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The double-cone ascending an inclined V-rail is a common exhibit used for demonstrating concepts related to center-of-mass in introductory physics courses. While the conceptual explanation is well-known--the widening of the ramp allows the…
The Thomas precession is calculated using three different transformations to the rotating frame. It is shown that for sufficiently large values of $v/c$, important differences in the predicted angle of precession appear, depending on the…
The intransitive cycle of superiority is characterized by such binary relations between A, B, and C that A is superior to B, B is superior to C, and C is superior to A (i.e., A>B>C>A - in contrast with transitive relations A>B>C). The first…
In this paper we show that with the help of accessible, teaching quality equipment, some interesting details of the motion of a gyroscope, typically overlooked in introductory courses, can be measured and compared to theory. We begin by…
We demonstrate the definition of basic observables from physical operations, the key to overcome hidden stumbling blocks and apparent paradoxes from unscrutinized (classical) formalisms. We develop Helmholtz program of basic measurements…
The phenomena known as the twin-paradox and time dilation, which are familiar effects in the special theory of relativity, have analogous counterparts in polarization optics. To show that, we present the concept of proper irradiance for a…
A simple, though rarely considered, thought experiment on relativistic rotation is described in which internal inconsistencies in the theory of relativity seem to arise. These apparent inconsistencies are resolved by appropriate insight…
We present the special theory of relativity taking the Doppler effect as the starting point, and derive several of its main effects, such as time dilation, length contraction, addition of velocities, and the mass-energy relation, and…
The special theory of relativity has fundamentally changed our views of space and time. The relativity of simultaneity in particular, and the theory of relativity as a whole, still presents significant difficulty for beginners in the…
From Mercury's perihelion precession (open question from 1845 to 1915) to Gravity Probe-B satellite (first proposal in 1959, launch in 2004), General Relativity had to deal with precession phenomena. Perihelion advancement precession…
We survey theoretical and experimental/observational results on general-relativistic spin (rotation) effects in binary systems. A detailed discussion is given of the two-body Kepler problem and its first post-Newtonian generalization,…
The concepts of the Coriolis and the centrifugal force are essential in various scientific fields and they are standard components of introductory physics lectures. In this paper we explore how students understand and apply concepts of…
If space is compact, then a traveller twin can leave Earth, travel back home without changing direction and find her sedentary twin older than herself. We show that the asymmetry between their spacetime trajectories lies in a topological…
Newton's Theorem of Revolving Orbits derives the force that is necessary to explain a particular precession that leaves the shape of an orbit unchanged. Newton showed that for an orbiting body that is already subject to any central force,…
A new apparent relativistic paradox is presented involving only one space-time event. This is different from earlier relativistic paradoxes involving extended bodies or events at different positions. A collision between a rod and a ring…
The conventional discussion of the observed distortions of space and time in Special Relativity (the Lorentz-Fitzgerald Contraction and Time Dilatation) is extended by considering observations, from a stationary frame, of : (i) objects…
We present a novel paradox in special relativity together with its solution. We call it the four particles paradox. The purpose of this paradox is pedagogical and therefore directed towards students and lecturers of physics. Even if most…
Being neither commutative nor associative, Einstein velocity addition of relativistically admissible velocities gives rise to gyrations. Gyrations, in turn, measure the extent to which Einstein addition deviates from commutativity and from…
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…
There are few opportunities in introductory physics for a genuine discussion of the philosophy of science, especially in cases where the physical principles are straightforward and the mathematics is simple. Terrestrial classical mechanics…