http://www.thephysicsfront.org/ The latest material additions to the Physics Front. en-US Copyright 2008, ComPADRE.org managingEditor@compadre.org editor@thephysicsfront.org Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:48:32 EST http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://www.compadre.org/portal/services/images/LogoSmallPrecollege.gif http://www.thephysicsfront.org/ 125 35 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8173 This is the home page of a global project developed to involve K-12 students in a study of global climate and temperature. Participation is free with registration. Students measure daily temperature, record the number of minutes of sunlight per day, and submit their data online. The web site contains tools for data comparison and storage. Students graph and analyze results, then share conclusions about causes of global temperature variation in a final report submitted to the website. Included are detailed project instructions, a teacher guide, reference material, and a student discussion forum. Other Sciences/Geoscience http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=8173 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:48:32 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8173 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=6750 This NOVA website contains information about the scientific quest to utilize cold and to achieve the lowest temperature possible. Several interactive simulations present topics such as the states of matter, the anatomy of a refrigerator, and a virtual lab to achieve low temperatures. The site also includes articles on absolute hot, ultra-cold atoms, and milestones in cold research. General Physics/Properties of Matter http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=6750 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:03:26 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=6750 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=7881 This simulation demonstrates the basic properties of the blackbody curve and how temperature relates to blackbody curves. The temperature-color correlation of blackbody curves is explored through the concept of filters, which are also introduced in this module. The user can change the temperature and the filter to see how the blackbody curve changes. Instructor resources are available including student manuals, assessment materials, and a list of the assumptions used. This is part of a collection of astronomy applets. Optics/Photometry/Blackbodies http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=7881 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:02:31 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=7881 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=6365 This applet shows that if an airplane is flying faster than the speed of sound, it will produce a sonic boom or shock wave. The listener is represented by an ear. The user can change the location of the ear. The program draws sound wave paths to the listener. The order in which the sound paths arrive at the listener are shown. Oscillations & Waves/Acoustics http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=6365 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:37:06 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=6365 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=6367 This applet demonstrates the physics processes of a Carnot heat engine. The carnot cycle is a four stage reversible sequence consisting of adiabatic compression, isothermal expansion at high temperature T2, adiabatic expansion, isothermal compression at low temperature T1, and then back to stage 1. Thermodynamics & Statistical Mechanics/Second and Third Law/Heat Engines http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=6367 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:33:09 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=6367 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=6374 This applet demonstrates how to use the law of reflection (for optics) in playing pool. A ball bouncing off the back of a pool table behaves like a light ray reflecting off a mirror. There are two colored balls; red and blue. The user can set up an initial velocity for the red ball and let the red ball knock the blue one into one of the six bags. The user can set the initial velocity. The ball starts to move when you release the mouse button. Optics/General http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=6374 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:30:27 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=6374 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=6163 In this applet a pendulum is in a vertical position when put in a stopped car. When the car is accelerated, it will swing with a new equilibrium position. The user can change the acceleration and the drag coefficient (assume drag force propotional to velocity put in the oppositive direction). Oscillations & Waves/Oscillations/Pendula http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=6163 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:28:38 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=6163 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8098 This award-winning website presents a comprehensive suite of pages that tell the stories of stars and their constellations. Stars are classified by constellation, spectra, luminosity, and name. Users can easily click on links to explore the brightest luminaries in the sky, take a tour of the Milky Way, open a guide to celestial measurement, view classical constellation maps, link to the "Skylights" weekly astronomical images, and more. This resource provides highly organized curriculum support to science teachers seeking an interactive way to teach astronomy in the secondary classroom. Astronomy/Fundamentals/Spectra http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=8098 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:17:31 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8098 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=1011 This is a comprehensive resource that explains how astronomers use spectra to understand star composition, structure, and evolution. The page begins with an introduction to the electromagnetic spectrum and then goes into great detail about the properties of light. Written on the level of a beginner, it discusses how spectrographs work, absorption and emission lines, and how to interpret the spectral sequence. This item is part of a larger collection of resources developed for teachers and students of astronomy. Astronomy/Fundamentals/Spectra http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=1011 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:48:24 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=1011 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=1208 This page contains interactive animations on each of Kepler's three laws: the Law of Ellipses, the Equal-Areas Law, and the Harmonic Law. The author uses a conversational writing style to describe each law and give directions for using the animations. This is an introductory resource that is designed for users who have little background in astronomy. It is part of a larger collection of materials developed to support teachers and learners of astronomy. Astronomy/Fundamentals/Celestial Mechanics http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=1208 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:46:19 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=1208 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8097 This is a high school lesson plan on the topic of periodic motion. Students analyze data obtained from high-energy satellites of various binary stars orbital periods, then construct their own pendulum in a hands-on lab. The lesson provides multiple animated instructions to help students through each step of the process. It was developed by the Imagine the Universe project through NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. This item is part of a larger collection of K-12 resources. See Related items on this page for links to other lessons/tutorials. Astronomy/Stars/Binary Stars http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=8097 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 06:07:00 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8097 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8092 This is a beginning tutorial on the electromagnetic spectrum, appropriate for middle school students. It was developed by the Imagine the Universe project through NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. It contains readable explanations of each type of radiation on the EM spectrum, a short quiz, and related "Cool Facts". It was designed to supplement lesson plans and activities created by the same team. See Related items below for links to lesson plans and other resources. This item is part of a larger collection of K-12 resources created by the High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center for NASA. Astronomy/Fundamentals/Properties of Light http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=8092 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:16:58 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8092 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8091 This item is a middle school lesson plan on the electromagnetic spectrum, developed by the Imagine the Universe project through NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Students use colored pencils, adding machine tape, and and file folders to create their own spectra and analyze how wavelength and frequency are related. Printable student worksheets and a closing assessment are also included. This item is part of a larger collection of K-12 resources created by the High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center for NASA. See Related items on this page for links to other lessons/tutorials. Astronomy/Fundamentals/Properties of Light http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=8091 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:55:13 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8091 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=1012 This item is a very informative website about the evolution, properties, components, and composition of stars. It is appropriate for a non-technical introduction to stars in the high school classroom. The author opens by talking about Hipparchus' magnitude scale for stars and what scales astronomers use today. The website then explores the properties that define a star, its composition, and its evolution on the H-R diagram depending on it's mass. Each section contains multiple links to further information for teachers and learners. Astronomy/Stars http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=1012 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:39:14 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=1012 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8079 This website, sponsored by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is a cost free multi-chapter online workbook on the fundamentals of radio astronomy. It was designed as the first phase of training for teachers participating in the Goldstone-Apple Valley Radio Telescope classroom project. It would also be appropriate for AP high school physics students doing a unit on electromagnetic radiation. The workbook may be downloaded in Adobe pdf format and includes a final exam. Astronomy/Instrumentation/Radio Astronomy http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=8079 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:02:56 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8079 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=385 This site contains a large number of photos of the planets, with information about each of them. Teachers can use this site to augment textbooks and add excitement to the lesson. Astronomy/Solar System http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=385 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:53:56 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=385 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=909 Your Sky is an interactive online planetarium. This site allows you to choose the date, time, and location you wish to view. Even if you do not have the longitude or latitude of your location it allows you to find your location based on which major city you live near. It also provides a clear instructional guide to first users. Astronomy/Fundamentals/Night Sky http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=909 Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:38:56 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=909 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8062 This web page contains links to 10 detailed lesson plans developed for grades 7-12 on space science and the evolution of the universe. Topics include the electromagnetic spectrum, satellite image data analysis, the origin of the elements, supernovae, and gamma-ray bursts. Each lesson includes procedurals, reference materials for teachers, and printable student guides. "Imagine the Universe" is a service maintained by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and the High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC). Astronomy/Astronomy Education http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=8062 Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:21:57 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=8062 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=294 Imagine the Universe is a service maintained by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center for students age 14 and up, teachers, and others interested in learning about the universe. Resources were developed by scientists at the High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC). There are links to a wide range of resources that can be used in the teaching of astronomy, including a "Teacher's Corner" with standards-aligned lesson plans, "Ask an Astrophysicist", "Satellite Showcase", and "You Be The Astrophysicist". All materials are no-cost and freely accessible. Astronomy/Astronomy Education http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=294 Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:48:56 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=294 http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=4859 This website is a collection of planet images as seen from different vantage points. Users are able to see simulated images of each planet and its moons as seen from Earth, the Sun, or from any other planet in the solar system. Time parameters may be set from 1990-2025 to enable virtual viewing at certain dates. Users may also set field of view and screen width of the target image. This item is part of the California Institute of Technology's NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory educational resources. Astronomy/Solar System http://www.thephysicsfront.org/bulletinboard/Thread.cfm?ID=4859 Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:09:00 EST http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=4859