Discusses the application of the laws of physics to natural phenomena, including Jackrabbit ears, transparent atmosphere, formation of ice, and long-wave radiation. (YP)

Sunlight (solar radiation) provides many beneficial contributions to mankind, including warmth and energy, vision and photoresponses, photosynthesis, and vitamin D synthesis. Along with these positive benefits attributed to solar radiation, there are also adverse effects. A particular adverse effect of current interest and concern which is…

Summarizes the development of the Earth's age calculation including the work of Archbishop Ussher, James Hutton, Lord Kelvin, Ernest Rutherford, Bertram Boltwood, and Arthur Holmes. Describes the changes in radioisotope dating methods. (YP)

Reports that environmental radioactivity levels vary with temperature and precipitation and these effects are due to radon. Discusses the measurement of this environmental radioactivity and the theory behind it. (JRH)

Discusses topics related to high-energy, gamma-ray astronomy (including cosmic radiation, gamma-ray detectors, high-energy gamma-ray sources, and others). Also considers motivation for the development of this field, the principal results to date, and future prospects. (JN)

Outlines how the radiative properties of a surface can be tailored so as to be favorable for efficient utilization of energy. The radiative properties of concern are transmittance, reflectance, absorptance, and emittance. (JN)

Heavily ionizing charged particles produce radiation damage tracks in a wide variety of insulating materials. The experimental properties of these tracks and track recorders are described. The mechanisms by which the tracks are produced are discussed. (Author/KR)

Demonstrates misconceptions of the meaning of temperature based on classical kinetic energy. Discusses some misconceptions about negative temperatures and the effect of compression. (YP)

Discusses the influence of the weather on the environmental radioactivity. Presents a method to measure the radioactivity using a Geiger counter scalar and a barometer. (JRH)

Describes an experiment in which a 500-A-thick silver film is evaporated on the hypotenuse face of a right glass prism. The surface plasmon mode in the film is excited with a He-Ne laser. The dispersion relation for the surface plasmon and the reflectivity due to the excitation of this mode are calculated. (Author/MLH)

Stefan's law is demonstrated by measuring the temperature of the tungsten filament of an electric light bulb and plotting a log-log graph of temperature against power dissipation. (MLH)

Describes exercises for students to estimate the magnitude of energy available through solar power, wind, atmospheric electricity, heat capacity of air, and latent heat of air. (SL)