Related papers: Coriolis force in Geophysics: an elementary introd…
This manuscript is written for students in introductory physics classes to address some of the common difficulties and misconceptions of the normal force, especially the relationship between normal and friction forces. Accordingly, it is…
Assuming a minimum value for area measurement, the emergence of quantum mechanics can be easily motivated from naive consideration of gravitational force. Here we provide some pedagogical examples and extensions. At the same time, the role…
Some recent papers proposed the use of the satellite images of Google Earth in teaching physics, in particular to see some behaviours of waves. Reflection, refraction, diffraction and interference are easy to be found in these satellite…
A primary goal of physics is to create mathematical models that allow both predictions and explanations of physical phenomena. We weave maths extensively into our physics instruction beginning in high school, and the level and complexity of…
The interfacial internal waves are formed at the pycnocline or thermocline in the ocean and are influenced by the Coriolis force due to the Earth's rotation. A derivation of the model equations for the internal wave propagation taking into…
The philosophy that a single "monolithic" model can "asymptotically" replace and couple in a simple elegant way several specialized models relevant on various Earth layers is presented and, in special situations, also rigorously justified.…
The case-study teaching method has a long history (starting at least with Socrates), and wide current use in business schools, medical schools, law schools, and a variety of other disciplines. However, relatively little use is made of it in…
Objects that float at the interface between a liquid and a gas interact because of interfacial deformation and the effect of gravity. We highlight the crucial role of buoyancy in this interaction, which, for small particles, prevails over…
Incorporating computer programming exercises in introductory physics is a delicate task that involves a number of choices that may have a strong affect on student learning. We present an approach that speaks to a number of common concerns…
A simple model of eddy currents in which current is computed solely from magnetic forces acting on electrons proves accessible to introductory students and gives a good qualitative account of eddy current forces. However, this model cannot…
The dynamo effect is the most popular candidate to explain the non-primordial magnetic fields of astrophysical objects. Although many systematic studies of parameters have already been made to determine the different dynamical regimes…
In this paper, we discuss the question whether a physical "simplification" of a model makes it always easier to study, at least from a mathematical and numerical point of view. To this end, we give different examples showing that these…
These notes provide an introduction to a number of those topics in Classical Mechanics that are useful for field theory.
A common learning goal for modern physics instructors is for students to recognize a difference between the experimental uncertainty of classical physics and the fundamental uncertainty of quantum mechanics. Our studies suggest this…
The geodynamo usually appears as a somewhat intimidating subject. Its understanding seems to require the intricate theory of magnetohydrodynamics. The solution of the corresponding equations can only be achieved numerically. It seems to be…
Astroparticle physics and cosmology allow us to scan the universe through multiple messengers. It is the combination of these probes that improves our understanding of the universe, both in its composition and its dynamics. Unlike other…
We suggest a lecture on Newtonian gravity, discussing how the use of the scientific method allows to rule out some of the models for the shape of Earth leaving a spherical Earth as the only possibility, in agreement with empirical…
The traditional pedagogical paradigm in physics is based on a deductive approach. However, with the recent advances in information technology, we are facing a dramatic increase in the amount of readily available information; hence, the…
We discuss the flat and hollow models of the Earth as a pedagogical example of the application of Gauss' law to the gravitational field.
In order to describe natural phenomena, science develops sophisticated models that use mathematical and formal languages which seem, and often are, very far from common experience. When a phenomenon is not accessible to our senses, its…