You may have noticed it’s been a LONG time since I’ve updated this physics education blog. More likely you haven’t noticed, because it’s been a LONG time since I’ve updated this blog. This hasn’t been due to a lack of topics to write about, but rather, it’s been a conscious choice to plow full steam ahead on a project that began in June of 2013 and that I’m thrilled to announce is now available, The AP Physics C Companion: Mechanics. But first, some background.
Traditional AP Physics C
As a
You may have noticed it’s been a LONG time since I’ve updated this physics education blog. More likely you haven’t noticed, because it’s been a LONG time since I’ve updated this blog. This hasn’t been due to a lack of topics to write about, but rather, it’s been a conscious choice to plow full steam ahead on a project that began in June of 2013 and that I’m thrilled to announce is now available, The AP Physics C Companion: Mechanics. But first, some background.
Traditional AP Physics C
As a
Guess what... November 1st starts the annual month-long NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) extravaganza. Amateur and professional writers across the world will struggle to write 50,000 words during the month, with the support and assistance of thousands of others from the NaNoWriMo.org website. The reason? One month to write 50,000 words is a challenge, and that challenge will keep you moving forward in your writing, saving edits and redrafts for later. Join us and see what you can do!
WISH, the Women in STEM High School Aerospace Scholars project is now accepting applications from female high school juniors from across the country. Selected participants will complete online activities and participate in online forums focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematic (STEM) topics to be eligible for the summer experience at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. During the summer experience, they will chart a course for Mars, engage with NASA female role models
Soooooooooo this is my second day of AP Physics-C. I'm waiting for the day where I hear something and get the "oh-crud-what-did-I-get-myself-into" moment still....
But for now; Physics!
Still figuring out this blogging business... so not sure how to make that like a preview... ah well.
<p>I ran across this “SWEAT†pledge from Mike Rowe and absolutely loved it, so thought I’d share… a great philosophy for taking ownership and control of your life! Learn more about this effort by clicking on the image itself.</p>
<div style="width: 622px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="[url="http://profoundlydisconnected.com/foundation/poster/pledgedownload/"]http://profoundlydisconnected.com/foundation/poster/pledgedownload/[/url]"><img class="" [ur
I ran across this “SWEAT” pledge from Mike Rowe and absolutely loved it, so thought I’d share… a great philosophy for taking ownership and control of your life! Learn more about this effort by clicking on the image itself.
The post Mike Rowe’s S.W.E.A.T. Pledge appeared first on Physics In Flux.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]79[/ATTACH]
Light can control electrical properties of graphene
ScienceDaily (2011-01-13) -- New research shows how light can be used to control the electrical properties of graphene, paving the way for graphene-based optoelectronic devices and highly sensitive sensors. ... > read full article
How do you levitate things with sound?
Blog Explanation: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2014/01/how-do-you-levitate-things-with-sound/
Youtube Video:
<p>A couple weeks ago I had this crazy idea for a four-week project to do with my AP-C students after their AP exams. Typically we embark on a number of individualized, small-team projects, coupled with a study of semiconductor physics. This year, however, I wanted to change it up. I want to build excitement for the sciences and engineering. I want to try and truly capture the kids’ interest. So, taking a lead from a physics teacher tweet, I began exploring the Kerbal Space Program.&l
<p>So, not long ago I came across a sandbox simulation software package / game called Kerbal Space Program. It allows you to build space vehicles on the fictional planet of Kerbal, launch the vehicles, attempt to put Kerbals into orbit, help them travel to other planets, etc. etc. Cute. But as I looked into it a little more, it has quite a bit of scientific and educational merit. The physics modeling is pretty good, the game is extremely addictive, and I believe it could be a great way
So, not long ago I came across a sandbox simulation software package / game called Kerbal Space Program. It allows you to build space vehicles on the fictional planet of Kerbal, launch the vehicles, attempt to put Kerbals into orbit, help them travel to other planets, etc. etc. Cute. But as I looked into it a little more, it has quite a bit of scientific and educational merit. The physics modeling is pretty good, the game is extremely addictive, and I believe it could be a great way to help
Our class's Kerbal Space Program project was recently featured in PCGamer. Check out the full article at the link below!
http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/05/30/kerbal-space-program-blasts-into-physics-classroom-as-an-end-of-year-project/
<p>I’ve been playing around with the Kerbal Space Program recently because (1) it’s fun and (2) I want to know enough to be able to help my kids during their post-AP project, at least from a technical / computer perspective. My mission — have a Kerbal walk on the moon (and return home safely).</p>
<p>The first step was designing the vehicle. I went with a one-man capsule, a small engine, and lots of extra fuel (to give me plenty of room for mistakes on my first landing missi
<p>Now, this took some research, some planning, and a number of tries, but matching up orbits for docking IS possible…</p>
<p><img title="docking1.jpg" src="http://aplusphysics.com/flux/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/docking11.jpg" alt="Docking1" width="600" height="456" border="0" /></p>
<p>But certainly not easy. Took a bit of practice (and perhaps a minor bounce off the station…)</p>
<p><img title="docking2.jpg" src="http://aplusphysics.com/f
<p><span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Still having folks attempting to use the AP Physics 1 Essentials book as a primary text instead of the “read this at home as an intro so you’re prepared to go deeper in class†tool it was intended as. I wish I could put a disclaimer on the</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; color: #141823; fo
Scientists have been measuring the universal gravitational constant, G, for hundreds of years. But, how accurate are they in their measurements? Is G truly a constant? It’s a question physicists and astronomers continue to debate. Due to variations in experimentally obtained values for G, a number of postulates have been proposed which note that G may vary with time, and could be dependent on orientation, surrounding masses, even the curvature of space time!
Complicating m