Physics Education
A trajectory of a harmonic oscillator obeying the Schreodinger wave equation is exactly derived and illustrated. The trajectory resembles well the classical orbit between the turning points, and also runs through the tunneling region. The…
Simple airtrack simulations, like those now possible with web-based 3D environments, can provide explorers of any age with experiential data sufficient to formulate their own models of motion. In particular, with a compressable spring, two…
A simple experiment is presented that enables qualitative and quantitative measurement of the extraordinary refractive index direction dependency in an uniaxial nematic liquid crystal. Three liquid crystaline cells were designed in which…
We define 1+1 dimensional de Sitter manifold in this paper and we consider various coordinate systems on it. Some interesting aspects of the general theory of relativity are demonstrated by using the transformations between the considered…
A simple model to help students see the connections between a physics course and their engineering major is described. "Bridging" had positive effects on performance, attitude, and motivation, as measured by grade analyses, surveys, and…
The simple pendulum is one of the first experiments that students of higher physics do. There are certain precautions which the students are asked to take while performing the experiment. In this note we will try to explain as to why these…
We present two experiments in closed-loop feedback control. In the first experiment, students control the pointing angle of a laser to "lock" the laser onto a "target." In the second, students stabilize the pathlength difference in two arms…
Using to a minimum extent special relativity input, and relying on the Lorentz-force expression for the force acting on a charged particle in motion under the influence of electric (E) and magnetic (B) fields, the Maxwell curl equations are…
Several years ago I reported a survey (Hake 1998a,b,c) of pre/post test data for 62 introductory physics courses enrolling a total of 6542 students. The present article provides a summary of that survey and presents fourteen lessons from…
We propose a unified approach to addition of some physical quantities (among which resistors and capacitors are the most well-known) that are usually encountered in introductory physics such that the formulae required to solve problems are…
We present a critical analysis of what is called Relational Mechanics, as it has been presented in a book thus entitled, which has been recently reviewed in this journal.
Proof of a simple mathematical inequality using elements of surface tension theory and ideal gas law to the formation and coalescence of bubbles.
Discussions of lepton mixing and oscillations consider generally only flavor oscillations of neutrinos and neglect the accompanying charged leptons. In cases of experimental interest like pion or nuclear beta decay an oscillation pattern is…
We present some Maple procedures using the GrTensorII package for teaching purposes in the study of the canonical version of the general relativity based on the ADM formalism
In this paper, we establish the compactification of the moduli space in symplectization and and studied the hidden symmetries of its boundary.
The last Nobel Prize of the Millenium in Physics has been awarded jointly to Professor Gerardus 't Hooft of the University of Utrecht in Holland and his thesis advisor Professor Emeritus Martinus J.G. Veltman of Holland. According to the…
The expansions or the compressions of the ideal gas in the quasi-static Carnot cycle, can be performed (on adiabatic or isothermal way) by slowly increasing or decreasing the external pressure by means of small weights acting on the piston…
We analyse a mechanical system in two-dimensional relative motion with friction. Although the system is simple, the peculiar interplay between two kinetic friction forces and gravity leads to the wide range of admissible solutions exceeding…
As a large international research laboratory, CERN feels it has a special responsibility for outreach, and has many activities directed towards schools, including organized visits, an on-site museum, hands-on experiments, a Summer intern…
Excerpts are presented from a graduate course on Classical Electrodynamics held during the spring semester of 2000 at the Institute of Physics, Guanajuato State University, Mexico