The study explored the impact of peer critiquing on preservice teachers' understanding of the nature of science, scientific inquiry, and argumentation in an undergraduate science content course. The aim was to investigate innovative teaching strategies that enhance preservice teachers' comprehension of these key aspects. This study showcased…

The purpose of this study is to consider Superman's acts against impulse-momentum and conservation of momentum principles. Superheroes as fantasy fiction characters attract the attention of not only children and teenagers but also adults. Superheroes can be useful in explaining a phenomenon, as well as overcoming conceptual difficulties that may…

The international bestseller "How Do We Learn?" decodes years of cognitive science research into actionable strategies for K-12 teachers, curricula designers, and administrators. You'll discover how classic and emerging findings can transform pedagogy by pointing at practices that take advantage of the innate structures of the human…

Although learning about Nature of Science (NOS) promotes a variety of important outcomes, teachers often lack suitable activities for younger students to effectively address NOS. In this article I elaborate on an NOS activity developed for a teacher professionalisation workshop. The activity is suited for younger students as well, where clear…

At the end of the 18th-century, Charles Coulomb developed an apparatus to study the force between two electrified beads which allowed him to obtain his famous Coulomb's law. Today, as one of the most fundamental outcomes in classical electromagnetism, his result is revisited in most high school physics courses, where students are asked to…

Electrophoresis is integral to analytical and biochemistry experiences in undergraduate education; however, fundamental principles of the method are often taught in upper-level laboratories through hands-on experiences. A laboratory activity is reported that teaches the concepts of electrophoretic mobility and electroosmotic flow. A single…

The stereotypical situation of a snowball picking up both mass and speed as it rolls without slipping down a hill provides an opportunity to explore the general form of both translational and rotational versions of Newton's second law through multivariable differential equations. With a few reasonable assumptions, it can be shown that the snowball…

Although nearly everyone is familiar with colors from an early age and the fundamentals of color mixing are taught at various abstraction levels throughout kindergarten to high school, we repeatedly observe that our student teachers in physics have problems in explaining the subject. Therefore, we propose an experimental setup that focuses on the…

This paper examines the Torricelli law for the flow of liquid from a small drain hole in a container. It shows how the system can be modelled using either a traditional calculus-based approach or a non-calculus step-wise computer method appropriate to the background of the student group. An experiment to measure the head of out-flowing liquid as a…

This paper highlights the design process and implementation for an "all majors" undergraduate course that allows students a chance to reconnect with the natural world. During this course students explore a wide range of biological and physical science based topics that seek to highlight human intervention and our impacts on the planet.…

The role of work and mechanical energy in classical relativity has been a subject of renewed interest in this publication. Here we present a problem that illustrates the relationship between impulse and kinetic energy for a rocket-powered object that can also change its gravitational potential energy. The same introductory physics principles lead…

Students should have a strong conceptual understanding of the connection between force and acceleration before they start working with applications and problem solving. This has been discussed in the literature. During these days of flipped classroom instruction, an at-home activity could be especially valuable. I will describe an experiment with…

Every time I have to jack up my car, I am a bit surprised by how slowly the scissors jack works the higher I raise it, and close to maximum height I need very little force to turn the crank. This agrees well with the principle of simple machines. Since I have to jack up my car at least twice a year to change between winter tires and summer tires,…

Physics instructors recognize the value of kinesthetic experience in learning fundamental physics concepts. We describe a kinesthetic experiment appropriate for both college and high school physics students. The experiment helps students achieve an intuitive understanding of Newton's second law in a way they find quite enjoyable. It was devised by…

North Korea's development of nuclear weapons and, more recently, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) has added a grave threat to world order. The threat presented by these weapons depends critically on missile range, i.e., the ability to reach North America or Europe while carrying a nuclear warhead. Using the limited information available…