Laboratory astrophysics and astrochemistry are emerging fields highlighting the importance of laboratory simulations and experiments to benefit remote observations. In particular, ice mixtures found in the outer solar system may offer insight into the early evolution of organic molecules. H[subscript 2]O-ice mixtures containing other species such…

Student misconceptions of the double-slit experiment (Fig. 1) are abundant. The most common ones that we observe include: (1) belief that constructive interference requires both pathlengths to be integer multiples of the wavelength ("L[subscript 1] = n[subscript 1][lambda]" and "L[subscript 2] = n[subscript 2][lambda]") rather…

Drop Tower Physics (DTP) is composed of a set of experiments using standard physics lecture demonstration equipment, such as a pendulum, mass spring oscillator, and so forth, while videotaping them as they fall freely in the Dryden Drop Tower in Portland, OR. An article published in "The Physics Teacher" illustrated the behavior of a…

Using a Geiger-Müller tube, sound-capturing software, and a simple computer program, students measured to reasonable precision the half-value layer of steel in absorbing high-energy gamma rays from a Radium Ore Revigator (pronounced re-vig-a-tor with the accent on "vig"), an early quack medical device. This article describes the process…

The conical pendulum is a classic introductory physics problem for teaching circular motion--a topic about which students frequently carry alternative conceptions. As teachers provide lessons to untangle these conceptions, it is good to allow students to practice their new knowledge in varied settings. This is one possible experiment that builds…

A smartphone magnetometer is used to record the magnetic field of a freely falling point dipole magnet. The recorded magnetic field vs. time data are analyzed in accordance with the spatial dependence of the magnetic field to calculate the acceleration due to gravity g. The experiment gives local g to be 9.79 ± 1.9% m/s[superscript 2].

Determination of enzyme activity is crucial for discovery, research, and development in life sciences. The activity of enzymes is routinely determined using spectrophotometric assays that measure rates of substrate consumption or product formation. Though colorimetric-based detection systems are simple, rapid, and economical to perform, the…

With the availability of educational digital data acquisition systems, it has also become possible in physics education to generate 'big' data sets by (a) measuring multiple variables simultaneously, (b) increasing the sample rate, (c) extending the measurement duration, or (d) choosing a combination among these three options. In the context of…

The educational system is presently undergoing a substantial change to improve the teaching-learning process of all engineering domains. This includes the utilization of user-friendly simulation tools as part of the laboratory for an enhanced practical experience on a virtual platform. Owing to the advantages of virtual experimentation,…

The trajectory of a ball rolling across an inclined plane was recorded on video film to determine if it followed a parabolic path as others have suggested. The challenges in this case were (a) to determine the magnitude and direction of the friction force on the ball, (b) to determine the effect of the friction force on the trajectory and (c) to…

A collision of one object with two or more objects is relatively complicated in general, but a simple example is provided by Newton's cradle since all the objects are identical and in line. In the present paper, an experiment is described where a heavy mallet collides head-on with two billiard balls. The two conservation equations indicate that…

An experiment is described where a pendulum bob was allowed to roll back and forth across an inclined plane. The period of oscillation is larger than that for oscillation in a vertical plane, in part because the effective value of "g" is reduced on an inclined plane. The experiment highlights the differences between all three common…

"Copper to Silver to Gold: The Alchemist's Dream" is an experimental demonstration performed in many schools that involves Zn plating on a Cu coupon to induce brass plating. In this study, a novel method to achieve uniform plating is proposed using a 2.0mol/L ZnCl[subscript 2] aqueous solution, sodium dodecyl sulfate, and Al foil. This…

The principles of process-oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) are applied to the analysis of the emission spectrum of atomic hydrogen. Over the course of three learning cycles, students construct the hydrogen atom's energy level diagram and assign quantum numbers using their measurements of the Balmer series plus additional information on the…

Green chemistry is finding its place as one of the most essential study topics in the curriculum of future chemists and chemical engineers. Experiments that meet green chemistry principles contribute to make the laboratory a safer working place, generate less waste, and allow students to increase their knowledge in new environmentally friendly…