An experiment using the volumetric flux of a water stream was used to find the initial velocity of the water as it performs parabolic motion. The trajectories were measured with different initial velocities, comparing the maximum height and range values with the theoretical calculations. The closeness of the measured values to the calculations…

A diffraction grating is a plane surface having a large number of closely spaced slits running in parallel. When light of appropriate wavelength is incident on a diffraction grating it functions as a spectrometer, able to separate the light into its spectral components. Physical examples of interest for diffraction in the real world are…

This paper takes a new look at a well-known physics demonstration--the Cartesian diver. A general overview is provided as well as some new twists on the old classic. A new version is proposed that can demonstrate some of the finer details of scuba diving. A hydrodynamic method of lifting sunken divers is presented.

Crystallography is a fascinating subject and an argument of great importance in the study of structure of matter and fundamental physics. Moreover, many characteristics of crystals, as well as other organic and inorganic substances, are analyzed with x-ray diffraction. In order to introduce at a basic level the above mentioned subjects, and also…

The autumnal leaf color change is a familiar phenomenon to most students living in temperate climate zones. The extraction and analysis of the pigments of the autumn leaves provide an engaging way to study the phenomenon utilizing both simple as well as more sophisticated analytical methods. In this laboratory experiment, students extract the red…

In this paper we present a study on the capillary action of water in a glass tube. It is a well-known phenomenon that the rise of a water column in the capillary is governed by parameters such as surface tension of water, radius of the tube, density of water and acceleration due to gravity. The interdependence of the parameters gives rise to the…

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…

In this article we present a simple experimental set-up to determine the band gap of germanium and silicon using the "ExpEYES-17" kit. The experiment is based on the temperature dependence of the reverse current through germanium and silicon diodes at different temperatures. The experimental values are found to agree well with accepted…

We describe here a 4 hour experimental session based on reaction monitoring of the degradation of an organic pollutant via a Fenton-like reaction. An aqueous solution of p-nitrophenol is treated with hydrogen peroxide and magnetite, and the progress of the reaction is monitored by UV-vis spectrophotometry and/or gas chromatography using an…

Undergraduate physics laboratory exercises are very important in shaping students' attitude to science, especially for future teachers. Recently, it is necessary to look for ways to easily create large quantities of experimental sets, not only for institutional use, but also for sets that can be produced in large quantities and distributed for use…

Chemical reasoning takes many forms. The focus in this paper is on a reasoning process that facilitates using experimental evidence to make connections between macroscopic and submicroscopic domains, which we will refer to as "creating representation." It is a particular type of reasoning that has played a critical role in chemistry,…

This paper presents a series of experiments that focus on light polarization and polarimetry. Such experiments were conducted with the use of commercial Polaroids, light sensors, and laser pointers, and were designed for an undergraduate food science students physics lab.

Newton's laws are essential for understanding causes and description of mechanical motion. Great attention is paid to them during physics education. Unfortunately, many students, not only in high school, but also undergraduates, can recite them but do not understand their essence. Therefore, it is useful to demonstrate different experiments in the…

The five papers published by Hodgkin and Huxley in 1952 are seminal works in the field of physiology, earning their authors the Nobel Prize in 1963 and ushering in the era of membrane biophysics. The papers present a considerable challenge to the novice student, but this has been partly allayed by recent publications that have updated the…

The necessity to teach experimental physics in the pandemic period motivated the development of practices in which students may take measurements with instruments constructed by themselves. In this article, we present an experimental practice to approach Newton's law of cooling with a thermoscope (the earliest device for detecting changes in…