Terminology and the Universal Wave Equation
Wave Interference
Transmission and Reflection of Waves
Standing Waves
Harmonics
Blinded by the Light
Learning Outcomes
Case Focus
Role and Situation
Case Background
Disclosure 1-5
The Physics 205/206 and 210/211 sequences are intended for biology majors. If you're an engineering major, you should be in Physics 221. If you just need a gen ed class, you should be in Physics 130. Physics 205/206 satisfies your physics requirement if you're a biology major transferring to a Cal State. The prerequisites for 205 are Math 141 (precalculus) and Math 142 (trig). Physics 210/211 satisfies your physics requirement if you're a biology major transferring to a UC (or a Cal State). The prerequisites for 210 are Math 141 (precalculus) and Math 142 (trig), and the corequisite is Math 150A (calculus).
Physics 30 and PI
Physics 30 Nuclear PBL
Introductory lesson and worksheets exploring Physics 30.
This Physics video explains the Application of Pascal's Law in Hydraulics.
A wealth of resources for teaching and learning about physics!
Tutorials, interactives, videos, multimedia info, concept builders, concept checkers, question bank HELP and more!
This 10-minute video lesson looks at Newton's First Law (Galileo's Law of Inertia).
cK-12 Exploration Series offers Physics and Chemistry simulations to support visualization of abstract concepts. Teachers would need to create an account.
Students explore the physics utilized by engineers in designing today's roller coasters, including potential and kinetic energy, friction, and gravity. First, students learn that all true roller coasters are completely driven by the force of gravity and that the conversion between potential and kinetic energy is essential to all roller coasters. Second, they also consider the role of friction in slowing down cars in roller coasters. Finally, they examine the acceleration of roller coaster cars as they travel around the track. During the associated activity, the students design, build, and analyze a roller coaster for marbles out of foam tubing.
This is an activity about the way distance, albedo, and atmosphere affect the temperature of a planet. Learners will create a planet using a computer game and change features of the planet to increase or decrease the planet's temperature. They will then discuss their results in terms of greenhouse strength and the presence of liquid water. This lesson is part of Project Spectra, a science and engineering education program focusing on how light is used to explore the Solar System.
This is an activity about the atmospheric conditions (greenhouse strength, atmospheric thickness) Mars needs to maintain surface water. Learners will use a computer interactive to learn about Mars past and present before exploring the pressure and greenhouse strength needed for Mars to have a watery surface as it had in the past. This lesson is part of Project Spectra, a science and engineering education program focusing on how light is used to explore the Solar System.
This is an activity about how much atmospheric pressure is needed on Mars to maintain surface water and why it does not have surface water today. Learners will use a computer interactive to learn about Mars past and present before exploring the pressure and greenhouse strength needed for Mars to have a watery surface as it had in the past. This lesson is part of Project Spectra, a science and engineering education program focusing on how light is used to explore the Solar System.
The PlanetQuest Observing Cards are designed to give telescope operators and other interpreters a new way of explaining the night sky. Relating common observing objects to our search for exoplanets makes these spectacular sights more understandable. These cards are a great resource for use at observing night events, providing new stories to tell about commonly viewed celestial objects.
Explore how plates move on the surface of the earth. Change temperature, composition, and thickness of plates. Discover how to create new mountains, volcanoes, or oceans!
We’re continuing our look at engineering materials with third main type of material that you’ll encounter as an engineer: polymers. They’re made of long, repeating chains of smaller molecules known as monomers and today we’ll explore their strange history of polymers and the things that contributed to how we use them today.
Students investigate the accuracy of sundials and the discrepancy that lies between "real time" and "clock time." They track the position of the sun during the course of a relatively short period of time as they make a shadow plot, a horizontal sundial, and a diptych sundial. (The activity may be abridged to include only one or two of the different sundials, instead of all three.)
This is a hands-on lab activity about seawater density, specifically the relationship between density of fluid, weight of an object, and buoyancy. Learners will develop hypotheses and observe a demonstration of density to understand its role in buoyancy. They will also examine the effect of salinity on density. Background information, common preconceptions, a glossary and more is included. This activity is part of the Aquarius Hands-on Laboratory Activities.
This is an activity about solar energy. Learners will first use computers to research and learn how solar panels convert sunlight into electricity. Next, they will calculate the surface area of solar panels board a satellite and their total power generated in various positions of the satellite, given the dimension of the panels. After, learners will organize and write a report summarizing the information about the MMS mission satellites. This activity requires student access to internet accessible computers. This is lesson four as part of the MMS Mission Educator's Instructional Guide.
This activity was designed for blind learners, but all types of learners can use it to discover if there is a relationship between depth and pressure.