A number of professors at Virginia Tech have developed applet activities for students in physics, engineering, and math. The site comes recommended, especially for freshmen and sophomores, by CHOICE. Evolving from a project funded by the National Science Foundation, the programs demonstrate cases in fluid dynamics, statics, and dynamics. For example, the projectile motion program allows the user to set the speed, angle, and draw. A line of the projectile will be drawn and calculations for range, flight time, and maximum height are displayed. See the image below for a speed of 90 ft/s, an angle of 55 degrees, and a draw of 0.10.
The applications can be awkward to use. In the projectile applet, more curves can be added by redrawing with different values, however it is not easy to clear the application. Some of the applets have instructions whereas others rely on your knowledge to activate. Nevertheless, this programs may prove helpful for students who learn better with visual imagery.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Physics Applets
Catching up with APA
I have designed a electronic crib sheet for the new APA style. It has the most commonly used references types. The manual, available for use in the library, includes many more citation examples, such as grey literature, white papers, and government reports. The electronic guide, however, should prove useful while writing papers late at night. To find the guide on the library home page, click on Reference Shelf--> and then scroll down to citation styles. The direct link is http://www.eckerd.edu/library/apa.php
Monday, January 28, 2008
AAAS joins call for science debate
In December, I wrote about a citizens' movement to call for a science debate between presidential candidates. Since then, the movement for Science Debate 2008 has grown to tens of thousands of supporters including Nobel laureates and Congressmen. Last week, the American Association for the Advancement of Science joined the chorus of supporters. Click here for a press release. With the new policy (love it or hate it) that requires researchers with NIH grants to place their research in PubMed, Eckerd scientists and students should realize the impact of politics on science.
And for those faculty and student registered in Florida, don't forget that tomorrow is the primary!
Friday, January 25, 2008
New book profile: Brainteaser Physics
New Book Profile
Title: Brainteaser Physics: Challenging Physics Puzzlers (QC75.G75 2007: New Book shelf)
Author: Goran Grimvall
Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press
Year: 2007
162 pages
A columnist in a Swedish journal for engineers has published 57 puzzles to challenge physicists and students of physics. By the author's own admission, some puzzles are classics and others are new twists on old themes. Puzzles span from novice level to those that "may baffle even a physics professor" (p. 55). According to the preface, some knowledge of mathematics is assumed for many of the brainteasers.
The puzzles incorporate real world examples, as well as other disciplines such as literature. The baffling puzzle mentioned above involves a passage from a novel by Kurt Vonnegut. Solutions are provided for each problem, complete with illustrations and mathematical equations when necessary.
An excellent component of the book is the Further Reading section included at the end. Articles from the American Journal of Physics, European Journal of Physics, Physics Education, and The Physics Teacher correspond to individual problems. These references should help students correlate the puzzles to work of physicists. In this vein, Grimvall states that one purpose of these brainteasers is to provide a view of "how physicists think." (p. vii)
