The image of free-falling bar has been recorded to study the effect of the motion on its observed length. This moving bar image is analysed using the Tracker software to determine its length and the end bar's position. An elongated appearance of the bar has been observed with movement. This effect relies on the speed and the exposure time during…

Video motion analysis allows tracing trajectories of objects in motion and is an established method in physics education. Tablet computers, with their integrated cameras, offer the opportunity to both record and analyze dynamic motions during experiments on a single device. This enables students to work without transitioning the data between…

The BBC Micro:bit is a great device to encourage students to get involved in Computer Science and to create their own digital projects. However, the design of the single-board computer (including the built-in sensors) makes it possible to use it in Physics lessons or in Physics related activities, too. Those students who are keen to take up…

We present a versatile experimental apparatus for exploring rotational motion through the interplay between the moment of inertia, torque, and rotational kinetic energy of a wheel. The heart of this experiment uses a 3D-printed wheel along with easily accessible stock components that allow for the adjustment of the moment of inertia while keeping…

The topic of reference frames, which is taught at an early stage of secondary school physics is quite challenging for students. The two main reasons behind this are the high level of abstraction required and the lack of understanding of the vector nature of velocity. In the paper we introduce a method we use successfully in teaching reference…

First order processes are of paramount importance for chemical kinetics. In a well-established demonstration experiment, the flow of water out of a vertical glass tube through a capillary simulates a chemical first order process. Here, a digital version of this experiment for lecture hall demonstrations is presented. To this end, water flowing out…

In this work we present an inexpensive experiment proposal to study the kinematics of uniform circular motion in a secondary school. We used a PC sound card to connect a homemade simple sensor to a computer and used the free sound analysis software "Audacity" to record experimental data. We obtained quite good results even in comparison…

A cordless mouse with an added reed switch is used as a wireless data logger to record every time the wheel of a trolley completes a revolution. The limitations of the system in terms of maximum clicking rate and spatial resolution are considered and data obtained from the descent of a trolley down a ramp at various different angles is analysed in…

A classical experiment used to introduce the concept of body inertia, breaking of a thread below and above a hanging weight, is described mathematically and presented in a new way, using force sensors and a computer system.

During the 17th century the idea of an orbiting and rotating Earth became increasingly popular, but opponents of this view continued to point out that the theory had observable consequences that had never, in fact, been observed. Why, for instance, had astronomers failed to detect the annual parallax of the stars that "must" occur if…

The concept of "perpetual motion" has a long history. The Indian astronomer and mathematician Bhaskara II (12th century) was the first person to describe a perpetual motion (PM) machine. An example of a 13th-century PM machine is shown in Fig. 1. Although the law of conservation of energy clearly implies the impossibility of PM construction, over…

This paper deals with effects that appear on photographs of rotating objects when taken by a photo finish camera, a rolling shutter camera or a computer scanner. These effects are very similar to Roget's palisade illusion. A simple quantitative analysis of the images is also provided. The effects are explored using a computer scanner in a way that…

In this paper an example of a simple harmonic motion, the apparent motion of sunspots due to the Sun's rotation, is described, which can be used to teach this subject to high-school students. Using real images of the Sun, students can calculate the star's rotation period with the simple harmonic motion mathematical expression.

The article by Rod Cross describing the translational and rotational motion of the "Launch of a Vehicle from a Ramp" motivated us to create two computer models showing this type of dynamical behavior.

This paper introduces the readers to simple inquiry-based activities (experiments with supporting questions) that one can do with a computer scanner to help students learn and apply the concepts of relative motion in 1 and 2D, vibrational motion and the Doppler effect. We also show how to use these activities to help students think like…