This brochure is written for students considering graduate work in physics or related fields such as astronomy, biophysics, and applied physics. It also provides some information for physics undergraduates who plan on pursuing postbaccalaureate studies in the fields of engineering, medicine, law, and other professions that attract significant…

Shows how a baseball having a built-in clock can be used for measuring ceiling height. Suggests other questions to investigate. (YP)

Provides a list of 33 problem-solving steps extracted from physics textbooks and arranged within the following 3 categories: setup, solution, and checks. (MDH)

Two computer-generated star charts that can be used as overlay transparencies to show an expanding universe are presented. Directions on how to use the star charts to determine the Hubble constant and the age of the universe are provided. (KR)

An activity in which students use a rubber band and flexible straws to pull a dynamics cart so that the cart has a consistent angle and, therefore, a consistent horizontal component of force is described. A copy of the handout for the activity is included. (KR)

Presents two methods for measuring the index of refraction of glass or lucite. These two methods, used in the freshman laboratory, are based on the fact that a ray of light inside a block will be refracted parallel to the surface. (HM)

Suggests an apparatus to improve the measurement of the mechanical equivalent of heat. Describes the materials needed to construct the apparatus; the methodology of an experiment to measure the heat gained by lead shot falling through a distance of 100 meters; and the calculations made to register that gain. (MDH)

Discusses the heat-transfer systems of different animals. Systems include heat conduction into the ground, heat transferred by convection, heat exchange in lizards, fish and polar animals, the carotid rete system, electromagnetic radiation from animals and people, and plant and animal fiber optics. (MDH)

Proposes a scenario to describe the formation of a planetary nebula, a cloud of gas surrounding a very hot compact star. Describes the nature of a planetary nebula, the number observed to date in the Milky Way Galaxy, and the results of research on a specific nebula. (MDH)

Presents an experiment to demonstrate Charles's Law of Ideal Gases by creating a constant-pressure thermometer from materials that can be found in the kitchen. Discusses the underlying mathematical relationships and a step-by-step description of the experiment. (MDH)