This short article describes some useful and quick applications of a cooking electronic balance. Newton's third law, Archimedes buoyancy and an estimate of relative density are accomplished in a very simple way. (Contains 1 figure.)

Explains the use of a convex lens as a thick mirror. Shows the expression for the power of this type mirror. (YP)

Describes four activities to analyze drinking water for its pH, hardness, turbidity, and conductivity. (MDH)

Presents a laboratory experiment which determines critical temperature and density of carbon dioxide. Discusses critical point and provides equations to estimate liquid volume fraction. Analyzes experimental results in terms of variables. (JM)

Describes a simple, inexpensive experiment in which students determine the heats of combustion of common solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels. The experimental apparatus, procedures, calculations and results are discussed. (CW)

Errors found in a common physics experiment to measure acceleration resulting from gravity using a linear air track are investigated. Glider position at release and initial velocity are shown to be sources of systematic error. (CW)

Presents a class activity in which students use trigonometry to calculate the height attained by a water rocket. Provides a lesson plan that includes a list of materials needed, procedures to carry out the experiment, suggestions to extend the activity, and a reproducible worksheet for the students to register their calculations. (MDH)

Presents an experiment that measures the acceleration and velocity of a model rocket. Lift-off information is transmitted to a computer that creates a graph of the velocity. Discusses the analysis of the computer-generated data and differences between calculated and experimental velocity and acceleration of several rocket types. (MDH)

This course of study is aligned with the California State Science Framework and provides students with the physics content needed to become scientifically and technologically literate and prepared for post-secondary science education. Framework themes incorporated into the course of study include patterns of change, evolution, energy, stability,…