Describes an activity to study the concepts of force and gravity. Students use trigonometry to measure the height of a water balloon shot into the air by a giant slingshot by two methods. A lesson plan provides materials needed, procedures, a chart to record data, and extensions for the activity. (MDH)

Describes a physics demonstration in which two-liter plastic bottles can be used to show how force relates to pressure and area. Identical drinking straws are launched out of similar plastic bottles with different-sized openings. This demonstration proves qualitatively that pressure is inversely proportional to the area exposed to an object when a…

Presents the Conceptual Understanding Program (CUP) as a means of helping first-year university physics students overcome their misconceptions in mechanics. Students work on exercises alone, then in threes, and finally as a class, which has resulted in high levels of participation and satisfaction among students. This strategy can be implemented…

Describes a laboratory activity in a liberal-arts physics course entitled "Galileo to Newton and Beyond" in which students examine the orbits of Earth and Mars from heliocentric and geocentric viewpoints. (WRM)

In science teaching, Aristotelian physics is often presented in a fragmentary and oversimplified way which distorts the true meaning of Aristotelian concepts. Discusses some mistakes that originate from a partial reading of Aristotle's work. Contains 32 references. (Author/WRM)

Discusses the various conflicting trends in mechanics education that have appeared over the past two decades, especially as related to conceptual change teaching and learning. Proposes the theory of schemata as a means to resolve the conflict that exists within the literature. Contains 82 references. (Author/WRM)

Offers free software for timing experiments, instructions for making a timing interface and a variety of switch sensors for any IBM-compatible computer, and suggestions for experiments. (AIM)

Presents the Isaac Newton Olympics in which students complete a hands-on activity at seven stations and evaluate what they have learned in the activity and how it is related to real life. Includes both student and teacher instructions for three of the activities. (YDS)

Ever since Einstein and his colleagues opened the door to quantum physics, the world has not been the same. Straight lines have become curved, the atom is no longer physical matter, and some say, science and literature have exchanged places. Literature has certainly acquired the exactness of a science, and the new sciences, particularly physics,…

Describes the theory and operational procedure of seeding clouds with 10 cm. long fiberglass fibers in order to suppress lightning. Histograms show results of experimental work. (CP)

Suggests that an alternative mode of specifying illumination levels (studying individual tasks) be used to determine appropriate illumination standards. (Author/GS)

Two recent articles in this journal described how an air core solenoid connected to an ac power source may restore the magnetization of a bar magnet with an alternating magnetic field (see Figs. 1 and 2). Although we are quite accustomed to using a constant magnetic field in an air core solenoid to remagnetize a ferromagnet, it is puzzling that we…

Since Polya, Wertheimer, and Hadamard's descriptions of qualitative reasoning strategies used by scientists and mathematicians, very little data have been collected on whether these strategies are actually used by experts. This study used video-taped thinking-aloud interviews to examine the problem solving strategies of professors and advanced…

At first almost ignored and unread, Sadi Carnot's analysis of heat engines--published 150 years ago--contained ideas and methods that were developed later by Clausius and Thomson. Carnot's ideas and their influence on later science are discussed. (Author/RH)