Proposes changes in correcting the distorted image that many students have of science. Teachers should communicate some of the excitement, beauty, and uncertainty of the subject. Identified three styles of teaching changes: remove harshness and sterility, emphasize verb sense (dynamics) of science, and reduce quantity of material presented to…

Describes the criticism of science during the early 1930's, when questions about the internal dynamics of the physics community- reduced research funds, slackening employment opportunities and lower public esteem for physics and its relationship with society were raised. States that the problem of social relevance of physics is still very real…

Describes a new "discovery-oriented" laboratory course in physics for college freshmen. The subject matter was Newtonian mechanics with calculus. The aim was to teach experimental methods from design of the experiment, testing hypotheses and presentation of final report. The laboratory was successful in most of its objectives and got moderately…

Describes three of many uses to which the desk-top computer has been put in the introductory physics laboratory. The three uses involve an AC circuit laboratory, an equipotential mapping experiment, and an N-slit diffraction experiment. Typical desk-top computer-produced theory plots are shown. (LC)

Interviews with seven young physicists who have unusual careers are reported. Each physicist relates his or her (1) reasons for career choice, (2) present responsibilities and job experiences, and (3) feelings about the relevance of a physics background in his or her present job. (LC)

Author relates his practical testing of the theories of bicycle stability. Investigating the steering geometry of the bicycle, using a Fortran program, led to considering the concept of self-centering p and eventually to the successful construction of an inherently unstable bicycle. (RR)

This short biography of Fresnel traces his early education, his work as an engineer and his theories and discoveries in optics. The importance of Fresnel's ideas on diffraction, interference and double refraction are discussed. Bibliography. (LC)

The mercury-drag effect is demonstrated when mercury vapor diffuses through nitrogen gas at low pressure, passing through tubes of different radii to liquid nitrogen-cooled cold traps. The pressure changes of the nitrogen gas on the mercury-deficient side of the cold traps are observed and compared with theoretical and experimental valves from the…