The importance of introducing computational approaches early and actively in science education is widely acknowledged among educators and scientists. Many great ideas have been put forward and implemented by advocates and organizations such as Partnership for Integration of Computation into Undergraduate Physics (https://www.compadre.org/PICUP)…

Recognized as one of the most beautiful experiments of all time, the oil drop experiment performed by Robert Millikan and his graduate students (primarily Harvey Fletcher) is a standard in the repertoire of experiments performed by undergraduate physics students. However, "as a teaching lab it does not enjoy a good reputation for three…

A wood cantilever of length ~2.5 m is driven into resonance using the hand as a simple driver. Video recordings of these oscillations are analyzed to determine experimental second harmonic (n = 2) damped resonance frequencies. These frequencies are compared to theoretical ones, obtained from measurements of elastic moduli, damping properties, and…

This paper describes a high school or introductory university course in scientific programming that introduces the computer revolution into the physics curriculum at the beginning. In the first one-hour lecture, Euler's method is presented and used to compute a solution to the analytically unsolvable two-body problem. In the remainder of the…

Computer simulations (we use the word liberally here to include applets, animations, apps, etc.) have been making steady progress as teaching tools. Large collections of simulations, created by individuals and by groups, are freely available. More recently, research on the effectiveness of simulations as teaching tools, particularly focused on the…

The general student population enrolled in today's physics classrooms is diverse. They come from a variety of different educational backgrounds. Some demonstrate a good knowledge of natural laws of physics with a better understanding of mathematical concepts, while others show a fair knowledge in fundamentals of physics with a minimum knowledge in…

College and university general education (GE) classes are designed to broaden the understanding of all college and university students in areas outside their major interest. However, most GE classes are lecture type and do not facilitate hands-on experimental or observational activities related to the specific subject matter. Utilizing astronomy…

Discrepant events are surprising occurrences that challenge learners' preconceptions. These events puzzle students because the results are contrary to what they believe should happen. Due to the unexpected outcome, students experience cognitive disequilibrium, and this often leads to a desire to solve the problem. Discrepant events are great…

Introduced to study components of ionized gas, the mass spectrometer has evolved into a highly accurate device now used in many undergraduate and research laboratories. Unfortunately, despite their importance in the formation of future scientists, mass spectrometers remain beyond the financial reach of many high schools and colleges. As a result,…

Early in the last century, Robert Millikan developed a precise method of determining the electric charge carried by oil droplets. Using a microscope and a small incandescent lamp, he observed the fall of charged droplets under the influence of an electric field inside a small observation chamber. In so doing, Millikan demonstrated the existence of…

The use of probe ware and computers has become quite common in introductory physics classrooms. Video analysis is also becoming more popular and is available to a wide range of students through commercially available and/or free software. Video analysis allows for the study of motions that cannot be easily measured in the traditional lab setting…

Many high school and introductory college physics courses make use of mousetrap car projects and competitions as a way of providing an engaging hands-on learning experience incorporating Newton's laws, conversion of potential to kinetic energy, dissipative forces, and rotational mechanics. Presented here is a simple analytical and finite element…

The Wii is a very popular gaming console. An important component of its appeal is the ease of use of its remote controller, popularly known as a Wiimote. This simple-looking but powerful device has a three-axis accelerometer and communicates with the console via Bluetooth protocol. We present two experiments that demonstrate the feasibility of…

PhET Interactive Simulations (sims) are now being widely used in teaching physics and chemistry. Sims can be used in many different educational settings, including lecture, individual or small group inquiry activities, homework, and lab. Here we will highlight a few ways to use them in teaching, based on our research and experiences using them in…

The concepts of Newtonian mechanics, fluids, and ideal gas law physics are often treated as separate and isolated topics in the typical introductory college-level physics course, especially in the laboratory setting. To bridge these subjects, a simple experiment was developed that utilizes computer-based data acquisition sensors and a digital gram…