Video analysis is carried out for one-dimensional motion and collision experiments using Tracker. Physical variables, i.e. displacement, time, and velocity, can be deducted from the analysis and allows one to connect them to the equation of motion and energy conservation. Corresponding equations of motions are given without neglecting the effect…

Renewable energy is a trending topic due to its importance in today's society especially because of global warming. Because of its importance, this topic should be discussed at schools in an inclusive education environment. Experimental work is a very good activity to provide students effective conceptual discussions, but it is necessary to…

This paper describes the use of a smartphone's sensors to investigate the motion of a torsion pendulum to demonstrate energy conservation. The smartphone was placed on and attached to a metal disk hanging by a wire. The oscillation of the disk was measured using the smartphone's sensors to simultaneously record angular position, angular speed and…

Newton's first and second laws have implications for the kinetic energy as well as the momentum of a body. It is recommended that this should be made explicit at an appropriate point in a course.

A common method that scientists use to validate a theory is to utilize known principles and laws to produce results on specific settings, which can be assessed using the appropriate experimental methods and apparatuses. Smartphones have various sensors built-in and could be used for measuring and logging data in physics experiments. In this work,…

This research aimed to investigate whether online problem based learning (PBL) approach to teach renewable energy topic improves students' behaviour towards energy conservation. A renewable energy online problem based learning (REePBaL) instruction package was developed based on the theory of constructivism and adaptation of the online learning…

This paper describes a secondary school experience which is intended to help students to think profoundly about some energy-related concepts. It is quite different to other experiences of mechanics because the focus is not on the quantitative calculation of energy conservation but on the qualitative understanding of energy degradation. We first…

This paper describes an exercise completed by sixth form college students to compare the power output from a local coal fired power station with the potential power output from renewable sources including wind farms, solar farms, and the proposed Mersey Tidal Barrage scheme. (Contains 1 figure, 1 table, and 3 photos.)

We discuss an experiment on wind energy performed with home-made apparatus. The experiment reproduces a laboratory windmill, which can pump water from a lower level to a higher one. By measuring the gain of the gravitational potential energy of the pumped water, one can determine the power extracted from the wind. The activity was carried out with…

By means of a simple mathematical model developed by the authors, the apparent movement of the Sun can be studied for arbitrary latitudes. Using this model, it is easy to gain insight into various phenomena, such as the passage of the seasons, dependences of position and time of sunrise or sunset on a specific day of year, day duration for…

Over the past two decades governmental agencies have played an integral role in the advancement of renewable energy education by providing useful information for educators and students. The effect of such efforts has encouraged primary and secondary educational institutions to introduce the subject of renewable energy within their science…

In Japan, junior high school students learn about energy conversion between kinetic and potential energy. In addition, they learn about energy conversion among different kinds of energy, such as mechanical, electrical, thermal, light and chemical. As for the conversion between electrical and light energy, teachers usually use lamps or LEDs to…

Anything that can capture the interest of students can be used to enhance the teaching of physics, and sport is practised, watched and followed fanatically by almost every young person. At the same time, in recent years, a wealth of research data has become available from the field of sports science. The purpose of this article is to draw from…

Inexpensive video analysis technology now enables students to make precise measurements of an object's position at incremental times during its motion. Such capability now allows users to "examine", rather than simply "assume", energy conservation in a variety of situations commonly discussed in introductory physics courses. This article describes…

Equipment for demonstrating Newton's third law and the energy conservation law in mechanics have successfully been constructed utilizing fine spherical plastic beads in place of metal ball bearings. To demonstrate Newton's third law, special magnetized Petri dishes were employed as objects, while to examine the energy conservation law, a…