A routine problem in an introductory physics course considers a rectangular block at rest on a plane inclined at angle a to the horizontal. In order for the block not to slide down the incline, the coefficient of sliding friction, µ, must be at least tan a. The situation is similar for the case of a ball rolling down an inclined plane. In order…

This study is about the dynamics of a sliding ladder leaning against a vertical wall. The results are understood by considering the motion divided in two parts: (i) for 0 = t = t[subscript s] with one degree of freedom, and (ii) for t > t[subscript s] with two degrees of freedom, where the separation is determined by the instance t[subscript…

Standard Australian reading assessment tests are criticized for being culturally inappropriate for use with Australian Indigenous children, particularly for those living in remote and very remote regions, as these tests are culturally biased towards mainstream Australian culture and imperceptive to Indigenous knowledge, language, concepts, and…

Gravity racing can be studied using numerical solutions to the equations of motion derived from Newton's second law. This allows students to explore the physics of gravity racing and to understand how design and course selection influences vehicle speed. Using Euler's method, we have developed a spreadsheet application that can be used to predict…

The motions of Newton's cradle, consisting of several steel balls hanging side-by-side, have been analysed in terms of a sound pulse that travels via points of contact among the balls. This presupposes a focused energy beam. When the pulse reaches the fifth and final ball, the energy disperses and dislocates the ball with a trajectory equivalent…

A physical experiment concerning the moment of inertia of a rigid disk is described. Basic physical quantities such as the moment of inertia and torque are very important in elementary physics courses. This experiment was designed to improve students' understanding of the relation between the rigid moment of inertia and torque. The moment of…

According to the principle of equivalence, it is impossible to distinguish between gravity and inertial forces that a noninertial observer experiences in his own frame of reference. For example, let's consider an elevator in space that is being accelerated in one direction. An observer inside it would feel as if there was gravity force pulling him…

On July 19, 1969, Senator Edward Kennedy drove his vehicle off a low bridge on Chappaquiddick Island in Massachusetts. The vehicle sank in 2.1 m of water, coming to rest on its roof. According to Kennedy's version of events, he managed to escape from the submerged vehicle without injury, but his female companion, Mary Jo Kopechne, drowned without…

Model Eliciting Activities (MEAs) are pedagogical approaches that allow teachers to integrate multiple subjects into creative multi-day learning experiences that captivate students' curiosity and engage them in real-life problem solving. MEAs are known in the fields of mathematics and engineering (Gilat and Amit 2014), but despite their ability to…

Expression of motion shows systematic inter-typological variability between language types, particularly with respect to manner and path components of motion: speakers of satellite-framed languages (S-language; e.g. German) frequently conflate manner and path into a single clause, while verb-framed language speakers (V-language; e.g. Spanish)…

This study developed an online observable augmented reality dynamics experimental system that can be used in the current COVID-19 pandemic, where face-to-face experiments are difficult to conduct. The developed system enables the broadcast of mass point and rigid body measurements using an online depth camera, and remote observation using mobile…

Physics phenomena are widely viewed in daily life, and the technical nature of physics makes modern life seem to be simpler than it was many years ago. Physics teaching and learning, on the other hand, has not always been done effectively, especially in developing countries. This study aimed measured the effectiveness using mobile physics on…

This paper has two parts. In the first part, intended for physics students as well as for engineering students whose primary interest is not physics, a new lesson related to shadow properties is given as a part of lectures on light. The effects resulting from a shadow 'motion' observed on a screen were looked into. The relationship between the…

In this paper, we propose a simple experimental apparatus that can measure the force variation over time to study the impulse-momentum theorem. In this proposal, a body attached to a rubber string falls freely from rest until it stretches and changes the linear momentum. During that process the force due to the tension on the rubber string is…

This is a description of the conceptual foundations used for designing a novel learning environment for mechanics implemented as an "Industrial Educational Laboratory"--called Fisica in Moto (FiM)--at the Ducati Foundation in Bologna. In this paper, we will describe the motivation for and design of the conceptual approach to mechanics…