in-a-bell-jar” demonstration have been discussed in this journal.1–3 The basic idea is that when a sound source is placed inside an air-tight container, the volume of the sound that's heard decreases dramatically when the container is evacuated. This phenomenon is primarily due to the mismatch that is created between the sound transducer and the surrounding medium.4,5 Here we describe a simple small-scale version of this demonstration, one that may be added to the growing list of examples of how a simple syringe may be used as a tool in physics teaching.6–8
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
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Using iPads to illustrate the impulse-momentum relationship

Jefferson W. Streepey

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 54

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One of the fundamental challenges in teaching is making the students able to transform course material in ways that help them solve “real world” problems.1 Sophisticated mobile technology (such as smartphones, iPads, or iTouches) offers students an opportunity to apply physics content to a broad range of scenarios to enhance their understanding and improve their class engagement. For the outlined example, students in an upper-level biomechanics class used the native accelerometers in iPads to record and analyze human movement. This activity allowed the students to experiment with the impulse-momentum relationship.
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01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
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When It's 2 Cool, It Gets Hot!

Boris Korsunsky, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 56

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Abstract Unavailable
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07.20.Pe Heat engines; heat pumps; heat pipes
01.50.-i Educational aids
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Food for thought

Diane Riendeau, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 57

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I recently became aware of a very intriguing video. The video contains a rather logical and convincing argument about the lack of modern physics in the American high school curriculum. As a high school physics teacher, I initially found myself defending the curriculum I currently teach. This is the curriculum I learned in high school. It is the curriculum that I love. Inertia is not only a physics principle, but it is very evident in education! I believe the points made in this video are very valid. I was convicted about my own lack of knowledge and competence in modern physics topics and felt I needed to make a personal decision. Am I going to be part of the problem or part of the solution? Check it out for yourself.
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01.40.Di Course design and evaluation
01.50.F- Audio and visual aids
01.50.ff Films; electronic video devices
01.40.ek Secondary school
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Fermi Questions

Larry Weinstein, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 57

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01.50.ht Instructional computer use
89.20.Hh World Wide Web, Internet
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Demonstration of simple and dramatic resonance in a whiskey bottle

Norihiro Sugimoto (Stray Cats)

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 58

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
43.20.Ks Standing waves, resonance, normal modes
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Those ever-present lab reports

Elizabeth Chesick

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 60

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When I started teaching, I was totally green. I had a BA and an MA in physics, but I had taught only quiz sections in graduate school. Whatever possessed me to think I might be able to teach? However, I have retired after 45 years of teaching high school physics.
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01.30.Ww Editorials
01.50.-i Educational aids
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Finland, educational reform, and physics: YouTube videos from Vanderbilt and comments from Finnish physics teacher preparation scholar

Dan MacIsaac, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 61

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99.10.Np Editorial note
01.50.ht Instructional computer use
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Massive,: Ian Sample

Jay Hubisz

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 62

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01.30.Vv Book reviews
01.50.-i Educational aids

MicroReviews by the Book Review Editor: Seven Tales of the Pendulum: Gregory L. Baker

John L. Hubisz, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 62

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
01.50.Kw Techniques of testing
07.10.-h Mechanical instruments and equipment

MicroReviews by the Book Review Editor: The Universe, the Eleventh Dimension, and Everything: What We Know and How We Know It: Richard Morris

John L. Hubisz, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 62

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.30.Vv Book reviews
98.80.Jk Mathematical and relativistic aspects of cosmology

MicroReviews by the Book Review Editor: Physics for Realists: Electricity and Magnetism — Modern Physics with a Common Sense Grounding: Anthony Rizzi

John L. Hubisz, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 62

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01.30.Vv Book reviews
01.50.-i Educational aids

MicroReviews by the Book Review Editor: Bass Ackwards: How Climate Alarmists Confuse Cause with Effect: Howard C. Hayden

John L. Hubisz, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 62

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01.30.Vv Book reviews
01.50.-i Educational aids

MicroReviews by the Book Review Editor: The Invention of Air: A Story of Science, Faith, Revolution, and the Birth of America: Steven Johnson

John L. Hubisz, Column Editor

The Physics Teacher -- January 2013 -- Volume 51, Issue 1, pp. 62

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