A 2 m long wooden beam provides an ideal demonstration tool for exploring moments. A class set is cheap and can be used at introductory and advanced levels. This article explores how such beams can be used to support learning about moments, equilibrium, vectors, and simultaneous equations. (Contains 7 figures.)

The authors draw together a variety of facts concerning a nonlinear differential equation and compare the exact solution with approximate solutions. Then they provide an expository introduction to the elliptic sine function suitable for presentation in undergraduate courses on differential equations. (MNS)

Describes an analysis of the direction taken by a baseball immediately after coming into contact with the bat. Uses geometry, trigonometry, and physics. (MKR)

Provides an activity for determining the relationship between the displacement of light rays passing through a plate of transparent material and the angle of refraction for the material. Describes related concepts and skills, prerequisites, objectives, rationale, content background, lesson outline, worksheet, evaluation, teacher notes, and…

Presents activities that combine astronomy problems with algebra, geometry, trigonometry, data analysis, and physics. Provides experiences for students in making distance measurements themselves by using the method of parallax. (ASK)

Describes a homemade experimental chamber constructed to accurately measure the refractive index of a transparent liquid. (MDH)

Utilizes vector mathematics to explain the reflective properties of a corner cube retroreflector, consisting of three plane mirrors assembled at right angles with a common vertex. Analyzes the useful property that an incident beam of light at any point in this reflector will return on a parallel path. (MDH)

Discusses solutions to the problem of maximizing the range of a projectile. Presents three references that solve the problem with and without the use of calculus. Offers a fourth solution suitable for introductory physics courses that relies more on trigonometry and the geometry of the problem. (MDH)

Describes an activity to study the concepts of force and gravity. Students use trigonometry to measure the height of a water balloon shot into the air by a giant slingshot by two methods. A lesson plan provides materials needed, procedures, a chart to record data, and extensions for the activity. (MDH)

This article presents some of the optics and mathematics related to what causes a rainbow, why it is brighter inside than out, and why more than one rainbow may appear. (PK)

Presents a problem to determine conditions under which two identical masses, constrained to move along two perpendicular wires, would collide when positioned on the wires and released with no initial velocity. Offers a solution that utilizes the position of the center of mass and a computer simulation of the phenomenon. (MDH)

Presents one way, using simple materials available in hardware stores, to obtain accurate measurements of gravity acceleration in student laboratories. Analyzes a time-of-flight measuring scheme and discusses the experimental arrangements to make the measurements. (MDH)

Presents a class activity in which students use trigonometry to calculate the height attained by a water rocket. Provides a lesson plan that includes a list of materials needed, procedures to carry out the experiment, suggestions to extend the activity, and a reproducible worksheet for the students to register their calculations. (MDH)

Methods use to reconstruct traffic accidents provide settings for real life applications for students in precalculus, mathematical analysis, or trigonometry. Described is the investigation of an accident in conjunction with the local Highway Patrol Academy integrating physics, vector, and trigonometry. Class findings were compared with those of…

This instructional guide, one of a series developed by the Technical Education Advancement Modules (TEAM) project, is a 20-hour introduction to industrial physics that explains and demonstrates to industrial maintenance mechanics the direct relationship of physics to machinery. Project TEAM is intended to upgrade basic technical competencies of…