Abstract: A selection of hands-on experiments from different fields of physics, which happen too fast for the eye or video cameras to properly observe and analyse the phenomena, is presented. They are recorded and analysed using modern high speed cameras. Two types of cameras were used: the first were rather inexpensive consumer products such as Casio Exilim cameras operating at frame rates of up to 1200 Hz for reduced image sizes and the second were higher quality research cameras, which allow much higher frame rates at larger image sizes. In this first article, examples are presented from exploding balloons demonstrating retardation in mechanics, karate hits, deformations associated with the bouncing of balls, strange trajectories of 'superballs' as well as the breaking of spaghetti.

Abstract: This article provides a detailed description of the use of Nintendo Wii game controllers in physics demonstrations. The main features of the controller relevant to physics are outlined and the procedure for communicating with a PC is described. A piece of software written by the author is applied to gathering data from a controller suspended from a spring undergoing simple harmonic motion, a pair of controllers mounted on colliding gliders on a linear air track, and a person jumping from a balance board.

Abstract: Commercial video games are increasingly using sophisticated physics simulations to create a more immersive experience for players. This also makes them a powerful tool for engaging students in learning physics. We provide some examples to show how commercial off-the-shelf games can be used to teach specific topics in introductory undergraduate physics. The examples are selected from a course taught predominantly through the medium of commercial video games.

Abstract: Misconceptions of siphon action include assumptions that intermolecular attractions play a key role and that siphons will operate in a vacuum. These are belied by the siphoning of gaseous carbon dioxide and behaviour of siphons under reduced pressure. These procedures are suitable for classroom demonstrations. The principles of siphon action are summarized.

Abstract: Although the siphon has been in use since ancient times, the exact mechanism of operation is still under discussion. For example, most dictionaries assert that atmospheric pressure is essential to the operation of a siphon rather than gravity. Although there is general agreement that gravity is the motivating force in a siphon, there is disagreement on how liquid enters a siphon—is it atmospheric push or tensile pull? This article describes a classroom experiment that can serve as the basis for discussing how a siphon works. The experiment involves the construction of a siphon in which the water level in the upper reservoir is held constant during the operation of the siphon. Since the atmosphere is not doing any work on the water in the upper reservoir, only gravity is at work. The special situation of a bubble-in-a-siphon is also discussed in which both atmospheric pressure and gravity are at work.

Abstract: One of the subjects that is confusing and difficult for students to fully comprehend is the concept of angular velocity and linear velocity. It is the relationship between linear and angular velocity that students find difficult; most students understand linear motion in isolation. In this article, we detail the design, construction and utilization of a simple, economic, practical piece of apparatus that could enable students to establish the relationship between angular velocity and linear velocity.

Abstract: This article describes a few simple experiments that are worthwhile for slow motion recording and analysis either because of interesting phenomena that can be seen only when slowed down significantly or because of the ability to do precise time measurements. The experiments described in this article are quite commonly done in Czech schools. All high-speed videos were taken using a Casio Exilim EX-F1 camera that can produce slow motion videos recorded at a rate of 1200 FPS (frames per second). When played back at the standard rate of 30 FPS, the motion is slowed down 40 times. The videos described in this article are accessible via http://bit.ly/slow-motion-physics.

Abstract: A key question in physics education is the effectiveness of the teaching methods. A curriculum that has been investigated at the University of Central Florida (UCF) over the last two years is the use of particular elements of The Physics Suite. Select sections of the introductory physics classes at UCF have made use of Interactive Lecture Demonstrations as part of the lecture component of the class. The laboratory component of the class has implemented the RealTime Physics curriculum, again in select sections. The remaining sections have continued with the teaching methods traditionally used. Using pre- and post-semester concept inventory tests, a student survey, student interviews, and a standard for successful completion of the course, the preliminary data indicate improved student learning.

Abstract: A context-based module to introduce secondary school students to the study of the optical properties of materials and geometric optics is presented. The module implements an innovative teaching approach in which the behaviour of the chosen application, in this article, the optical fibre, is iteratively explored and modelled by means of a combination of hands-on experiments and computer simulation. Focus on design aspects provides the students with the opportunity to further deepen their knowledge of the physics principles at the basis of the optical fibre functioning. Examples of hands-on and computer activities are described in detail, together with some emblematic results of students' achievements. The reported evidence suggests that context-based proposals exploiting the proposed approach have the potential to improve the teaching of some 'traditional' physics content as well as of more advanced topics.

Abstract: In this article we describe an experimental learning path about electromagnetic induction which uses an Atwood machine where one of the two hanging bodies is a cylindrical magnet falling through a plexiglass guide, surrounded either by a coil or by a copper pipe. The first configuration (magnet falling across a coil) allows students to quantitatively study the Faraday?Neumann?Lenz law, while the second configuration (falling through a copper pipe) permits learners to investigate the complex phenomena of induction by quantifying the amount of electric power dissipated through the pipe as a result of Foucault eddy currents, when the magnet travels through the pipe. The magnet's fall acceleration can be set by adjusting the counterweight of the Atwood machine so that both the kinematic quantities associated with it and the electromotive force induced within the coil are continuously and quantitatively monitored (respectively, by a common personal computer (PC) equipped with a webcam and by freely available software that makes it possible to use the audio card to convert the PC into an oscilloscope). Measurements carried out when the various experimental parameters are changed provide a useful framework for a thorough understanding and clarification of the conceptual nodes related to electromagnetic induction. The proposed learning path is under evaluation in various high schools participating in the project 'Lauree Scientifiche' promoted by the Italian Department of Education.

Abstract: In this article, I will extend the falling ball method to measure the viscosity of liquids regardless of the degree of their viscosity. For this, I will show that one can obtain a measurement of the terminal velocity of a falling spherical ball in a viscous liquid by solving numerically the equation of motion which describes the dynamics of the ball from the beginning to the end of the fall. The present numerical approach is proposed here particularly for measuring the viscosity of weakly viscous liquids using the falling ball viscometer.

Abstract: We constructed a simple demonstration setup to simulate an extrasolar planet and its star revolving around the system's centre of mass. Periodic dimming of light from the star by the transiting planet and the star's orbital revolution simulate the two major ways of deducing the presence of an exoplanet near a distant star. Apart from being a visual aid for those needing help, the setup also elicited unexpected questions and suggestions from students, who achieved a fairly good level of understanding of the basis for the transit and radial velocity methods.

Abstract: Photovoltaic-cell-based projects have been used to train eight incoming undergraduate women who were part of a residential summer programme at a women's college. A module on renewable energy and photovoltaic cells was developed in the physics department. The module's objectives were to introduce women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors to physical phenomena, to develop quantitative literacy and communication skills, and to increase the students' interest in physics. The students investigated the performance of commercially available silicon semiconductors through experiments they designed, carried out and analysed. They fabricated and tested organic dye-based solar cells. This article describes the programme, the solar cell module, and presents some experimental results obtained by the students.

Abstract: Several recent misunderstandings about how a siphon operates are discussed.

Abstract: The interference fringes produced by a diffraction grating illuminated with radiation from a TV remote control and a red laser beam are, simultaneously, captured by a digital camera. Based on an image with two interference patterns, an estimate of the infrared radiation wavelength emitted by a TV remote control is made.

Abstract: Teaching the acoustic properties of materials is a good way to teach physics concepts, extending them into the technological arena related to materials science. This article describes an innovative approach for teaching sound and acoustics in combination with sound insulating materials in secondary school (15–16-year-old students). Concerning the subject matter to be taught, a review of specialized literature on architectural acoustics and acoustic properties of materials is presented. A teaching/learning sequence on the acoustic properties of materials using a modelling and enquiry approach is introduced. A central experiment to test the capacity of sound attenuation of materials and to determine whether they behave as sound reflectors or sound absorbers is discussed in detail.

Abstract: We present a simple mathematical analysis for deriving the pressure and temperature variations for complete sinking in the Cartesian diver experiment. Some additional remarks on the system, with respect to the existing literature, are also made.

Abstract: In this article we make some significant remarks on the experimental study of the absorption of gamma radiation passing through matter. These remarks have to do with the seemingly unexpected trend of the measured intensity of radiation versus the thickness of the absorber, which puzzles students and its explanation eludes many laboratory assistants.

Abstract: We report a laboratory activity, carried out along with high- and secondary-school students, that can be done to increase the interest of the young in scientific studies. Groups of selected students ‘adopted’ experiments at physics research laboratories, under the guidance of university researchers. Subsequently, the students demonstrated the experiments to the public at large during the annual science festival organized in Palermo by the association PalermoScienza, in collaboration with the University of Palermo. Experiments on the magnetic levitation of superconductors and on the photoluminescence of several substances were proposed. We discuss the experiment on photoluminescence as a case study. The students who adopted the experiments reinforced their commitment to learning. They acquired a physics-based knowledge of the topics connected with the experiments in a much better way compared with the usual didactics in school.

Abstract: We report on an experiment performed with a home-made flat-plate solar collector, carried out together with high-school students. To explain the experimental results, we propose a model that describes the heating process of the solar collector. The model accounts quantitatively for the experimental data. We suggest that solar-energy topics should be included in school programmes to give students the opportunity to gain experience with solar energy and increase their awareness of the benefits that can be obtained from this remarkable and renewable energy source.

Abstract: A Faraday cage is an interesting physical phenomenon where an electromagnetic wave can be excluded from a volume of space by enclosure with an electrically conducting material. The practical application of this in the classroom is to block the signal to a mobile phone by enclosing it in a metal can. The background of the physics behind this is described in some detail, and this is followed by a explanation of some demonstrations and experiments which I have used.

Abstract: This article describes the genesis and nature of a 40-day course intended to improve the teaching of physics in England by teachers not originally trained in the subject. It also describes early experiences and discusses course evaluation. An accompanying article by James de Winter reviews experiences as described by participating teachers.

Abstract: This article introduces teachers and students to a new portal of resources called Learning with ATLAS at CERN (http://learningwithatlas-portal.eu/), which has been developed by a European consortium of academic researchers and schools' liaison and outreach providers from countries across Europe. It includes the use of some of the mind-boggling facts and figures from the Large Hadron Collider experiment to illustrate some basic school physics concepts. It also uses innovative software adapted and made available on the web by European particle physics researchers to introduce a more innovative investigative approach to teaching particle physics concepts. This gives students a more 'hands-on' experience in the classroom and a feel for what real scientific research might be like.

Abstract: Infrared thermometers measure temperature from a distance, using the infrared radiation emitted by all objects. These so-called non-contact thermometers make a wide variety of temperature measurement and monitoring activities accessible to school-age students. Portable hand-held sensors also enable new or simplified investigations to be carried out with quick and easy measurements. Following thermal footprints is a simple but engaging activity for students: finding out which seat was occupied recently, which cup was filled with a hot drink and which with a cold drink, which car was being driven a short time ago and so on. Nevertheless, introducing and explaining infrared thermometry in schools is not trivial. To this end an introduction with four steps is proposed.

Abstract: Proton beams have been colliding at 7 TeV in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) since 30 March 2010, meaning that the LHC research programme is underway. Particle physicists around the world are looking forward to using the data from these collisions, as the LHC is running at an energy three and a half times higher than previously achieved at any particle accelerator. There are some important questions to be answered by the LHC experiments. What is the origin of mass? What is 96% of the universe made of? Why is there no more antimatter? To avoid colliding with gas molecules inside the accelerator, the beams of particles travel in an ultra-high vacuum—a cavity as empty as interplanetary space. The internal pressure of the LHC is 10 − 9 Pa, one hundred times less than the pressure on the Moon! The aim of this article is to introduce a few simple physical calculations about some physics phenomena related to pressure that take place in the LHC, so that they can be directly used in the secondary school classroom and stimulate the students' interest in the greatest experiment in history.

Abstract: In teaching the materials science aspects of physics, mechanical behaviour is important due to its relevance to many practical applications. This article presents a method for experimentally examining the toughness of chocolate, including a design for a simple test rig, and a number of experiments that can be performed in the classroom. Typical data for some of these experiments are given, along with reflection on the activity.