Bring These Physics Ideas Straight to Your Classroom

Explore classroom ready materials   View in Browser OUR JOURNALS MANAGE MY ALERTS ABOUT AAPT American Association of Physics Teachers Classroom Ready Materials Bring these physics ideas straight to your classroom Explore a selection of recently published articles from the American Journal of Physics and The Physics Teacher that feature classroom-ready materials for physics educators. These articles highlight practical activities, demonstrations, or teaching approaches that can be directly applied in physics instruction. Each article below is accompanied with a summary designed to help readers easily see which articles will be most valuable to them. Extensive Teaching Tools Decades’ worth of enduring articles that continue to inform and inspire today’s teaching READ NOW > AMERICAN JOURNALS OF PHYSICS PAPERS  Using oral exams in physics and astronomy courses Brian DiGiorgio Zanger READ MORE > Despite their historical popularity, in recent years undergraduate oral examinations have become less and less common in the United States. However, recent technological advances (especially the rise of generative artificial intelligence) are making it more difficult to maintain the academic integrity of in-class or take-home written exams. In response, many instructors are reconsidering the role of the oral exam in modern assessment. This article describes one author's experience and method for administering oral exams in upper-division undergraduate physics and astronomy courses, along with helpful discussion and resources for instructors.  We hope this article serves as inspiration for readers interested in exploring alternative assessment methods. Interference rings by scattered light Giuliano Malloci, Guido Pegna READ MORE > Optics instructors will want to try the demonstration described in this paper, which updates an often-overlooked geometry for illustrating both scattering and interference of light. The authors show how to simplify the analysis so that it is appropriate even for the introductory classroom. Motivating separation of variables Douglas A. Kurtze READ MORE > Separation of variables is essential in theoretical physics, but instructors often introduce it as an unmotivated ansatz, justified only because it works. Students gain no intuition for when or why the method succeeds‚ or when it might fail. This article offers an alternative. Starting from basis vectors in three dimensions, the author introduces function spaces and eigenvalue problems at a level accessible to sophomore physics students. Separation of variables emerges naturally rather than as a clever trick, and students gain early exposure to mathematical structures they will encounter later. A surprise to many physicists: Excel can handle complex numbers Ole Anton Haugland READ MORE > Excel offers a simple path to computational thinking and modeling for students, but most faculty are unaware of one of Excel’s capabilities: it has built-in functions to perform complex arithmetic! This short Letter shows how to enter complex numbers and functions, and it gives some examples of calculations that students might perform. A very simple derivation of the periastron advance to all post-Newtonian orders of perturbation in Schwarzschild geometry Steven A. Balbus READ MORE > Explaining the advance of orbital perihelion was one of the major early successes of the theory of general relativity, and it remains a fixture of GR courses at the advanced undergraduate and graduate level. However, this explanation has not been something we could share in earlier physics courses. This paper presents a simple mathematical technique that will allow instructors in lower-level undergraduate courses to share an interactive analysis of an orbital perihelion advance that can be calculated with arbitrary accuracy. One immediate noteworthy application is the analysis of this advance for stars orbiting the black hole at our galactic center. Experimental investigation of the axial and in-plane magnetic fields of a square coil using a smartphone R. Mathevet, C. M. Fabre, N. Lamrani, P. Marchou READ MORE > Readers will value two contributions of this paper: It points out that the 3-D nature of a smartphone’s magnetometer is very convenient for aligning the magnetometer with the field, and it reminds readers that, unlike a circular loop, the field of a rectangular loop is easily calculated. The combination of these two contributions will allow instructors to create laboratory experiences that help their students better understand magnetic fields. Enhancing conceptual understanding of Gauss's law through asymmetric infinite sheet/slab charge examples Simarjeet S. Saini, Reza Kohandani READ MORE > Teaching Gauss’s law is challenging. If it’s a challenge you’re facing, then you’ll want to read this paper. It describes a teaching plan for applying Gauss’s Law to a variety of situations where the charge distribution depends on only one Cartesian coordinate. Students will understand Gauss’s law more deeply after this presentation and will also be able to understand and solve problems related to practical devices. Introducing key theoretical and data analysis tools in computational physics via Earth's temperature and climate David Syphers READ MORE > This paper provides two introductory computing activities on topics that students will find both compelling and understandable. The author has identified common pitfalls in computing and carefully designed exercises that will help students avoid them. The activities can be used together or separately. They are appropriate not only for courses that focus on computing but also for those that focus on climate, if the instructor wishes to introduce computational exercises. Color-coding strategies for multiple representations Brianna S. Dillon Thomas READ MORE > Learning physics is hard, and, as instructors, we try to use all possible tools to help students. Here’s a tool you may not have considered: use color to help students connect ideas. The author suggests three ways that color can help introductory students. You’ll want to give them a try! Graphical approach to Bell's inequalities Krzysztof Rȩbilas READ MORE > I learned long ago how to derive one form of the Bell inequality. Since then, I have simply accepted the other versions on faith. Now, thanks to this very understandable paper, I actually understand them! You’ll want to share this graphical approach with your students. THE PHYSICS TEACHER PAPERS Questions Without Answers as a Teaching Tool Kaisa Young READ MORE > How often do you tell your students that science doesn’t always have an answer? Many students have misconceptions about the nature of scientific inquiry, and many instructors look for ways to improve science literacy and attitudes toward science. Astronomy and physics are full of unanswered questions. Structuring an introductory general education physics or astronomy course around unanswered questions has the potential to promote a better understanding of the scientific method and lead students to think deeply about the fundamental nature of the universe. Big questions about the nature of the universe, space, and time can also be inserted into existing traditional physics, modern physics, or astronomy courses to engage students and introduce the latest discoveries and technologies. Bailey Bridges Dan MacIsaac READ MORE > A (perhaps oddly) compelling video discussing the engineering structure, assembly, and rapid deployment/construction of Bailey bridges. These are proven, fast, and still extensively used bridges you will absolutely see if anything happens to a regular highway bridge and a quick replacement bridge is required. These modular steel bridges were designed by Donald Bailey to rapidly transport and hand deploy using a minimum of (or even no) heavy equipment and were widely (>4500) used during World War II and are still indelibly associated with that conflict. Your local highway department still uses these as replacement bridges during disasters and regular repair/renewal, and you can even buy your own. Reversing the Fun Fly Stick James Lincoln READ MORE > A Fun Fly Stick is a battery-powered handheld Van de Graaff generator that provides a positive charge at the end of a cardboard tube (Fig. 1). It is particularly convenient for classroom demonstrations such as the Leyden jar or charging by induction, but (of course) will not work for the photoelectric effect (you need electrons for that). But today, ladies and gentlemen of physics, I have found a way to reverse the Fun Fly Stick, and this method will now produce either negative charge or positive charge with a simple maneuver. Problem-Based Learning via X-Shaped Diffraction Patterns Using Everyday Objects Jin Tao, Rubing Zhou, Yang Zhiqiang, Qian Cheng, et al. READ MORE > Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered approach that encourages active inquiry through solving real-life problems. In this article, we use the example of X-shaped diffraction patterns from common objects to show how PBL can guide students to ask questions, investigate, and find solutions. This strategy not only deepens students’ understanding of optical diffraction but also helps teachers grow through the teaching process. Measuring the Breaking Strength of Steel Guitar Strings Mark French, Debbie French READ MORE > The guitar can be an engaging tool to teach a variety of physics concepts. Steel guitar strings have been available for at least 100 years, and most guitars use them. An average acoustic guitar is under 825 N of tension when properly intonated with steel strings. We have the sense that steel strings must be strong since thin strings can bear the tension required to bring them to pitch. But how strong are they, exactly? It is possible to measure breaking strength of a string using nothing but your guitar and a tuning app on your smartphone.   This demonstration would be appropriate for any high school physics classroom as it would address part of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) HS-PS6 (“Communicate scientific and technical information about why the molecular-level structure is important in the functioning of designed materials.”) or any introductory collegiate-level physics course. Free-Point Friday: An Intervention Model for Introductory Physics Nathan D. Davis, Gabriel S. Woodbury Saudeau, Spencer H. Johnson, Eric W. Burkholder READ MORE > Often, assessments in undergraduate physics courses are summative. Instructors impose time constraints on the students, and students are not given opportunities to apply any feedback to then work to build their understanding of the material. In this paper, we describe a modest supplemental instruction-style intervention that turned weekly, summative content quizzes into opportunities for formative assessment. This was a graduate-student-led effort in an algebra-based introductory physics course at Auburn University. Though we did not have a randomized control group, we used regression analysis to show that students who attended the supplemental intervention, called Free-Point Friday (FPF), performed better than peers with equivalent physics diagnostic scores, self-efficacy, and mindset at the beginning of the semester. Sparking Curiosity: How Do You Know What Your Students Are Thinking? Wendy K. Adams, Courtney Willis READ MORE > People find it easier to learn about topics that interest them. Recent neuroscience research has demonstrated that memory is improved when learning material about which we are curious. Therefore teaching in the context of what students are interested in should result in improved learning. How do we figure out what our students are curious about? What are they thinking? In this paper we will share techniques that we use in our teaching to determine what our students are highly motivated to learn. Data demonstrating increased interest in physics over the course of the term as well as student learning will also be shared. Teaching Physics Using PhET Simulations C. E. Wieman, W. K. Adams, P. Loeblein, K. K. Perkins READ MORE > PhET Interactive Simulations (sims) are now being widely used in teaching physics and chemistry. Sims can be used in many different educational settings, including lecture, individual or small group inquiry activities, homework, and lab. Here we will highlight a few ways to use them in teaching, based on our research1 and experiences using them in high school and college classes. On our website we have a more complete guide to using PhET sims in the classroom: phet.colorado.edu/teacher_ideas/classroom‐use.php. Exploring elevator operating parameters with smartphone barometers Weisong Yi READ MORE > Elevators are used frequently, and their safe and comfortable operation is important. Smartphones have not only facilitated daily life, but also have gradually penetrated into the field of education and become a powerful experimental tool. Because of the built-in sensors and applications, smartphones are widely used in physical experiments inside and outside the lab. Kuhn et al. analyzed elevator oscillation with smartphone accelerators, Monteiro and Martí measured the vertical velocities of elevators with smartphone barometers, Zhang et al. monitored and evaluated elevator ride comfort using smartphones, and Barille monitored the aircraft cabin pressure during a flight using smartphone barometers. iPhysicsLabs meets AI@TPT: Stationary waves in tubes and the speed of sound Patrik Vogt, Peter Sander, Stefan Küchemann, Jochen Kuhn READ MORE > A recent article in this column demonstrated that ChatGPT can be used to analyze experimental data sets after uploading them on the ChatGPT-4o web platform and conducting detailed prompting. Even more complex analyses can be performed by artificial intelligence, saving time, requiring fewer mathematical prerequisites, and focusing on the physical content. This article uses a well-known experiment to show that ChatGPT can also perform acoustic analysis based on audio files with remarkable accuracy. 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