A classical mechanical structure with an internal degree of freedom is shown to reflect off a potential well. Such behavior is impossible for point-like or rigid classical particles. This numerical study provides insight for students studying internal energy and degrees of freedom.

The food-energy-water (FEW) nexus framework calls for a systems perspective on addressing complex sustainability challenges. As a sustainability science field, nexus research should in theory bring together transdisciplinary approaches drawing from a range of stakeholder knowledge and experiences. This approach would align with the…

Although the old problem of rotating liquid is described and solved in many textbooks and articles, the story still remains interesting. Intuitive understanding of the equipotential spatial surfaces is very difficult. This article is an attempt to present Newton's rotating tank in the light of the law of conservation of energy.

This reflective essay provides a lesson plan-ready overview of sustainability developed through the efforts of a dedicated team of individuals within the Falls Church City Public School (FCCPS) System. Students in the marquee sustainability education program learn and develop an appreciation for the basics of growing food and the importance of…

In recent years, solar-powered photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production has drawn great attention as a method to supply clean energy and reduce environmental pollution. This approach, driven by solar energy to synthesize hydrogen gas, is completely renewable and can be used to power hydrogen fuel cells to effectively solve the global…

Derivation of an energy source from the movement of the tides is the reason for considering a lagoon to trap seawater in Swansea Bay. But while the professional engineers are investigating the possibility of that development, this student group has undertaken a study of the viability of developing biological sources of energy in this restricted…

Addressing food, energy, and water issues through a systems approach is essential for Native American communities, where climate change, natural disasters, and pandemics further strain access to these vital resources. Tribal communities experience a disproportionate impact from these global crises, which heightens and exposes existing…

Interfacial solar vapor generation has recently drawn much attention because of its high solar-to-vapor generation efficiency. Here we introduce the basic experimental procedures and analysis for undergraduates to perform such an experiment to catch up with the cutting-edge research wave. Interfacial solar vapor generation employs an interfacial…

Batteries are valued as devices that store chemical energy and convert it into electrical energy. Unfortunately, the standard description of electrochemistry does not explain specifically where or how the energy is stored in a battery; explanations just in terms of electron transfer are easily shown to be at odds with experimental observations.…

This paper describes an experimental investigation of the skin depth effect for electromagnetic waves in salt water using a cell phone that is immersed to a critical depth where it no longer responds when called. We show that this critical depth is directly proportional to the theoretical skin depth for a range of salt concentrations.

An attempt to calibrate a conventional oven led to making a measurement of a thermophysical property of water using items found in the author's home. Specifically, the ratio of the energy required to heat water from the melting point to boiling to the energy required to completely boil away the water is found to be 5.7. This may be compared to the…

We experience (perceive, act upon and react to, and conceptualize) dynamical processes in nature as agentive. Expressed differently, we experience events as resulting from activities and interactions of "Forces of Nature" (such as wind, light, heat, fluids, electricity, substances, and motion) that are conceived of as powerful agents…

In this paper we describe the results of some experiments about using surprising physics demonstrations, presented as magical phenomena followed by scientific explanations, for introducing physics topics in several teaching contexts. All the demonstrations have been designed to be implemented with easy to get and cheap materials, so that students…

World regional geography is one of the most popular and most heavily subscribed geography courses in the United States at both the undergraduate and K-12 levels (Rutherford 2001; Mueller 2003; Bednarz 2004). Yet little consensus exists about the content that the course should include or the approach that should be used to teach it. Debate exists…

Interactions with forces and energy can range from a toddler dropping toys repeatedly for someone else to pick up to a group of fifth graders playing soccer at recess. In addition, students may have observed the power of water to move physical objects by seeing news footage of rising floodwaters, experimenting with a garden hose, or spending a day…