Physics Reference Tables (Refrence Tables) The Physics Reference Tables (PRT) is an invaluable tool to the physics student. It contains important measurements, equations, and identification tables. The booklet is frequently used during classes, tests, and lab assignments. The PRT is also used on the Physics Regents Exam. Desktop/Laptop Users: Download Physics Reference Table (PDF) Smartphone Phone Users: Physics Reference Table in a mobile friendly format (HTML5) To get additional hard copies of the Braille and large-type editions ONLY of the Earth Science Reference Tables (ESRT's), send requests on school letter head to State Ed's FAX @ (518) 474-1989. UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2011: Except for Braille and large-type editions, high school science reference tables will no longer be supplied.
Amusement Park Physics People are wild about amusement parks. Each day, we flock by the millions to the nearest park, paying a sizable hunk of money to wait in long lines for a short 60-second ride on our favorite roller coaster. The thought prompts one to consider what is it about a roller coaster ride that provides such widespread excitement among so many of us and such dreadful fear in the rest? The Physics of Roller Coaster Loops The most obvious section on a roller coaster where centripetal acceleration occurs is within the so-called clothoid loops. ature at the top of the loop. As a roller coaster rider travels through a clothoid loop, she experiences an acceleration due to both a change in speed and a change in direction. This change in speed as the rider moves through the loop is the second aspect of the acceleration that a rider experiences. Force Analysis of a Coaster Loop We learned in Lesson 1 that the inwards acceleration of an object is caused by an inwards net force. Sensations of Weightlessness
A Better Way to Teach? Any physics professor who thinks that lecturing to first-year students is the best way to teach them about electromagnetic waves can stop reading this item. For everybody else, however, listen up: A new study shows that students learn much better through an active, iterative process that involves working through their misconceptions with fellow students and getting immediate feedback from the instructor. The research, appearing online today in Science, was conducted by a team at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, in Canada, led by physics Nobelist Carl Wieman. In this study, Wieman trained a postdoc, Louis Deslauriers, and a graduate student, Ellen Schelew, in an educational approach, called “deliberate practice,” that asks students to think like scientists and puzzle out problems during class. “It’s almost certainly the case that lectures have been ineffective for centuries.
Amusement Park Physics Amusement parks are thrilling places to spend the long days of summer, but did you know that these parks are also huge physics classrooms? All of the rides are built with the laws of physics in mind, and it is playing with these laws that makes these rides so fun and scary. We'll take a look at four of the most common types of rides to see how the forces, energy types, and laws of physics are at work in amusement parks. Bumper Cars: Newton's Three Laws of Motion Bumper cars are a great place to see Sir Isaac Newton's three laws of motion in action. Here's how: Newton's First Law: Every object in motion continues in motion and every object at rest continues to be at rest unless an outside force acts upon it. Newton's Second Law: The greater the mass of an object, the harder it is to change its speed. Newton's Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Click to learn more about Newton's Three Laws of Motion. Carousel: Centripetal Force
6 Virtual Tours Of The Human Body For Free Interactive Anatomy Lessons When it comes to interactive virtual views, we have gone to space and around the globe. So, it’s not surprising that we are also going within ourselves on a virtual journey of the human body. One of the finest tools available online is Visible Body. Unfortunately, it’s not free anymore. If you are disappointed that there aren’t any free interactive anatomy tools, worry not. Google Body You can trust Google to take you everywhere. The Google Body browser is a Google Labs project that renders on Google Chrome and any other browser that supports WebGL (like Firefox 4 Beta). MEDtropolis The interactive website aims to educate entertain both kids and adult on bodily health; understanding the human anatomical structure is just part of the process. For instance, check out the narrated tours on Virtual Body. eSkeletons eSkeletons isn’t only about understanding human anatomy. DirectAnatomy BBC Human Body and Mind Artificial Anatomy Image: Shutterstock
Amusement Park Physics Understanding amusement park physics is a great way to give you an appreciation of the dynamics of the various rides. What makes amusement park rides so much fun is the forces your body experiences when you're on them. There are turns, twists, and rapid acceleration. It's quite different from what we experience on a daily basis. But it is precisely these unusual sensations of having your body pushed and pulled in different directions, that keeps people coming back for more. However, designing these rides is much more than just putting in random loops on a track. Click on the links below to learn about the physics involved in these particular rides. Ferris Wheel PhysicsRoller Coaster Physics The Gravitron Another popular amusement park ride is the Gravitron. Where: w is the angular velocity of the Gravitron g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s2) θ is the angle of lean which the external wall of the Gravitron makes with the vertical This equation is only valid for cosθ > μsinθ. Case 1
Motion: Laws of Motion There was this fellow in England named Sir Isaac Newton. A little bit stuffy, bad hair, but quite an intelligent guy. He worked on developing calculus and physics at the same time. During his work, he came up with the three basic ideas that are applied to the physics of most motion (NOT modern physics). The first law says that an object at rest tends to stay at rest, and an object in motion tends to stay in motion, with the same direction and speed. You can see good examples of this idea when you see video footage of astronauts. The second law says that the acceleration of an object produced by a net (total) applied force is directly related to the magnitude of the force, the same direction as the force, and inversely related to the mass of the object (inverse is a value that is one over another number... the inverse of 2 is 1/2). Or search the sites for a specific topic.