This paper presents a high accuracy method to measure gravitational acceleration in an undergraduate
laboratory program. The experiment is based on water in a cylindrical vessel rotating about its
vertical axis at a constant speed. The water surface …

In this paper I present various equatorial sundial designs that use diffraction on a CD to display
time. The designs described in the paper include a transparent CD sundial equipped with a small
terrestrial globe. This sundial is compact, pedagogical…

This comment addresses some points in the paper by White (2017 Phys Ed . 52 045013). Specifically,
we clarify the value for the coefficient of restitution, which we believe to be much lower than that
obtained by White.

An astronomy ‘experiment’ composed of three parts is described in the article. Being given necessary
data a simple model of inner planets of the solar system is made in the first part with planets’
circular orbits using appropriate scale. In the seco…

In this letter, I explain an error which was identified to me in my use of the equation ##IMG##
[http://ej.iop.org/images/0031-9120/53/1/016502/pedaa968fieqn001.gif] {$v_n=e^nv_0$} in the first
method of measuring the coefficient of restitution of tw…

We study a system of three identical bodies that can move freely on a horizontal track. Initially
one body moves and two are at rest. The moving body impacts with one of the resting bodies which
then impacts with the third and so on. The impacts are …

Waves are a relevant part of physics that students find difficult to grasp, even in those cases in
which wave propagation kinematics can be visualized. This may hinder a proper understanding of
sound, light or quantum physics phenomena that are expla…

It was planned to introduce online pre-laboratory session activities to a first-year undergraduate
physics laboratory course to encourage a minimum level of student preparation for experiments
outside the laboratory environment. A group of 16 and 17 …

In this study, the nuts and bolts of designing and building a high powered rocket have been
presented. A computer simulation program called RockSim was used to design the rocket. Simulation
results are consistent with time variations of altitude, vel…

In this brief frontline, we want to describe the well-known fact that, when freshwater ice melts,
the freshwater liquid level does not change. In the Italian Ministerial programs, fluid statics is
introduced in the three years of middle school (stude…

In this work, the first experiment ever done to determine the age of the Earth is revisited. The
benefits of its application at primary and secondary school levels are presented and discussed. In
particular, emphasis is placed on the advantage of fac…

This work focuses on the experimental demonstration of the hydrostatic paradox using simple tools in
the form of plastic bottles and plastic syringes with a thread. For the evaluation of the results
obtained the data logger Lab Quest Vernier was used…

Researching informal gameplay can be challenging, since as soon as a formal study design is imposed,
it becomes neither casual nor self-motivated. As a case study of a non-invasive design, we analyze
publicly posted gameplay videos to assess the effe…

In this paper, five simple demonstrations with an off-center disk that can be easily constructed and
demonstrated in science class are described along with the 5E learning strategy. These
demonstrations can be used to help students develop an underst…

Radiation, radiation detection and radiation protection are topics in physics and its applications
which generate a wide interest in the public. This interest is either generated through medical
procedures, applications of nuclear energy or nuclear a…

A cylinder rolling down an inclined board is a commonly seen and interesting object to study and it
is also easy to experiment with and model. Following what has become a popular practice, we use
smartphones to measure the angular acceleration of a c…

Black holes and the physics behind them is a fascinating topic for students of all levels. The
exotic conditions which prevail near a black hole should be discussed and presented to undergraduate
students in order to increase their interest in studyi…

Water exhibits a maximum in density at normal pressure at around 4° degree temperature. This paper
demonstrates that during cooling, at around 4 °C, the temperature remains constant for a while
because of heat exchange associated with convective curr…

The real power of calculus is revealed when it is applied to actual physical problems. In this
paper, we present a calculus inspired physics experiment suitable for high school and undergraduate
programs. A model for the theory of the terminal veloci…

In hydrostatics, pressure measurement with U-gauges and their relationship to density is a
well-known experiment. Very little is studied or experimented with the dynamics of the movement of a
liquid in a U-tube probably due to its theoretical complex…

We describe a hands-on accurate demonstrator for cosmic rays realized by six high school students.
The main aim is to show the relevance and the functioning of the principal parts of a cosmic ray
telescope (muon detector), with the help of two large …

Electromagnetic radiation is one of the most important issues affecting peoples’ lives today. The
misunderstanding of students and the general population of the effects of electromagnetic radiation
is a problem which must be eliminated. Thus, a discu…

Science and art are traditionally represented as two disciplines with completely divergent goals,
methods, and public. It has been claimed that, if rightly addressed, science and art education could
mutually support each other. In this paper I propos…

A novel method of measuring the coefficients of kinetic and rolling friction is proposed. The method
is simple to implement and reliable. Samples of measurements and calculations are presented.

Sky appears to our students as a vast volume surrounding the Earth. The most striking astronomical
events that they can witness in the sky are lunar phases and eclipses. However, eclipses do not
occur as often as full and new phases of the Moon. This…

Research has shown that the objectives for laboratory teaching—just as with other teaching
methods—are often not achieved and that many laboratory sessions are ineffective and yet expensive
in terms of pupil and teacher time, and facilities. There ar…

The particle in a periodic potential is an important topic in an undergraduate quantum mechanics
curriculum and a stepping stone on the way to more advanced topics, such as courses on interacting
electrons in crystalline solids, and graduate-level re…

The motion of a particle described by the Langevin equation with constant diffusion coefficient,
time dependent linear force ( ##IMG##
[http://ej.iop.org/images/0143-0807/38/6/065104/ejpaa8d54ieqn1.gif] {$\omega (1+\alpha \cos ({\omega
}_{1}t))x$} )…

We present a methodology to analyse and interpret a set of telescopic observations of the mutual
orbital phenomena between Jupiter’s Galilean satellites (occultation and eclipses) as a practical
teaching tool for photometry and astrodynamic studies i…

In 1867, just two years after laying the foundations of electromagnetism, J. Clerk Maxwell presented
a fundamental paper on kinetic gas theory, in which he described the evolution of the gas in terms
of certain ‘moments’ of its velocity distribution …

The frictional force between a physical damped pendulum and the medium is usually assumed to be
proportional to the pendulum velocity. In this work, we investigate how the pendulum motion will be
affected when the drag force is modeled using power-la…

Non-standard solving strategies for the compound Atwood machine problem have been proposed. The
present strategy is based on a very simple idea. Taking an Atwood machine and replacing one of its
bodies by another Atwood machine, we have a compound ma…

Peer instruction (PI) is an effective interactive approach to teaching and learning that has
principally been used to modify the experience of learning in traditional physics lecture settings.
This article further illustrates how the concept of PI ca…

Using the hodograph method, we present an analytical solution for projectile coplanar motion under
constant drag, parametrised by the velocity angle. We find the locus formed by the apices of the
projectile trajectories, and discuss its implementatio…

The ‘back-to-front’ derivation of the properties of the quantum harmonic oscillator (QHO), starting
with its equally spaced energy levels, is re-examined. A new derivation that exploits the natural
rotational symmetry of the QHO is proposed. The new …

Physics associated with the Higgs field potential is rich and interesting and deserves a concise
summary for a broader audience to appreciate the beauty and the challenges of this subject. We
discuss the role of the Higgs potential in particle physic…

The transformation properties of classical electrodynamic variables under charge conjugation C ,
parity reversal P , and time inversion T are considered both for standard and atypical assumptions
for the nature of charge. We have shown that four dist…

Our everyday experience of aged and defective fluorescent tubes or bulbs informs us that they may
flicker and emit a clicking sound while struggling to light up. In this article, the physical
mechanisms controlling the initial illumination of a funct…

Traditional lab sections in introductory physics courses at Mount Royal University were replaced by
a new style of lab called ‘labatorials’ developed by the Physics Education Development Group at the
University of Calgary. Using labatorials in introd…

Description unavailable

In order to specify the uncertainty relation for a particle confined in a finite square well
potential we derived the standard deviation of momentum ##IMG##
[http://ej.iop.org/images/0143-0807/38/6/065402/ejpaa8417ieqn1.gif] {${\rm{\Delta }}p$} and t…

In this work, we present a coherent sequence of experiments on electromagnetic (EM) induction and
eddy currents, appropriate for university undergraduate students, based on a magnet falling through
a drilled aluminum disk. The sequence, leveraging on…

When solving the linear inviscid shallow water equations with variable depth in one dimension using
finite differences, a tridiagonal system of equations must be solved. Here we present an approach,
which is more efficient than the commonly used nume…

We design and construct a device to map the magnetic field generated by a supercurrent in a
rectangular cross section ring of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− δ . For the measurements of the magnetic field, we
develop a Gaussmeter based on a commercial Hall effect se…

In CO 2 laser-based photoacoustic (PA) systems, N 2 takes part in the generation of the PA signal.
This process causes the nonlinear relation of the photoacoustic signal to the CO 2 concentration.
This phenomenon can be explained simply using a phaso…

A mass on the end of a spring can oscillate vertically, horizontally or both at the same time.
Experimental observations are presented and simple explanations are given for the observed motion of
the mass, including the well known case where the freq…

We consider the probabilities of transmission p T and reflection p R of a quantum particle incident
upon potential drops with significant qualitative differences. We look at a smooth potential drop
for which the potential and the derivative of the po…

The Mach–Zehnder interferometer has played an important role both in quantum and classical physics
research over the years. In physics education, it has been used as a didactic tool for quantum
physics teaching, allowing fundamental concepts, such as…

The aerodynamic properties of an arrow (A/C/E; Easton) were investigated in an extension of our
previous work, in which the laminar-turbulent transition of the boundary layer on the arrow shaft
was found to take place in the Re number range of 1.2 × …

Daven Armoogum is a teaching fellow at the Physics Department in UCL, where he motivates
undergraduate students in their practical work. David Richardson interviewed him to find out how his
passion for astronomy lead him to this position.

Bouncing on a trampoline lets the jumper experience the interplay between weightlessness and large
forces on the body, as the motion changes between free fall and large acceleration in contact with
the trampoline bed. In this work, several groups of …

Daven Armoogum is a teaching fellow at the Physics Department in UCL, where he motivates
undergraduate students in their practical work. David Richardson interviewed him to find out how his
passion for astronomy lead him to this position.

In my article (Featonby 2017 Phys. Educ . 52 057001). A strong neodymium magnet is held over some
Japanese yen and some aluminum drinks can stay-tabs. The magnet is first withdrawn very slowly from
the piles. It is then raised quickly. The question w…

The motion of a spinning top can be mystifying at times until some basic principles are understood.
In this question the key to understanding what happens is the nature of the bottom tip of the top in
contact with the surface on which it spins.

Piezoelectric coefficients of α -quartz are derived from symmetry arguments based on Neumann’s
principle using three different methods: Fumi, Landau–Lifshitz and Royer–Dieulesaint. While the Fumi
method is tedious and the Landau–Lifshitz met…

A consistent classical wave optics approach to the theory of the Michelson–Morley experiment shows
that the original theory as applied by Michelson and Morley and others does not calculate the
optical paths of the two beams correctly, primarily bec…

In this article we discuss the capability of the Xbox Kinect sensor to acquire three-dimensional
motion data of multiple objects. Two experiments regarding fundamental features of Newtonian
mechanics are performed to test the tracking abilities of ou…

The entropy of the Ising model in the mean field approximation is derived by the Hamilton–Jacobi
formalism. We consider a grand canonical ensemble with respect to the temperature and the external
magnetic field. A cusp arises at the critical point,…

The voltage waveform that minimize the energy loss in the resistance when charging the capacitor in
a resistor–capacitor circuit is investigated using the calculus of variation. A linear voltage ramp
gives the best efficiency, which means a constan…

In this study, we present an activity in which the free-body diagram of a real stationary object on
an inclined plane can be examined interactively. We use an Apple Watch and a few other materials
that can be accessed easily. Instead of an Apple Watc…

The paper proposes an important demonstration experiment that can be used at secondary schools in
physics. The described experiment helps students learn the main concepts of the topic ‘saturated
vapor’, namely, evaporation, condensation, dynamic …

White or polychromatic light sources are vastly abundant in nature and lie in our most basic
understanding of the theory of light, beginning from stars like our Sun and extending to every
common household light bulb or street lamp. In this paper, I p…

An audience response system (‘clickers’) was gradually incorporated into introductory physics
courses at Worcester Polytechnic Institute during the years 2011–14. Clickers were used in lectures,
as a means of preparing for labs, and for collect…

The most important quantitative aspects of computational structural crystallography can be
introduced in a satisfactory way using 1D truncated and periodic Gaussian functions to represent the
atoms in a crystal lattice. This paper describes in detail…

In this short Corrigendum we correct a little mistake (mainly in the sign) in the derivation of the
evolution of the wave function in the Stern–Gerlach experiment that appears in our published paper.

Our aim is to show the surprising force of hydrogen bonds in ice. When a tank completely filled with
water is cooled, ice formation can generate a pressure which can cause its breaking. This phenomenon
is due to the fact that water has a higher densi…

In this article, we investigate the implementation of task performance tests in an undergraduate
physics laboratory. Two performance tests were carried out over two semesters using the task of
building a DC circuit. The first implementation in Spring…

The statistical mechanics of small clusters ( n ∼ 10–50 elements) of harmonic oscillators and
two-level systems is studied exactly, following the microcanonical, canonical and grand canonical
formalisms. For clusters with several hundred partic…

Although he is best known as an American statesman, Benjamin Franklin also made important
contributions to electrical science in the mid-18th century. At the time, the Leyden jar, the first
capacitor, had just been invented, and Franklin performed ex…

The dynamics of Atwood’s machine with a string of significant mass are described by the Lagrangian
formalism, providing an eloquent example of how the Lagrangian approach is a great deal simpler and
so much more expedient than the Newtonian treatment.

What follows is a description of the procedure for a directed-study in which a student, guided by a
faculty member, attempted to identify potentially habitable exoplanets using actual data available
online from NASA’s Kepler Mission.

Description unavailable

Graphs in physics are central to the analysis of phenomena and to learning about a system’s
behavior. The ways students handle graphs are frequently researched. Students’ misconceptions are
highlighted, and methods of improvement suggested. While…

We propose to attach a small stroboscopic light source to a moving object and connect the source to
a pulse generator with the help of insulated thin flexible multi-cored wires. Students can assemble
such a device independently in a school laboratory…

The Einstein-First project aims to change the paradigm of school science teaching through the
introduction of modern Einsteinian concepts of space and time, gravity and quanta at an early age.
These concepts are rarely taught to school students despi…

The Einstein-First project approaches the teaching of Einsteinian physics through the use of
physical models and analogies. This paper presents an approach to the teaching of quantum physics
which begins by emphasising the particle-nature of light th…

In this paper, we examined teachers’ understanding of electrical concepts such as power, current and
potential difference based on how these concepts were applied to understand the relative brightness
seen in bulbs of different wattage under differ…

This paper shows how very simple circuitry attached to an Arduino microcontroller with MakerPlot
software can be used for the display of electrical characteristic curves of three commonly available
devices: an ohmic resistor, an LED, and a tungsten-f…

This article presents a web-based educational project focused on the potential value of Information
and Communication Technology to enhance communication and education on nuclear science throughout
Brazil. The project is designed to provide trustwort…

Although quantitative measurements in radioactivity teaching and research are only believed to be
possible with high technology, early work in this area was fully accomplished with very simple
apparatus such as zinc sulphide screens and electroscopes…

Nuclear masses and binding energies are some of the first nuclear properties met in high school
physics, and can be used to introduce radioactive decays, fusion, and fission. With relatively
little extension, they can also illustrate fundamental conc…

In many introductory-level physics textbooks, the derivation of the formula for the speed of
transverse waves in a string is either omitted altogether or presented under physically overly
idealized assumptions about the shape of the considered wave p…

In this paper we review applications given by J H Poynting (1884) on the transfer of electromagnetic
energy in DC circuits. These examples were strongly criticized by O Heaviside (1887). Heaviside
stated that Poynting had a misconception about the na…

Several radiation sources worldwide contribute to the delivered dose to the human population. This
radiation also acts as a natural background when detecting radiation, for instance from radioactive
sources. In this work a medium-sized plastic scinti…

In this paper we review applications given by J H Poynting (1884) on the transfer of electromagnetic
energy in DC circuits. These examples were strongly criticized by O Heaviside (1887). Heaviside
stated that Poynting had a misconception about the na…

Several radiation sources worldwide contribute to the delivered dose to the human population. This
radiation also acts as a natural background when detecting radiation, for instance from radioactive
sources. In this work a medium-sized plastic scinti…

In high-school teaching of mechanics, we deal, among other things, with the nature of static and
kinetic friction, forces that are proportional to the normal force. Under the influence of
frictional forces, a body moves down a rough sloped decline at…

There is a growing interest in engaging students and the general public about the meaning and
objectives of doing science. When it is possible students can learn by actively engaging in the
practices of science, conducting investigations, sharing ide…

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how the Doppler effect can be analysed to deduce
information about a moving source of sound waves. Specifically, we find the speed of a car and the
distance of its closest approach to an observer using soun…

Free fall is commonly discussed as an example of the equivalence principle, in the context of a
homogeneous gravitational field, which is a reasonable approximation for small test masses falling
moderate distances. Newton’s law of gravity provides …

The paper presents a series of experiments that demonstrate the phenomenon of electromagnetic
induction. These make it possible to determine the direction of the induced current and so confirm
Lenz’s Law. The simple experiments can be reproduced in…

Undergraduate students often encounter great difficulties in understanding Ohm’s law and electrical
circuits. Considering the widespread students’ beliefs and their common mistakes, as they come out
from the literature and our teaching experience…

The paper presents a series of experiments that demonstrate the phenomenon of electromagnetic
induction. These make it possible to determine the direction of the induced current and so confirm
Lenz’s Law. The simple experiments can be reproduced in…

Undergraduate students often encounter great difficulties in understanding Ohm’s law and electrical
circuits. Considering the widespread students’ beliefs and their common mistakes, as they come out
from the literature and our teaching experience…

We describe a semi-analytical method to calculate the total radiance received from a black body,
between two frequencies. As has been done before, the method takes advantage of the fact that the
solution simplifies with the use of polylogarithm funct…

We describe a semi-analytical method to calculate the total radiance received from a black body,
between two frequencies. As has been done before, the method takes advantage of the fact that the
solution simplifies with the use of polylogarithm funct…

Despite the impressiveness of the sprints run by Usain Bolt, the question naturally arises of why he
has not been able to break the 100 m sprint world record he set in Berlin (2009). In this paper, we
address such a query by considering Bolt’s cond…

The Kelvin water drop generator is often used for educational purposes to visualise how charge is
transferred when water drops separate from a solid. Here, we discuss an alternative and simpler
setup, which allows one to visualise the charge transfer…

The Kelvin water drop generator is often used for educational purposes to visualise how charge is
transferred when water drops separate from a solid. Here, we discuss an alternative and simpler
setup, which allows one to visualise the charge transfer…

In this paper the problem of a particle constrained to move on an axisymmetric surface embedded in
three-dimensional Euclidean space, under the influence of a gravitational field, is addressed from a
geometrical point of view. Using a covariant geome…