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The October 2024 issue of the American Journal of Physics features a variety of articles covering different topics in physics. These include a lecture on pursuing excellence in physics, a resource letter on the synthesis of elements in stars, a study on the physics of "everesting" on a bicycle, an exploration of degrees of freedom in complex systems, an investigation into the elongation of ferrofluid droplets near magnets, an analysis of heat engines with finite reservoirs, a discussion on Heisenberg's reactor theory and the development of the atomic bomb, a simplified relativity experiment, a vector theory of gravitational waves, an experiment on two-particle interference, a numerical simulation project in micromagnetics, a model on opinion dynamics and cognitive biases, a flipped electronics lab for learning upper division electronics at home, and a review of the book "A Standard Model Workbook." These articles cover a range of topics and can be useful for researchers and students interested in various areas of physics. [Extracted from the article]

The September 2024 issue of the American Journal of Physics features a variety of articles covering different topics in physics. These include letters to the editor discussing entropy production diagrams and the need to honor Emmy Noether with a momentum unit. Other articles explore subjects such as advanced laboratory courses, data science education in undergraduate physics, the application of the heat equation to the study of underground temperature, the linear-algebraic derivation of the Lorentz transformation, and the understanding of exotic black hole orbits. Additionally, there are articles on coherent phonons, graphene in the undergraduate classroom, Bose and the angular momentum of the photon, and a comment on a recent paper about the value of eπ versus πe. The issue also includes a book review of "Beautiful Experiments: An Illustrated History of Experimental Science." [Extracted from the article]

The April 2024 issue of the American Journal of Physics features a variety of articles covering topics in physics. One article provides an overview of dark matter, discussing its historical evidence, possible candidates, and detection techniques. Another article explores relativistic acceleration in noninertial frames, analyzing scenarios with differences in proper time elapsed and spacetime events. A third article discusses a method for calculating wavefunctions in quantum mechanics without differential equations. Other articles cover topics such as stochastic trajectories, Brownian motion, first passage time distribution, Young's double-slit interference, and using Minecraft for learning digital electronics. These articles offer valuable insights and experiments for students and researchers in the field of physics. [Extracted from the article]

Physlets, educational applets developed at Davidson College, are a widely used teaching resource designed to simulate a variety of physical phenomena. Originally, each Physlet was a Java simulation that was embedded in an HTML page as an applet and then customized using JavaScript to simulate a specific physics concept. The use of Java to simulate the physics and HTML + JavaScript to add narrative and to customize the web page allowed teachers to create thousands of Physlet-based illustrations, explorations, and problems. Unfortunately, changes in technology standards have required a drastic change in how these learning resources can be delivered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past 25 years, the Davidson College Physics Department has developed small computer programs called Physlets. These programs were written in Java and distributed as Java applets embedded in HTML pages. Physics teachers from around the world used Physlets to author interactive computer-based curricular materials for the teaching of introductory and advanced physics courses in multiple languages. Unfortunately, the Java plugin that enabled Java applets, including our original Physlets, to run was removed from browsers in 2018, Removing applet support, though critical for security reasons, was a major setback for physics education, since there had been thousands of applet-based HTML pages developed for physics and mathematics. To address this problem, we have converted Physlets to JavaScript so that they are compatible with all devices, inducing mobile platforms. This paper describes how these JavaScript Physlets can be used to improve teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Return to that time with the author, as he describes these instruments and fondly recalls the joys and challenges of using them as a student in the 1950s, and later as a young physics professor. These brief summaries are designed to help readers easily see which articles will be most valuable to them. The E&M lab may have disappeared long ago, replaced by courses in electronics and computing, but have we lost something valuable in the transition?. [Extracted from the article]

This paper applies a matrix diagonalization/numerical integration method to solve for the energy eigenvalues and hence the mass spectrum of charmonium, a quark/antiquark analog to hydrogen. The mass spectrum of quarkonium using matrix mechanics Aissa Belhouari B 91 b (1), p. 34 Quantum mechanics is infamous for having very few exactly-solvable problems; every student needs to see analytic and numerical approximation methods. Students and instructors of electromagnetism courses will benefit from an example involving two accelerating point charges, which helps to shed light on the subtle connections between electricity and magnetism. [Extracted from the article]

Michelson interferometry with a diode laser Abdulaziz M. Aljalal B 90 b (5), p. 373 https://doi.org/10.1119/5.0062798 Diode lasers are easily accessible in the teaching laboratory, and therefore are frequently used in Michelson interferometers. A note on Newton's shell-point equivalency theorem B. Cameron Reed B 90 b (5), p. 394 https://doi.org/10.1119/5.0072584 We all know that the gravitational force due to a spherically symmetric mass is the same as if all its mass were located at a point at its center. Gravitational effects of ice sheets on sea level Douglas A. Kurtze B 90 b (5), p. 351 https://doi.org/10.1119/5.0067924 Gravity can surprise you!. [Extracted from the article]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including interactive web pages on American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), teaching of introductory physics, Open Source Physics (OSP) Project.

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The article presents a study on the use of intentionally incorrect simulations in teaching physics. A Task Inspired by Physics Education Research (TIPER) referred to as "What, if Anything, is Wrong?" It states that introductory students can boost their knowledge of physics concepts by finding what is incorrect. It adds that correcting the simulation is straightforward using Easy Java Simulations (EJS).

The article discusses using Physlets to teach energy eigenfunction shape at the introductory level. It is stated that the exercises available on the Internet have several features including multiple representations of energy, energy diagram and energy eigenfunctions plotted separately, and the ability to change the potential energy function with sliders, are offered. The authors give an example where a student varies the strength of five potential energy humps in a finite well.

The article presents information on the use of computer simulations to teach quantum mechanics. The superposition of eigenstates is used as an example of one of the aspects of quantum mechanics which is easier to learn when computer images of the mathematical formulas involved are presented. The measurement of spin states is also illustrated. The computer simulations discussed are available as part of the nonprofit Open Source Physics project.

The article discusses the ways the Open Source Physics (OSP) project combines physical data and document markup language (XML) tags with the Launcher authoring tool for authoring curricular material. It is claimed that the OSP is a synergy of curriculum development, computational physics, computer science, and physics education for scientists and students. The combination offers users an easy-to-use and consistent paradigm to create, modify and distribute Java-based curricular material.

In this article, the authors offer a number of ideas for improving students' understanding of quantum mechanics. The authors underscore the need for physics education research in quantum mechanics by illustrating some of the most pervasive difficulties students have. They survey tools that are being developed to help improve students' understanding of this subject. To address the misconceptions that students typically hold concerning quantum mechanics, the authors advise that instructors should couple computer-based visualizations with research-based pedagogical strategies.

The article describes how the Physlets pedagogical tool was used, in combination with a complementary pedagogical method Ranking Task exercises, to intensify students' interactive engagement in introductory physics. Physlets, Java applets that simulate physics content, are interactive animations that serve as a foundation for a variety of physics exercises. Ranking Tasks (RTs) discourage plug-and-chug approach. RTs are designed to make students think about what parameters are most important in ranking.

Describes the materials created to aid in the teaching and learning of introductory special relativity, the first topic presented in the modern physics. Discussion on special relativity; Use of spacetime diagrams in visualizing moving objects in special relativity; Experiments illustrating the relativity of simultaneity.

Focuses on the use of Physlets to create alternative problems that can help students better develop their problem-solving abilities and deepen their conceptual understanding on topics covering introductory physics. Pedagogy of Physlets, a scriptable Java applet; Example of an applet to demonstrate interference effects; Examples of optics-based Physlet.

The article discusses the use of the Tracker Video Analysis and Modeling Tool, an Open Source Physics (OSP) program, for analyzing images consisting of star and sun spot for introductory astronomy. It mentions several programs for which the tool is available including Linux, Xuggle open source video engine and Windows. It further informs about the steps from which students analyze the images.

The article discusses some methods of astrophotography (AP). It states that the afocal astrophotography is the easiest and quickest way to capture images through telescope. It explains that the eyepiece projection is the next easiest wherein a camera with a removable lens is used to take a picture of the image in an eyepiece. On the other hand, wide-field photographs of the night sky can be photographed using the wide-angle astrophotography.

The article offers ideas for teachers on ways to adopt interactive teaching methods. It emphasizes the importance of explaining to students the reasons for applying interactive teaching methods. It offers tips on motivating students and school administration to adopt interactive teaching. It also recommends giving examples, practice and being simple and brief when using interactive teaching.

The offers instructions for solving a static ladder problem.

A response by Chandralekha Singh, Mario Belloni, and Wolfgang Christian to a letter to the editor about their article "Improving Students' Understanding of Quantum Mechanics," in the August 2006 issue is presented.

The article presents two computer models showing the translational and rotational dynamic motions, including the Rally Car Jump Model and the Stick Falling from Table Model.