A standard physics experiment for students is to measure the terminal velocity of an object in air or in glycerine. A more difficult challenge is to measure the terminal velocity in water since the depth of the water needs to be large or the object needs to be dropped in the water at a speed close to its terminal velocity. Results obtained by…

In this paper we consider the well-known experiment with the 'heavy' newspaper that breaks a stick that it is laid on. Using several appropriate control experiments we show that the currently invoked explanation using atmospheric pressure cannot be correct. We perform a theoretical analysis and propose a new explanation based on the rotational…

Physics learning cannot be separated from the existence of physics measuring instruments, but their existence in schools are very limited. Therefore, creativity and innovation are needed to develop physics measuring instruments that are easily accessible by schools. This research aims to design and construct a liquid density measuring instrument…

Due to the conditions imposed worldwide by the pandemic, students' access to school laboratories is limited, if not impossible. To provide students with raw experimental data to assess, analyse and reason out, we have filmed experiments that can be used in a flipped classroom. This paper presents an experiment which makes use of an array of six…

We describe four classical undergraduate physics experiments that were done with everyday objects and low-cost sensors: mechanical oscillations, transmittance of light through a slab of matter, beam deformation under load, and thermal relaxation due to heat loss. We used these experiments to train students for experimental homework projects but…

Physics educators keep adding many skill developments to science and engineering students during their education as individuals and groups including critical thinking, conceptual understanding, problem-solving, mathematical implementation, computational implementation, etc. Here, we are discussing how to reach and analyse students' outcomes within…

High school students' difficulties with quantum physics (QP) are partly due to their limited understanding of the nature of science (NOS). The essence of QP can only be understood with informed views about NOS aspects such as the role of models and the relevance of controversies between physicists. Inversely, QP is an ideal topic for teaching…

In this study, we derived several formulas for the currents induced in a circular loop by a magnet connected to a spring-based simple harmonic oscillation system. In addition, we conducted an experiment for measuring the induced currents and compared the results with the theoretical prediction. It was confirmed that the prediction from the derived…

This qualitative, questionnaire and interview-based study explores how pre-service physics teachers think about the role that mathematics plays in the teaching and learning of physics at university and school level and whether these views change during their pre-service teacher education. Many of the pre-service teachers were aware of the complex…

The use of animations, simulations, and remote lab experiments has taken a new turn during the pandemic. When teaching introductory-level physics courses, the simulations and animations play an important role. Carefully designed simulations assist students visualize real-life situations and help understand complex physics concepts behind them.…

Take a selection of balls and marbles along to a nearby playground slide and let students investigate factors that may influence how balls accelerate down an inclined plane. Students can make hypotheses in small groups, plan investigations to test multiple possible explanations and draw conclusions about the importance of different variables. The…

We use a tensile testing machine to create stress-strain plots and determine Young's modulus for some ductile and plastic materials. Supplementary videos are also provided.

We propose to reconsider the well-known experiment about the interference of white light from a thin soap film by adopting as an illuminating source the RGB triad produced by a LED projector. The interference pattern shows up in a particularly fascinating way and it contains direct, essential information about both the wave nature of light and of…

A concept for undergraduate mechanics courses at universities is introduced where traditional pencil-paper based exercises are partially replaced by experimental exercises, in which smartphones are used as measurement devices. A detailed guidance for practical realization and implementation of these tasks formats into the course is presented.…

Digital literacy is a vital competency needed by physics teachers, so it should be trained through lectures using technology, one of which is LMS3. The study aims to describe the LMS3 implementation in school physics lectures to train digital literacy and elucidate an enhancement of prospective physics teachers' digital literacy in school physics…