PhysPort (www.physport.org) has become the go-to place for physics educators to learn to apply research-­based teaching and assessment in their classrooms. Usage (defined as the total number of visits) has doubled every two years since the site was released in 2011, and 20% of all U.S. physics faculty and 7% of U.S. high school physics teachers…

Increasingly, the science education community has recognized the need for curriculum resources that support student development of authentic scientific practices, rather than focusing exclusively on content knowledge. This paper proposes a tool for teachers and researchers to assess the degree to which certain curriculum resources and lessons…

Plans are under way to redefine the International System of Units (SI) around 2018. The new SI specifies the values of certain physical constants to define units. This article explains the new SI in order to provide a resource for high school teachers as well as for advanced students already familiar with the pre-2018 SI.

A simple demonstration that is occasionally used in the classroom to show that light carries momentum involves making an orchestral cymbal audibly ring using light from a common photoflash. A metal plate or a piece of foil can also be used; however, it appears that many people use a cymbal because the sound is easily heard at a reasonable…

Physics Education Research (PER) focuses on understanding how students learn physics at all levels and developing strategies to help students with diverse prior preparations learn physics more effectively. New physics instructors are encouraged to visit http://PhysPort.org, a website devoted to helping instructors find effective teaching resources…

This paper provides examples of naturally radioactive items that are likely to be found in most communities. Additionally, there is information provided on how to acquire many of these items inexpensively. I have found that the presence of these materials in the classroom is not only useful for teaching about nuclear radiation and debunking the…

The question, Is the force on an object in circular motion centrifugal or centripetal?'' is discussed. (DF)

Importance of distinguishing clearly between wave velocity and group velocity is discussed. Examples are used to elucidate both concepts. (DF)

The use and misuse of the superposition principle to analyze electrical circuits are discussed. (KR)

A discussion of what E=mc2 means and other issues associated with the equation are presented. The differences between matter, mass, and energy, a derivation of the equation, the history of the word mass and examples of how it is used, misconceptions surrounding the equation, and a discussion of uranium fission are included. (KR)

Provides a list of 33 problem-solving steps extracted from physics textbooks and arranged within the following 3 categories: setup, solution, and checks. (MDH)