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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.
May 31, 2010
Category: attack
The Electric Eel is the most powerful of all the electric fishes. It can discharge up to 650 volts: six times the power of a household current. A shock can fend off attackers or stun prey so the eel doesn't risk getting hurt in a struggle.
Posted by Rhett Allain at 2:23 PM • 13 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: acceleration
What would you do if you came to see this video? If I had not made it, I would say it is an unrealistic video. It does not agree with my basic model of how things move after being thrown or shot or whatever.
Posted by Rhett Allain at 12:07 PM • 85 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
May 27, 2010
You should check this out - its free. This is a very creative take on some of the ideas of physics. Think of it as physics meets Dr. Seuss, but with more detailed art work. Created by James Dunbar,...
Posted by Rhett Allain at 5:42 PM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: education
Originally, this was kind of like the instructor's manual that went with one of the big name intro-physics books (maybe the new version of Halliday and Resnick). But this book is way more than an instructor's manual.
Posted by Rhett Allain at 12:35 PM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: education
Even though I have taught courses like this before (in a sense, my last physical science course was like this), I really don't like these courses. I will classify a "tell and repeat" course as one where the instructor tells the students stuff and then the students repeat this on the test.
Posted by Rhett Allain at 11:44 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: acceleration
The link I clicked that brought me to this video said the equivalent of "OMG!" That is not what I thought, really I am not sure what is so impressive (except that he didn't fall off the skateboard). If the original poster was impressed with the height of the fall, he clearly has not seen the 35 foot jump into 1 foot of water by Professor Splash.
Posted by Rhett Allain at 9:55 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
May 26, 2010
Category: Analysis
I am still thinking about the Red Bull Stratos Jump. Sorry, but there is just tons of great physics here. Next question - how big of a balloon would you need to get up to 120,000 feet?
Posted by Rhett Allain at 5:41 PM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
May 25, 2010
Category: astronomy
What does noon traditionally mean? In this day of the digital watch, most people associate noon with 12:00, you know - lunch time. But before clocks, noon referred to the time of day where the Sun was at the highest point in the sky.
Posted by Rhett Allain at 2:25 PM • 8 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: grades
sometimes I get students that come in and say they are not happy with their grade. It is not unusual for them to come in right before the test, but it seems more common to come after all the grades are finished.
Posted by Rhett Allain at 10:06 AM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
May 24, 2010
Category: acceleration
But really, is this a spoiler alert if it is from the trailer of a movie that has been out forever? Of course, I talking about the latest Star Trek movie where three guys jump out of a shuttle and into the atmosphere.
Posted by Rhett Allain at 2:54 PM • 9 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
