Describes a teaching experiment that uses the Learning Cycle to achieve the reorientation of physics' students conceptual frameworks away from commonsense perspectives toward scientifically rigorous outlooks. Uses Archimedes' principle as the content topic while using the Learning Cycle to remove students' nonscientific preconceptions. (JRH)

Presents the Astro-Blaster as a method of the laws of conservation of momentum and energy during the creation of a supernova. Several elastic balls are aligned for a drop, followed by multiple collisions which result in the top ball reaching tremendous heights relative to the drop height. (JRH)

Describes the physics of what happens when a single vehicle rolls over on its side during the process of turning in an arc. (JRH)

Describes the activities of the kNights of Physics, a group of preservice teachers, whose goal is to spread the knowledge of the fun of physics to elementary students and their parents. (JRH)

Offers encouragement and advice to physicists who might be asked to teach a college astronomy course for nonscience majors. (JRH)

Describes a system that demonstrates how a color may be generated and specified in mathematical terms. Illustrates the mixing of primary colors as well as the concepts of saturation, luminance, and illumination. (JRH)

Applies the concepts of kinematics and conservation of mechanical energy to calculate the time needed to reach a certain point along semicircular and parabolic paths. Presents numerical calculations for the critical speed thresholds for the paths of semicircular and parabolic curves. (JRH)

Describes the rationale, benefits, drawbacks, logistics, and student opinions regarding the idea of giving a two-minute quiz every lecture as a teaching reform that makes incremental changes, within the framework of the traditional lecture, in the direction of active learning. (JRH)

Presents the Night Spectra Quest, a pocket-sized chart that identifies in color the spectra of all the common night lights and has an integrally mounted, holographic diffraction grating to look through. (JRH)

Describes the use of the Texas Instruments' calculator-based laboratory (CBL) and Vernier accelerometer for measuring the vector sum of the gravitational field and the acceleration of amusement park rides. (JRH)

Describes the use of the black-box technique to explore electrical circuit design and circuit elements. (JRH)

Presents a variety of problems, involving kinematics and dynamics, that deal with ropes and their centers of mass. (JRH)

Outlines and illustrates the Dartmouth approach to developing a science project. This problem-solving approach, promoted by the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College, helps teachers in guiding students in all phases of project work. (JRH)

Presents a brief historical review and a discussion of the Bohr theory aimed at helping readers understand more completely the development of atomic quantum physics and comprehend more precisely and profoundly the essence of the correspondence principle. (JRH)

Describes the use of a news story to discuss physics problems related to kinematics and dynamics. (JRH)