This article illustrates the use of newspapers as a resource for teaching and learning about science. Science teachers in Northern Ireland have produced a special edition news magazine, "Space Science News," to support the teaching and learning of aspects of space science in secondary school. The resource is based on authentic newspaper articles…

High-speed photography can show that the shape often used for a newly forming drop is wrong. Knowledge of drop behaviour is important for inkjet printers, and a close look at the formation of drops as given here can enhance critical observation, thinking and analysis.

This article explains the significance of a transit of Venus and relates scientists' efforts at making precise observations of transits over the past 250 years.

Transits of Venus have been observed since the 17th century and were soon recognized as a way of determining the distance from the Earth to the Sun. But just how can this be done? There are in fact four methods and this article examines them in turn, making clear how Venus will appear to move, what observations are required, the calculations that…

On 8 June 2004 Venus will pass in front of the Sun as seen from the Earth. Many people will watch the small dark dot cross the solar disk, but will they stop to think about Venus as a real place? In this article we discuss what we know about Venus, what it looks like from orbit, what you might see if you were on the surface and future plans for…

Teaching Romer's discovery alongside the Doppler effect can reveal a satisfying linkage between the two and give students a better understanding of both than they get from studying either alone.

Using computers to provide dynamic modelling of physical situations is a valuable teaching tool. This is the first of two articles which look in detail at the use of two tools: this article considers the use of VnR whilst the second considers Modellus. This article provides useful approaches using VnR to teach physics. It also considers the…

We treat a modified Atwood's machine in which equal masses do not balance because of being in an accelerated frame of reference. Analysis of the problem illuminates the meaning of inertial forces, d'Alembert's principle, the use of free-body diagrams and the selection of appropriate systems for the diagrams. In spite of the range of these…

A simple blind spot activity has been devised to help students discard misconceptions about image formation by lenses. Our hands-on experiment, in which students determine the location and size of their blind spots, is suitable for various age groups at different educational levels. The activity provides an opportunity to teach students how to…

An application of Newton's second law to a snowboarder dropping off a vertical ledge shows that the average normal force during landing (force exerted by the ground on the snowboarder) is determined by four factors. It is shown that the flexing of the legs, the softness of the snow, the angle of the landing surface and the forward motion of the…

The House of Science in Stockholm is a university science laboratory for physics, astronomy and biotechnology, entirely devoted to schools. The laboratory makes modern science accessible to teachers, school classes and individual students. It could serve as a model for universities and science centres that want to bridge the gap between school and…

Microwave ovens can be used to perform exciting demonstrations that illustrate a variety of physics topics. Experiments discussed here show superheating, visualize the inhomogeneous heating that takes place in a microwave and also show how to use a mobile phone to detect radiation leaking from the oven. Finally eggs can give some spectacular…

This paper gives a brief introduction to computer games and the way they are created. It also discusses the relevance of physics to those creating computer games and gives examples of real situations where the author has made use of skills that she learned as a physicist.

Modern video games use physics to achieve realistic behaviour and special effects. Everything from billiard balls, to flying debris, to tactical fighter jets is simulated in games using fundamental principles of dynamics. This article explores several examples of how physics is used in games. Further, this article describes some of the more…

Basic electronic devices have been used to great effect with console computer games. This paper looks at a range of devices from the very simple, such as microswitches and potentiometers, up to the more complex Hall effect probe. There is a great deal of relatively straightforward use of simple devices in computer games systems, and having read…