The objective of this second part of the work is to present heuristic derivations of the three classical tests of general relativity. These derivations are based on the Einstein equivalence principle and use Newtonian physics as a theoretical framework. The results obtained are close to Einstein's original predictions. Historical and anecdotal…

Representing conceptual change is challenging. Claims that conceptual change has occurred are sometimes based on data from a small number of probes given over a relatively long interval. Data collected in this way do not allow short-lived variability to be distinguished from more stable conceptual change and can lead to mistaken conclusions about…

A well known physics problem is to calculate the friction forces required to support a ladder against a wall. A more tractable problem is to calculate the friction forces needed to support an inclined beam on a ball or a cylinder. In the latter case there are three rather than two points of sliding support. Measurements and calculations are…

The impact force and duration when one billiard ball collides head-on with another is estimated by assuming that the balls are connected by a spring. The results are compared with a measurement when a billiard ball collides with a heavy, rigid surface.

The ballistic pendulum apparatus is a fairly ubiquitous element of the introductory physics laboratory, as the pendulum and launcher gun can be used together or independently to demonstrate a variety of concepts from conservation laws to projectile motion to the motion of a physical pendulum. In this work, we control the launch speed of the gun to…

Within physics education research (PER), inductive teaching strategies (e.g., inquiry-based teaching) have long been a goal. Yet others do not seem to be convinced that consensus exists with respect to the goals of physics education and identify three possible goals as: (1) to teach practical, factual knowledge, (2) to develop deep understandings…

The article describes research work that can help students observe and experimentally research the effects caused by the emission component of the filament current in fluorescent lamps' cathodes. When analysing the work of electronic devices--multi-purpose lamps that use thermionic emission--research usually focuses on the current caused by the…

There are many factors that influence the ability to play with accurate intonation, and this Part 1 "Extending the Discussion" article provides background on string intonation, including the physics of intonation, the relationship between stringed instrument technique and intonation, and how students learn to play with accurate…

A method is described to measure the coefficient of restitution (COR) by dropping a ball on a piezoelectric disk. Multiple bounces can be observed at small drop heights, so the average COR over say ten bounces can be obtained from just one ball drop, without having to measure the bounce height or the bounce speed. The results show directly that…

One of the memories of my freshman year at Amherst was a lecture in the required physics/calculus course in which Arnold Arons quoted Isaac Newton on standing on the shoulders of giants. Now that I have spent my physics career, I still use the same quote, but now apply it to the eponymous apparatus that has been designed by the giants in our field.

Students have difficulty bridging the conceptual gap between Newtonian and relativistic physics, and, consequently, the teaching of special relativity has been discussed extensively in the literature. A comprehensive list of such references is too large to include, but a brief list is given. In this paper, the author presents several exercises,…

One of the easily accessible results in elementary fluid mechanics is the so-called Torricelli's theorem (or law), which states that the velocity U[subscript th] of the fluid exiting from an orifice at depth "h" from the free surface of a container filled with fluid, is the same as the velocity of a free-falling body from rest over a…

Fundamentals of Macroscopic Chemical Analysis is a newly developed foundation-level course that integrates concepts from traditional physical and analytical chemistry courses. The course was designed to serve majors in chemistry, biochemistry, and biology as well as pre-health professional students. The main goal of this course is to develop the…

When driving on a sunny day, one can sometimes observe a small solar spectrum in the rearview mirror of a vehicle. The formation of this "rainbow" results from the prism-like structure of the rearview mirror. Our investigation of this phenomenon reveals that the resulting spectrum is formed in a manner similar to the way a rainbow is…

Double-slit interference is a difficult phenomenon for students to grasp in an introductory physics course. A thorough understanding of constructive and destructive interference is critical, but even with such an understanding, visualizing exactly how an interference pattern is formed by light passing through two slits can still be a challenge for…