The classic jumping ring apparatus consists of a coil with an iron core that extends out of the coil. A copper or aluminum ring placed over the iron core jumps upward when AC power is applied to the coil. In this paper we will examine a modified design of the jumping ring apparatus, called the "long-coil design." It allows the ring to…

This article focuses on an illusion due to our perceptions regarding competing coordinate systems or frames. I share an interesting anecdote and then explain aspects of its origin, referencing other similar illusions in the literature. Although it is difficult to experience the phenomenon without visiting the hill, I have some suggestions to…

The long and complex history to define the composition of water as H[subscript 2]O is summarized. This case study could be useful not only to introduce the history of chemistry in the classroom but also to teach the basic tenets of the nature of science (NOS). Water has been present in several turning points in the history of chemistry such as the…

In biochemistry, the trivial names of chemical compounds constitute a significant part of scientific language. Understanding the etymology of the names may be important for the association of these names with actual compounds and thus be a valuable teaching tool. The citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle) is a central metabolic pathway in most living…

Electrical engineers often use software to analyze electrical circuits in order to understand circuit behaviors. Such software allows them to modify components and develop and improve their designs. One popular kind of circuit analysis software is based on SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis). In what follows, I describe how…

The non-SI unit sverdrup, named to honor Norwegian oceanographer and meteorologist Harald Ulrik Sverdrup (1888-1957), is adopted for quantifying large-scale volume transport by oceanographers, meteorologists, and atmospheric physicists. The sverdrup is used to appraise the volumetric rate of evaporation, precipitation, runoff, transport of ocean…

It is common in introductory physics to show that in the absence of air drag an object dropped from rest will reach the level ground at exactly the same time as one that is projected horizontally from the same height. However, the situation is different in the presence of a speed-dependent drag force, as either object may hit first or they may hit…

In this paper we describe an activity for engaging students in crafting definitions. We explore the strengths of this particular activity as well as the broader implications of engaging students in crafting definitions more generally.

If a body is in equilibrium under the action of three non-parallel coplanar forces, the forces must be concurrent, that is, must meet at a single point. Specific examples are provided here to illustrate the validity of this statement by the use of free-body diagrams as well as during the discussion of equilibrium and moments. These cases are…

Two bodies initially at different temperatures gathered into an isolated container exchange heat and reach an equilibrium state with a common final temperature. During the process, the system is out of equilibrium and its intermediate temperature is not well defined. By conceiving a quasi-static process with infinitesimal steps from the initial to…

In our everyday life, it seems that magnetic phenomena are restricted to ferromagnetic materials or electromagnetism caused by electric currents. From a physics point of view, we know that this everyday experience is contrary to the nature of magnetic phenomena. If one regards the magnetic properties of the elements of the periodic table in their…

One of the most popular demonstration experiments pertaining to Bernoulli's principle is the production of a water spray by using a vertical plastic straw immersed in a glass of water and a horizontal straw to blow air towards the top edge of the vertical one. A more general version of this phenomenon, appearing also in school physics problems, is…

In this chapter we report and discuss inquiry-based science teaching/learning and more specifically dialogic inquiry, as a basis for a professional development programme for teachers. The pilot programme aimed at (1) considering teachers' experience, (2) letting teachers develop their current lessons and (3) prompting teachers' reflections on…

The purpose of this study was to explore translanguaging space as a transformative third space, where alternative and competing discourses are celebrated and where science learning and the development of science's discourse and epistemic practices expand across overlapping boundaries (e.g., home, school, and community). The study focused on Syrian…

DBL is a novel pedagogical approach intended to improve students' conditional knowledge and problem-solving skills by exposing them to a sequence of branching learning decisions. The DBL software provided students with ample opportunities to engage in the expert decision-making processes involved in complex problem-solving and to receive…