This article describes the design, delivery, evaluation and impact of a CPD course for physics and chemistry teachers. A key aim of the course was to use the context of the James Webb Space Telescope project to inspire teachers and lead to enriched teaching of STEM subjects. (Contains 1 box and 3 figures.)

Over the last few decades, smart materials have become increasingly important in the design of products. Essentially, a smart material is one that has been designed to respond to a stimulus, such as a change in temperature or magnetic field, in a particular and useful way. This article looks at a range of smart materials that are relatively…

Presents activities and experiments that can be performed with mirrors to illustrate the nature and behavior of light. Includes diagrams, directives and investigative questions. (ML)

This article describes the basic physics of several types of holograms and discusses different recording materials in use. Current and possible future applications of holograms are described as well as their large-scale production. (Author)

Short articles describe the production, photography, and analysis of diffraction patterns using a small laser, a technique for measuring electrical resistance without a standard resistor, a demonstration of a thermocouple effect in a galvanometer with a built-in light source, and a common error in deriving the expression for centripetal force. (AL)

Describes how astrophysics can be a do-it-yourself project within a school boy's budget and background, by giving detailed instruction on equipment construction. In addition, this article describes many experiments to undertake, with the equipment, such as determining color temperature, star spectra, chemical composition and others. (BR)

Discusses some examples of Fresnel diffraction. Diffraction effects caused by round holes, round obstacles, narrow slits, narrow obstacles, and transparent obstacles are included. (HM)

Describes an open-ended investigation in which students have to look into a feature of lens performance that is not commonly found in textbook materials on optics. Presents explanations and sample results. (WRM)

Ten laboratory exercises on optics are described to clarify concepts involving point objects and converging lenses producing real images. Mathematical treatment is kept to a minimum to stress concepts involved. (PS)

Twenty-two activities are presented. Topics include: acid rain, microcomputers, fish farming, school-industry research projects, enzymes, equilibrium, assessment, science equipment, logic, Archimedes principle, electronics, optics, and statistics. (CW)

Outlines what a hologram is, the main types of holography, and how a simple system producing a white light reflection hologram can be set up in a school physics laboratory. Discusses the basic optics of the hologram and procedures and materials for making holograms in school. (YP)

Short articles describe a method of introducing the study of simple harmonic motion, and suggest models that are analogues for impedence matching, electrical transformers, and birefringent crystals. (AL)