This article presents some of the optics and mathematics related to what causes a rainbow, why it is brighter inside than out, and why more than one rainbow may appear. (PK)

Describes a data acquisition system developed for an undergraduate engineering students' instructional laboratory at Georgia Tech. Special emphasis is placed on the design of an A/D Converter Board used to measure the viscosity and temperature of motor oil. The Simons' BASIC Program Listing for the Commodore 64 microcomputer is appended. (LRW)

Reports on the results of an investigation into the understanding of the concepts of basic electricity by French students from grade six up through the fourth year of college. Discusses the misconceptions formed and the challenges these present to physics educators. (TW)

Describes the Interactive Microcomputer Peripheral (including major features, source, and current cost) and physics experiments using the instrument. The instrument can also be used for such purposes as counting, timing, and frequency measurement as well as for experiments in biology and experimental psychology. (JN)

Explores the issue of the consistency of use of students' conceptions across different tasks which probed understandings of aspects of pressure, heat, and biological evolution. Findings indicate that children have alternative frameworks for all investigated areas. (ML)

Examination results from 1146 Jamaican high school students in single-sex and coeducational schools indicated students from coeducational schools had lower performance on all measures. A subsample provided more information on sex differences, performance in individual subjects, and students receiving grades of A or B. (DH)

Provides annotated listing of books in 16 areas: (1) amateur astromony; (2) children's books; (3) comets; (4) cosmology; (5) education in astronomy; (6) general astronomy; (7) history of astronomy; (8) life in the universe; (9) miscellaneous; (10) physics and astronomy; (11) pseudo-science; (12) space exploration; (13) stars and stellar evolution;…

The inadequacy of secondary and undergraduate student preparation for dental school science instruction requires that dental schools provide remedial instruction and study skill-building opportunities for their students and be more specific about the kinds of preprofessional training required of applicants. (MSE)

Summarizes advice from the Laboratory Safeguards Subcommittee of the Association for Science Education related to flames and heat, hazardous chemicals, electricity and dangerous voltages, and mechanical hazards. Knowledge is cited as the key to preventing accidents in physics laboratories. (DH)

Presents 23 experiments, demonstrations, activities, and computer programs in biology, chemistry, and physics. Topics include lead in petrol, production of organic chemicals, reduction of water, enthalpy, X-ray diffraction model, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, computer simulation for additive mixing of colors, Archimedes Principle, and…

As part of Hungary's Curriculum Theory Department (CTD-80) assessment, 1,543 14-year-olds were tested in the performance of science experiments in physics and chemistry. Skills included observing, measuring, hypothesizing, and drawing conclusions. Results are presented, and implications for curriculum are suggested. (GDC)

Variability in the grammatical profile of finite verbs in English is examined in 20 Master of Science theses in biology, chemistry, and physics. The use of verbs with respect to voice, tense, aspect, and modality is examined in five rhetorical sections of the theses--introduction, review, methods, results, discussion. (SED)

Compares and contrasts high school physics philosophies, curricula, and textbooks of early 1900s to present, indicating that current textbooks are teacher and subject-oriented, lack examples of daily life, and are highly mathematical and too abstract. Suggestions for helping students experience success and improve self-esteem (which leads to…

Reports results of a 1983 national survey which determined the time devoted to teaching major physics content areas; subtopics in each area; equipment students saw and used; principle textbook used; and school/physics enrollments. Indicates that the data obtained can be used to establish guidelines in developing the Physics Achievement Test. (JN)

Describes an apparatus (called the "Rainbow Cup") used for demonstrating the colored rings produced by constructive interference in soap films. Discusses construction of the Rainbow Cup and gives hints for its use in the classroom, especially in relation to classroom humidity. (JM)