Presents a few examples of not-so-traditional problems that can be very helpful in teaching some particular concepts or approaches in physics. Problem sets include vector addition and vector components, reference frames, and choosing the right approximations. (JRH)

Situations describing Einstein's Equivalence Principle phrased in prerelativistic Newtonian concepts are presented. (KR)

Describes the activities of the Physics Teachers Action Research Group in which college physics teachers work together in planning, revising, and evaluating student projects that foster greater conceptual understanding and address student misconceptions. Presents the details of a project in which students were asked to build an accelerometer. (JRH)

Two ways to visually enhance the concept of space curvature are described. Viewing space curvature as a meterstick contraction and the heavy banana "paradox" are discussed. The meterstick contraction is mathematically explained. (KR)

Uses the problem of determining when a car and truck traveling at the same speed will collide after the truck has applied its brakes to illustrate the need to consider boundary conditions when solving problems in elementary mechanics. (MDH)

Discusses the rate of fall of a wooden beam or a chimney by examining the fall of a highway lamp pole when it is sheered off at its base upon impact by a vehicle. Provides the mathematical formulas to explain and an experiment to illustrate the phenomenon. (MDH)

Presents an application of fundamental principles of mechanics for an isolated system in solving problems related to rocket velocity and exhaust elements. (JRH)

Demonstrates what theoretical physicists make a rule using juggling. Provides the thinking process and calculating procedure. (YP)

Presents a variety of problems, involving kinematics and dynamics, that deal with ropes and their centers of mass. (JRH)

The effects of temperature and pressure on the collapsing of soda cans are discussed. The use of various temperatures and substances for the cooling bath are described. (KR)

A static method of measuring the surface tension of a liquid is presented. Jaeger's method is modified by replacing the pressure source with a variable pressure head. By using this method, stationary air bubbles are obtained thus resulting in controllable external parameters. (Author/KR)

Applications of physics concepts related to the activities of dinosaurs are presented. Problems of mass, speed and motion, and sound are discussed. Solutions to the problems are shown. (CW)

The main advantage of using these concepts lies in the reduction of algebraic work involved in solving certain dynamics problems. A brief analytical treatment of the acceleration center and a description of a virtual work principle for equipollent systems in the kinetics of rigid bodies are provided. (MVL)

An exercise that gives students a chance to use the equations of state for both an ideal gas and for an adiabatic process in determining the points at which heat flow reverses direction and at which the working substance reaches its maximum temperature is demonstrated. (KR)

The data from measurements of the density of tungsten, steel, aluminum, and PVC spheres are used to extrapolate the infinite density of something such as a neutron star. An apparatus that allows for precision measurements is described. A discussion on error analysis is appended. (KR)