Soooo, because this is my last blog post for this year ( ), I thought it would be fitting to do a course reflection on the AP-C physics class this year. I thought I'd do it in a "bests-vs-worsts" top 5 format, kind of like you could find on collegeprowler.com when viewing different schools.
Top 5 Bests:
5.) Blog Posting [i thought this was really fun! I've never done anything like this before for a class. It brought up interesting physics applications and I thought it was fun to converse w
For those of you who don't know, there is a video section of the Aplus site that features videos of physics-y origin. You can get there by clicking the word "videos" on the top blue bar of the site.
http://aplusphysics.com/community/index.php/videos/view-340-vector-despicable-me/
When I first saw this video, it was floating among intense brain-teasing physics vids and real life examples of the science. I thought it deserved some defense for its place on the site, so let me explain what thi
Anybody else having trouble with orbiting other planets? Docking? Space planes even? I was on youtube the other night and came across a user who developed a number of Kerbal Space Program tutorials. They're long, but are thorough and walk you through processes step by step. He trouble shoots often, so you can clearn from his mistakes to address your own issues. Plus, he has an accent. Strangely enough that makes him fun to listen to.
Here's the link to his Kerbal Space Program Playlist:
{I added a second cookie Q to buy you guys more time. Hopefully Charlie won't answer both before someone else in the class answers one..}
You are a Kerbal physicist for Kow Jumperd Over the Mun, a company that excels in anything spacey or astronaut-y. After ending an argument between two colleagues, you decide to take a lunch break. The cafeteria guy, Louie Eeloo, has a thing for riddles, which started out amusing and grew annoying as the years passed. You were hoping that the line would be l
You are a Kerbal physicist for Kow Jumped Over the Mun, a company that excels in anything spacey or astronaut-y. Your co-worker, Kirby McKerbin, is arguing with the desk clerk Moony Muni. Because you clearly have nothing better to do until next launch, you decide to listen in. Kirby is absolutely convinced that if he were to oscillate a pendulum on Kerbin, move it to Mun, and repeat the same occilation, the period of the pendulum on Mun would be roughly 3.5 times that of the period of the pendul
Ever wonder why studying hard or taking multiple AP tests in a row makes you exhausted, or even hungry? This is because when you think, your brain has to work hard to send "messages" through the neurons to different parts of the brain and body. Cellular respiration turns your food (glucose) into adenoside triphosphate, or ATP. This is the molecule that many body functions require to do work, such as facilitated diffusion, muscle movement, and yep, you guessed it-- thinking. The sodium ion pump t
As Goalkeeper0 and Mr. Fullerton suggested, I decided to give the soap-and-water approach to understanding flux a shot. If you'd like to try this experiment but can't find one of those ancient metal coat hangers, here's a different approach:
>>>Credit to Goalkeeper0<<<
I bent a coat hanger into a solenoid with 5(ish) loops and filled the dish basin in our sink with soapy water. I'm not sure if it's because here wasn't enough soap in the water or a different factor, but the
Do you find your blogs boring, drab and in need of fanciness? Do you think that int(x^2) is an acceptable substitute for ? Because the APlusphysics site has undergone improvements, I think that our blogs' equation quality should improve as well. ;D
A little birdie (Mr. Fullerton) told me about this great tool called a latex editor. One site to go to is http://www.codecogs.com/latex/eqneditor.php , which you don't have to download and it's not blocked by the school. It's a site where you can
Part 2 of the equation posts: E&M. Again, if you see any mistakes or have a few equations to add, make sure to utilize the comment section! I'll add it in right away.
Electrostatics
E= Fe/q = kq/r
λ = Q/L
ρ = Q/V
σ = Q/A
Electric potential
Ue = kq1q2/r
F = -dU/dl
V = k ∑ qi/ri = W/q
∆V= Vb - Va = ∫ab E dl = ∆U/q
Gauss's Law:
Conductors
Esurface=
Vinside =
Einside =
Capacitor
C=Q/V =
Uc =
Ue = field energy density =
Energy = V/d
C=
Having trouble on the 4 minute drill? Need to consolidate your thoughts for the Mechanics part of the AP-C exam? Have no fear! I've sifted through my notes to find a good portion of the mechanics equations. If you find anything missing/incorrect, PLEASE give feedback in the comments section! I'll edit the changes in ASAP. Thank you
MECHANICS
Vectors etc.
A B = lAl lBl cos Ө
A x B = - (B x A)
lA x Bl = lAl lBl sin Ө
Kinematics
V= Vo+ at
Δx = Vo t + (1/2) a t2
V2 = Vo2 +2aΔx
I'll set the scene: It's a dark night and the fog is thick as soup. You drive along in your pink jeep, hoping to get home in time for dinner (your favorite!), when a white mass appears in the road.
A COW!:eek:
You thrust the break pedal to the ground, and your wrangler just stops short of the bovine J-walker. What is the only thing that came between you and a pile of ground beef? Physics is the hero of this story-- specifically friction.
A car's breaking system is usually one of t
I'm not sure if this is cliche, but I saw this on television once and thought it deserved a physics-rundown (It was a future weapons episode).
This bulletproof vest, called "Dragon Skin," is manufactured by Pinnacle Armor. It was designed for military use, though it failed Army inspection (the heat test: the vest was heated up to 170 degrees F and was shot at afterward. The clay material backing couldn't withstand the heat, and the design lost its overlapping shape. The integrity of the vest
Hi everybody!
I haven't done a cookie problem in a while, so here it goes! The problem is related to the current unit. First correct answer gets a cookie. I think Charlie is the only one who answers these things, but I enjoy writing them and he likes cookies, so... It all works out :glee:
Slinky the dog is bored (since Andy is off at college and all), so he decides to watch Walter Lewin's video Lecture 15. Slink thinks the solenoid example is really cool and decides to try it out himse
More electricity-themed blog posts!
Neurons are cells in the nervous system. This cell transfers information via chemical and electrical signals. The long, stem-like part of a nerve cell is called the axon. In the human body, the axons that run from your spinal chord to your feet can be over a meter long. Electrical pulses are transferred through the axon down to the neurotransmitter molecules. The membrane potential of the average neuron cell is between -60 and -80 mV when the cell is not t
Recently, a friend has confessed to me that he has been diagnosed with stage one senioritis. We've all heard of this virus: common symptoms include drowsiness, in-class headaches, increased social tendencies, and worst of all, characteristic decreases in effort and GPA. Though some have better immune systems than others, this sickness is in fact contagious and most seniors contract a mild case. Because knowledge is the number one prevention factor, I intend to explain--using science and graphica
...Or in coloquial terms, "My stars, is that ctenophore exhibiting bioluminescence?"
You might think that's all glow, but there's more to this jelly's luster. Bioluminescence occurs when a living organism's cells emit light. Common examples include fireflies and angler fish, who use light to find mates and attract prey respectively. These organisms convert chemical energy into light energy, just as a human body would convert chemical energy (like glucose) into mechanical or heat energy.
After watching all of Walter Lewin's videos as well as Mr. Fullerton's, I've come to the conclusion that Mr. Fullerton's videos are more straightforward and earlier to understand that Lewin's. For those of you who swear Lewin isn't speaking English, here's a summary of the video content. I will be listing content in order of the A Plus Phys. video titles, so that if anyone needs elaboration they can refer to the corresponding video. :star: If even that doesn't work, the textbook & practice p
...With all of this electricity and magnetism boggling our minds, it's nice to be reminded of the importance of mechanics once in a while. And by that I mean the force of friction: Ff = (normal force)(mu). Believe it or not, this commonly viewed as weak force can add up. Take the above myth busters clip for example, when the friction in between the sheets of a phone book in between the pages of a second phone book make them extremely difficult to separate. Try 8,000lb of force and two tank's wor
Hi everyone! I thought this would be applicable since we're in the electricity and magnetism portion of the year
In electric fish, such as an eel or a ray, there is a body part called an "electric organ." This mass of muscle and/or nerve cells produce an electric current when the fish sees fit. It is used for protection, navigation, communication and sometimes (but not often) against prey. The organ itself consists of a group of connected electrocytes, through which the current passes throug
Hi everyone, just figured that I'd post an accumulation of what I've been studying for the test tomorrow morning. It goes in video order because that's the order that I learned the material in. If something is too vague, I reccomed looking at the video for elaboration
Circuits
Current and Current Density Resistors and Resistance Circuits Voltmeters and Ammeters Ideal and Real Batteries RC Circuits: Steady State RC Circuits: Transient Analysis (Charging)
Current and Current Density:
It snowed a little again today, which put me in the mood for some winter-related physics. :snowman: Some of you may be familiar with the movie "National Lampoons Christmas Vacation," a very silly yet amusing film about the holiday antics of the Griswold family. During one scene, Clark Griswold takes his brother and the children to go sledding. He decided to spray the bottom of his sled with a kitchen lubricant, significantly decreasing the friction between his sled and the snow.
For those o
Family Guy isn't exactly school appropriate in most cases, but it is, however, physics appropriate. In one episode, Brian (the dog) educates Peter (the tubby man) on his weight issue. Brian claims that Peter has his own gravitational pull, and continues to demonstrate this by placing an apple nearby his stomach. The fruit then assumes orbit directed around Peter's abdomen.
...For those of you who are not familliar with the episode, here is a not-so-legally posted, poor quality youtube video f
Just thought we could benefit from some review on moment of inertia, because it was a pretty extensive topic and wasn't really mentioned in physics B. Not to mention that the variable is a different expression for each object.
The general form of the equation is I = ∑i miri² = ∫r² dm .
Below are the moment of inertia equations for a few different objects. If you have another object in mind to share, please do add it in the comments!
Isolid disc = 1/2 mr2 Icylinder about its axis = 1/2 m
Often times, values in physics are abbreviated using metric prefixes, or SI prefixes. I found this table the other night and thought it would be helpful to post, in that I'm sure I'm not the only one who gets these mixed up sometimes.
Thanks to wiki for this table:
[TABLE="class: wikitable, width: 0"]
[TR]
[TH="bgcolor: #CCCCFF, colspan: 2"]Metric prefixes[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][TABLE]
[TR]
[TH="bgcolor: #EEDDFF"]Prefix[/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #EEDDFF"]Symbol[/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: #EEDDFF"]
A friend returned from training for the air force and told me about some of the crazy things that he and his comrades would do to pass the time. Some of these included taping each other to the ceiling and human-drawn chariot races, but one of the most messy and fun instances he described was a hallway slip n' slide. True story: he and his hall mates put towels to the bottom of their sleeping quarter doorways, filled the hall with soap and water and proceeded to slide down the hallway as though i
