Describes a safe but qualitative alternative to an experiment in which bullets are shot into wooden blocks from below, with some bullets hitting the blocks in the center and others off-center. Explains why the off-center blocks reach greater heights in spite of the fact that the bullet's energy is divided between translational and rotational…

Explains the strange effect a crosswind has on motion. (WRM)

Reports on the extent to which the Principle of Relativity was employed by students when dealing with various phenomena. Concludes that the Principle of Relativity is not used as an heuristic tool in students' answers, and that the situations presented were not regarded as "problematic" by the students, who primarily used interpretive…

Contends that the large vocabulary used for precise purposes in physics contains many words that have related but potentially confusing meanings in everyday usage. Analyzes the treatment of Newton's Laws of Motion in several well-known introductory textbooks for evidence of inconsistent language use. Makes teaching suggestions. (Contains 11…

Describes a physical system for demonstrating operators, eigenvalues, and superposition of states for a set of unusual wave functions. Uses candy to provide students with a visual and concrete picture of a superposition of states rather than an abstract plot of several overlaid mathematical states. (WRM)

Describes the use of potassium chloride in quantitative project investigations into radioactivity. (WRM)

When teaching introductory courses at the University of Chicago, Richard McKeon would often comment that "any problem pushed far enough is philosophic". His point was that philosophizing is not just the technical province of academic professionals but an important aspect of all thoughtful undertakings. The present volume explores the consequences…

The energy losses and output of a modern power plant using coal and fuel oil are quantitatively presented. (CP)

The acoustical and mathematical basis of the problem of tuning the twelve-tone chromatic scale is reviewed. A quantitative measurement showing how well any tuning succeeds in providing just intonation for any specific piece of music is explained and applied to musical examples using a simple computer program. (DT)

A formal approach to the differentiation of vectors from an axiomatic point of view is introduced, and applications to dynamics are presented. (DT)

Presents a brief history of astrology and its relation to astronomy. Describes the different types of astrologers, horoscope casting, and horoscope interpretation. Presents reasons for the author's disbelief in astrology. (GS)

See JC 690 392 above. [Note available in hard copy because of marginal reproducibility of original.]