Discusses the subjective relativity of the term "up" and its relationship to an observer's acceleration. Provides examples from amusement park rides and literature, and describes a demonstration using a Fletcher's Trolley. (JM)

Discusses the relationship of gravity, coefficient of friction, surface area, and Newton's second law to explain the physics involved in downhill skiers being able to move faster than sky divers in free fall. (JM)

The author advocates changing the traditional approach to mechanics from emphasis on the formulation of Newton's Laws to discussion of the foundations of mechanics and Mach's formulation. (SD)

Describes a pedagogical method for measuring the coefficient of restitution for collisions between a bouncing ball and a horizontal surface by measuring the sound made by the bouncing ball. (MLH)

This research aims to study the ways in which "local" events of randomness, based on experiencing the outcome of individual events, can be developed into "global" understandings that focus on an aggregated view of probability (e.g. probability of an event). The findings reported in the paper are part of a broader study that adopted a strategy of…

This book presents detailed teaching ideas on integrating inventing into grades 4-6 science classrooms. The contents of the book is divided into three sections. Part 1 provides theoretical and pedagogical background information to teachers on the structure of inventing and the structure of experience. Part 2 presents six detailed workshops: (1)…

This teacher's guide is based on "DragonflyTV" investigations which focus on real kids doing inquiry-based science investigations. Activities include: (1) "Investigation To Explore Skateboards"; (2) "Investigations To Explore Otters"; and (3) "Investigations To Explore Waterslides." (YDS)

This paper explores children's efforts to make sense of graphs by analyzing two students' use of a computer-based motion detector. The analysis focuses on the students' growing understanding of the motion detector which enables them to plan their movements in order to create graphs and interpret them in terms of kinesthetic actions. Students…

Three methods of studying motion are described. A wind tunnel is utilized in demonstrating flutter. Computer graphics with an oscilloscope are used to investigate the natural modes of vibration and to track the simulated motion of missiles. (TS)

A discussion of linear collisions between two or three objects is related to a junior-level course in analytical mechanics. The theoretical discussion uses a geometrical approach that treats elastic and inelastic collisions from a unified point of view. Experiments with a linear air track are described. (Author/TS)