Related papers: Coriolis force in Geophysics: an elementary introd…
Modern physics is now a regular course for non-physics majors who do not have to take the accompanying laboratory. This lack of an experimental component puts the engineering students at a disadvantage. A possible solution is the use of…
In a first course of general relativity it is usually quite difficult for students to grasp the concept of a geodesic. It is supposed to be straight (auto-parallel) and yet it 'looks' curved. In these situations it is very useful to have…
For an investigation of the physical properties of gravitational fields the observation of massive test particles and light is very useful. The characteristic features of a given space-time may be decoded by studying the complete set of all…
Earthquakes rank among the most destructive manifestations of the Earth's dynamics. Can they be predicted? This is often the first question students ask. To answer that right away: no, at present it is not possible to anticipate the date,…
There is a growing consensus that physics majors need to learn computational skills, but many departments are still devoid of computation in their physics curriculum. Some departments may lack the resources or commitment to create a…
Elementary particle physics is the quadrant of nature whose laws can be written in a few lines with absolute precision and the greatest empirical adequacy. If this is the case, as I believe it is, it must be possible and is probably useful…
In this paper we present in a theoretical, historical and practical way the inclusion of gravitational waves in the teaching of physics. Through the explanation of the theme through debates and experimental practices in the classroom, we…
The general features of the cosmic-ray spectrum have been known for a long time. Although the basic approaches to understanding cosmic-ray propagation and acceleration have also been well understood for many years, there are several…
We introduce the concept of an electromagnetotoroid in astrophysics, and explore its role in polar jets. This model represents the onset of Abraham's force driven by some external source, for example, the infall of gas towards a star. The…
Second part of a didactic sequence of activities on some topics of Astronomy, related mainly with the real shape of the Earth, the gravitational interactions between our planet and other celestial bodies, and the resulting movement of the…
We present a pedagogical discussion of the Coriolis field, emphasizing its not-so-well-understood aspects. We show that this field satisfies the field equations of the so-called Newton-Cartan theory, a generalization of Newtonian gravity…
We study the problem of sinking particles in a realistic oceanic flow, with major energetic structures in the mesoscale, focussing in the range of particle sizes and densities appropriate for marine biogenic particles. Our aim is to unify…
Wellness and mindfulness act as buzzwords these days, often seen as separate from physics. Yet we know they are important, and everything is related to physics! In this article, we will consider a few simple classroom activities that can…
Named after Clio, the Greek goddess of history, cliophysics is a daughter (and in a sense an extension) of econophysics. Like econophysics it relies on the methodology of experimental physics. Its purpose is to conduct a scientific analysis…
We propose a discussion of angular momentum and its Euler equation, with the aim of giving a short outline of their history. This outline can be useful for teaching purposes too, to amend some problems that students can have in learning…
A classical theorem states that two confocal ellipsoids, each of them endowed with a surface distribution of mass which is called homeoidal, exert the same Newtonian force on an exterior point if they have the same total mass. We extend…
Invited contribution to the inaugural issue of {\em Physics Educator.}
Motivated by the consistent histories approach to quantum mechanics, we examine a simple model of hydrodynamic coarse-graining for a scalar field. It consists in averaging the field over spatial regions of size L and constructing the…
Physics education researchers have developed many evidence-based instructional strategies to enhance physics students' conceptual learning. These strategies have historically been tested using assessments such as the Force Concept Inventory…
Classical physics has enabled the acquisition of significant knowledge of the physical properties of nature on a standard macroscopic scale. These achievements were driven by use of the causal ontological approach (proposed originally by…