Blogs
Our community blogs
-
Latest Entry
The Physics of Skyfall
moon77 on 3 16 14 referenced a video on how James Bond defies the laws of physics. This was a very interesting post and made me think about movies in a way that I never had before. It truly reinforces the assertion that physics is in everything. I loved how the user broke down his calculations to show his readers exactly how James Bond defies the laws of physics.
-
Latest Entry
First blog assignment: reference to gymnastics
Sandrae312 on 2-10-14 blogged about the different ways gymnasts use work and power. I thought this was cool because I am a gymnast and I never thought about the components of physics in gymnastics.
-
Latest Entry
[Re:] Circuits
On March 13, 2014,physicsgal1mentioned learning about circuits, Ohm's Law, a few formulas she learned and even referrenced a video regarding circuits.Now that I'm understanding circuits and how to do VIP charts I really enjoy doing them. To me, the process has become almost medative-at least once I get going. I found the video helpful as it reminded me that the electrions technically flow from the negative side to the positive. Part of me wishes I had looked for a video, like the one referrenced, earlier in the course of learning. Another part of me is glad I didn't because I got to learn the process(a little)on my own and I feel like I know the concept better now because I did the work/learning myself.Now maybe this is just my personality and desire to keep everything organized and together but I would not have only three equations in that post. Even if I know/knew all the equations, I'd rather put all of the ones for series (and parallel) down just in case Idoend up forgetting them. Plus, doing so "proves" I know what I'm doing and leaves little room for others to doubt me but that's just how I operate.Ohm's LawV=IRSeriesV=ΣV=V1+V2+V3....I=I1=I2=I3...RT=ΣR=R1+R2+R3...ParallelV=V1=V2=V3....I=I1+I2+I3...RT=(R1-1+R2-1+R3-1)-1or RT=(ΣR-1)-1or 1/RT=[(1/R1)+(1/R2)+(1/R3)]-1 -
Latest Entry
Physics in Movies (Skyfall)
On March 1, 2014, user Ben Shelton discussed how physics is used in the James Bond movie Skyfall. Since I have seen this movie and other action movies like it, I found it interesting how heroes such as James Bond defy the laws of physics. Ben Shelton broke down the first scene of Skyfall using the equation vf2 = vi2 + 2ad to prove the inaccuracy of a character's fall. It makes me wonder how physics could be used to analyze other action movies.Here is the link to the original post (warning: it contains spoilers):
-
Latest Entry
Circuts
Fezziksphysics discussed VIR charts, referenced physicsgal1's video about circuits and listed the formulas needed to solve Ohm's Law, series, and parallel circuits.
This chapter was difficult at first, but is much easier now that I understand the VIR charts and circuit rules. Once I learned the rules for each type of circuit and learned how to solve mixed circuits, the charts came to me easily. I’m not much of a video person, but I did take the time to watch the video and I found it had a good basic explanation/review of circuits. I tend to learn better through practice problems and note-taking.
One of the most difficult topics was solving mixed circuits. This trick is to remember to combine the parallel circuits into a single resistor, then solve the circuit as a series. Here are the VIR equations:
Parallel:
V1=V2=V3=VT
IT=∑I
RT=(R1-1+R2-1+R3-1)
Series:
VT=∑V
I1=I2=I3=IT
RT=∑R
This website explains circuts pretty well for those people (like me) who learn well through reading:
-
Latest Entry
In response to cat density
Shabba Ranks shed light on an area enduring very high cat density. As said in their post, cat density's characteristics resemble that of mass density (how much mass there is spread throughout an amount of space) and charge density (how much charge is spread throughout an amount of space), but it deals with cats. Doesn't it seem like cat videos and physics go hand in hand?
Here is a link to the video:
P.S. I take it that "cat enthusist" is the politically correct term for "crazy cat lady"
-
Latest Entry
things I have learned in physics
I have learned many things in physics. In the first few weeks of the class, I felt very confused. As the class went on, I learned that physics is a necessity in life. I've learned things like we never actually touch anything, we just feel it. Also, I know how to find the angle at which a football is thrown into the air. We use physics in our everyday life and need it to understand how everything in the world works. Also one of the things I found most interesting is when we learned about falling cats. Cats can twist their spine while they are falling so that they always land feet first.
http://aplusphysics.com/community/index.php/videos/view-3-flipping-cat-physics-smarter-every-day/
-
Latest Entry
Fun in Physics Class
During my first week of physics class i felt completely lost! I wanted to understand physics so badly! I love math; so I was confused as to why I was not understanding physics. We were learning kinematics and I had no idea what was happening. What's velocity? What's acceleration? These were some of the questions I was asking myself. After much practice I finally got the hang of it! Looking back at kinematics it seems so easy! Hopefully with some of the harder material I will feel the same way!
One of my favorite experiments we did in class was watching what happens with an electroscope. An electroscope is a model that demonstrates the movement of electric charge. Check out the video I posted below to learn all about an electroscope!
-
Latest Entry
The Physics of Wagon Pulling
The blog "amandarocks27" on 3/8/14 posted about how her baby niece has plenty of toys that she will be able to cart around in a wagon once she's older. "amandarocks27" explained how she would figure out the amount of work her niece would have to exert on the wagon to make it move.
The post shows how physics can be used in real life!
-
Latest Entry
It Gets Easier
Physics is simple once you get the hang of it! At first the concepts are confusing, but practice makes perfect and it becomes much easier. By the time the test rolls around it's much easier. When I look back on my tests I wonder why I ever had trouble with the chapters. I am so glad I can say this now!
-
Latest Entry
Basics of Physics
When I heard the word "physics" for the first time, I had no clue what it was. I didn't know if it was just another type of science that I would be bored with. But, I slowly learned that physics is everything in the universe. You can literally figure out why things do what they do. From throwing a football all they way to electricity, physics covers it all. Physics is truely life. It practically explains the universe.
-
Since I started taking Honors Physics this term, I realized everything we do, involves physics. This seems like an easy enough concept to memorize, but it can be wierd to think about. Bailliexx13, in his/her blog "Physics in studying midterms" on 1/26/14, made me realize that physics is involved when you are even studying. He/she talks about how moving your papers around involve physics. Just think, you are apply physics as you study it! I don't see where we would be without physics. I can't imagine anything, any task, that does not involve physics. In a way, physics controls our lives.
-
Latest Entry
Physics is Confusing (at first)
I felt so lost within my few first weeks in my physics class, but after seeing how my teacher actually shows us how to apply physics and all the math we've learned all these years, it comes so easily now! Physics will definitely help me down the road in college and possibly in my career, and I am very happy I am taking this course. It has opened my eyes to another world that I wouldn't have known existed otherwise.
-
Latest Entry
Physics Problem Solving
When I found out that physics involved solving many story problems, I was worried because solving story problems have always been difficult for me. In the beginning of the class, I found the story problems difficult but as the class progressed they became much easier. This video by Jesse Mason helped to show simple steps in solving any physics problem.
-
Latest Entry
Go physics
I felt the same way "hotdog" did on her first day of physics class... lost and confused.. in need of direction when learning this new language. However, I was excited to learn about the study of matter and energy. When I sat down on my first day of physics, I felt anxious and overwhelmed. SO much to learn in one semester! I'm managing the anxiety by making sure i learn the content, doing all my homework, and studying for tests but it comes back some days! For the most part I'm enjoying the class immensely. I'm a very hands-on, concrete-content person, so physics is enjoyable for me. Earlier, I got really excited because I found this erasable highlighter (who knew they existed), and the reason the highlighter gets erased is because of the friction of the eraser on the paper paper. I just found it fascinating.
-
Latest Entry
Physics is in everything
Since grade school I have been taught that math is in everything you do. Since the beginning of this semester of taking physics, I have learned that physics is involved in every single thing. When my class learned kinematics, my thought process of things change. Now when I see an object fall or thrown I think of the math that goes into its free fall or its projectile motion. When I'm driving I also think about my velocity and acceleration in my car. Since learning physics, it has taught me a lot and has also changed my perspective on the world.
-
Latest Entry
What am I doing here?
Hello! Well, this is it. the first blog post. What do I write, what do I say to make the reader enjoy this blog? To stay, and want to read more? Well, who am I kidding. There's something going on if their on AP PHYSICS and looking at a blog by the author of hotdog. I don't even blame you if you choose to leave right now. But if you do, you'll miss a great story about how I felt in my very first Physics class!
Actually, there's not much of a story. I walked in, sat down, looked at the board, and felt empty. I'm not sure if empty is the right word, maybe lost. The type of lost where you threw away the map, the guide is on his first single tour, and you're in a foreign country with no idea how to speak the language. Does that bring any image or feelings to mind? As I sat, I realized two things that day: (1) that I would either have to learn some time mangement skills, buckle down, and learn some Physics, or (2), learn how to procrastinate like there is no tomorrow (really, I'm doing yesterday's homework today!)
Which skill do you think I chose as I write this at 1:30 in the morning?
-
Latest Entry
I Figured it out!
In response to hotdog's post of March 17th:
I know exactly how you feel hotdog. My first day in Honors Physics was perhaps the most stressful hour and a half of my life, but I knew I couldn't give up on the first day. I think the reason physics is so scary is because it's different from anything else. The things I learn in physics are so far removed from any of my past or current classes it can be very intimidating. Yes, you use the same math operations you used in Algebra, but the concepts are very different from other classes. This is also the reason physics is cool. If you understand it, you understand so much about the world. You can calculate or figure out just about anything you see in everyday life. Sometimes (actually, all the time) learning physics makes my brain ache, but it's worth it. I've been in honors physics for about nine weeks and I figured out how to do well in the class...don't freak out. When you don't understand something, all you have to do is ask your teacher or look at other resources (like your text book or youtube.) Its usually not as hard as I initially think it is and when I take a deep breath and focus, I can understand it, and earn an A! Another thing that helps is to keep an open mind, think outside of the box. Physics, like I said before, is sometimes different from other classes so it might not look familiar. Don't let this scare you though, because with the right attitude and mindset, everyone can succeed in physics class!
-
Latest Entry
Beginning Physics
When I started physics this semester, I was confused to say the least. It wasn't abnormal for me to go home and cry after school over my physics textbook; I was stressed just like the majority of students in my introductory class. Over the course of the past few months, however, it amazes me to see how far my understanding has come. Problem solving has become less daunting, and my self confidence has skyrocketed as my test grades improve. I look forward to exploring the world of physics even more as my mind continues to grow.
-
Latest Entry
Static Electricity
I enjoyed learning about static electricity. It was interesting to see all of the different ways static electricity is produced and transferred. I also found momentum to be a very interesting subject, seeing how fast a 10 kg box goes down a ramp, very cool!
-
Latest Entry
First Blog
(I do not own this video and give full rights to the creator)
As this is my first blog post, and I have no idea what to write about, I choose something that I quite enjoyed doing. When charged with the task of building a Rube Goldberg Machine, I was more than slightly overwhelmed. Thank heavens for my best friend partnered with me, and together we made an amazing design. Quickly we realized that we would have to do most of the planning on the fly as what we planned didn't seem to be going that well. To get ideas, we watched countless videos and tried hundreds of times to get every exchange in our machine to work perfectly. This is probably the best video we watched as it had a fun and contemporary applicaiton. Thus far, this is the most fun thing we have done in my physics class and probaly one of the most informational as people learn best through experience and exploration; for my lab partner and I, we learned through much trial and error.
-
Latest Entry
who knew
There's actually some cool stuff on these blogs! Velociraptor42 posted this video a while back:
It's a really different perspective on the idea of time and human beings! go science -
Latest Entry
God Bless Physics
I use to think physics was easy after watching the movie Ice Princess. But boy what I wrong! At least at first anyway. It took me awhile to understand physics because it is literally everything! Physics explains everything from why a balloon sticks to a chalkboard after you rub it in your hair, to why everything doesn't fall when you pull a table cloth from underneath it. Now that I understand that physics can do such cool things, I kind of like it! At the beginning of this chapter I thought I was going to die. I found it so hard and confusing, but now I understand it. It just took me awhile to understand the VIR charts and the circuit rules, but now that I get it, I feel confident about tomorrow's test! Go physics!
-
Latest Entry
Sooo, Physics is actually kind of fun!
Tbh, I was not looking forward to physics at all this year. I thought it was going to be way too challenging and boring. But I actually like it....I think physics is very intersting, especially because it can be applied to basically everything. I think it is so cool to learn about and I personally love all the hands on activities we get to do in class. I'm actually really happy that I made the decision to take honors physics this year! #noregrets
-
Latest Entry
First Blog!!!
At first I didn't know what to post, but then I saw this video and thought it might be neat to share. Considering out recent work with electrostatics and circuits, as well as the STEM's work with lightbulbs, I thought this might be interesting. Enjoy!
-
Recently Browsing 0 members
- No registered users viewing this page.
