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What happens when you take some basic, introductory physics and apply them to cool things you see? Dot Physics happens. This blog looks at movies, experiments, demos and other topics typically aimed at the introductory physics level.
Rhett Allain is an Associate Professor of Physics at Southeastern Louisiana University. He
enjoys teaching and talking about physics. Sometimes he takes things apart and can't
put them back together.
April 30, 2009
Category: random
Announcement: There is a ton of extra money for education of teachers. You should submit a grant proposal. Hey, let's submit a proposal and get laptops for a whole bunch of students. To me, this is like giving morphine to...
Posted by Rhett Allain at 2:17 PM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: physics
What acceleration would this have? Really, as straight forward as one could get. Let me start with the definition of acceleration: (in the x-direction since this is a 1-d problem)
Posted by Rhett Allain at 11:40 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 28, 2009
Category: physics
In the second Cat in the Hat book (I think it is the second one), the Cat reveals that he has more smaller cats under his hat. They are labeled A - Z with Z being so small you can't even see. Question: What is the sequence of sizes for successive cats? How big would Cat Z be?
Posted by Rhett Allain at 4:48 PM • 7 Comments • 1 TrackBacks
April 26, 2009
Category: physics
In thinking about centripetal forces, I realized that I could come up with a situation in which the centrifugal force is the centripetal force. This is great. I can end all the confusion between centrifugal and centripetal by making a case where they are the same.
Posted by Rhett Allain at 10:19 PM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 24, 2009
Category: physics
A student in my office temporarily confused the words centripetal and centrifugal. This started me thinking about these two words. They mean different things, but do sound and look similar.
Posted by Rhett Allain at 10:48 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: physics
Here is the point. If you are going to explain it, do it correctly. Otherwise don't do anything. Maybe you can come up with a better idea that the MythBusters could use. (note - I put black on the pictures to cover up the reflection of the lamp I forgot to turn off)
Posted by Rhett Allain at 8:51 AM • 3 Comments • 4 TrackBacks
April 22, 2009
Category: random
The nickel ring, perhaps appropriately, should have the dimensions of a U.S. five-cent piece, with a 3/16-inch hole exactly in the center. (Do not make the part from a coin; it is illegal to deface U.S. currency.)
Posted by Rhett Allain at 2:41 PM • 8 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 21, 2009
Category: physics
why are sparks blue? My first gut response was that this is the blackbody color. Wrong for several reasons. The short answer is that sparks are blue because o the colors given off from nitrogen and oxygen when they are excited.
Posted by Rhett Allain at 4:13 PM • 8 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: physics
Car Talk about the effect DC to AC converters and accessories plugged in to it and how they would effect gas mileage. I skimmed through the last Car Talk podcast, but couldn't find it. He must have heard a re-run on the radio or something (he doesn't really believe in podcasts). Let me calculate the effect a number of things will have.
Posted by Rhett Allain at 11:20 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 16, 2009
Category: science
So, here are my key and interesting points about science in random order.
Posted by Rhett Allain at 11:08 AM • 3 Comments • 2 TrackBacks
denialism blog 02.14.2012
respectful insolence 02.14.2012
uncertain principles 02.13.2012
confessions of a science librarian 02.13.2012
starts with a bang! 02.13.2012
