What if "every breath you take, every move you make" (Sting 1983) could be harnessed to produce renewable energy? Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are state-of-the-art devices researchers are studying to do just that--convert kinetic energy into electrical energy at the source (Saurabh Rathore 2018). This type of electrical energy is…

The classroom jumping ring demonstration is nearly always performed using alternating current (AC), in which the ring jumps or flies off the extended iron core when the switch is closed. The ring jumps higher when cooled with liquid nitrogen (LN2). We have performed experiments using DC to power the solenoid and find similarities and significant…

Improperly inflated car tires can reduce gas mileage and car performance, speed up tire wear, and even cause a tire to blow out. The AAA auto club recommends that someone check the air pressure of one's car's tires at least once a month. Wouldn't it be nice, though, if someone came up with a tire pressure-monitoring system that automatically kept…

The measurement of the force acting between two parallel, current-carrying wires is known as Ampère's experiment. A mechanical balance was historically employed to measure that force. We report a simple experiment based on an electronic precision balance that is useful in clearly showing students the existence of this interaction and how to…

Students receive a more complete conception of scientific cognition methods if they reproduce fundamentally important historical investigations on their own. Ohm's investigation realized in 1826 is one of these. This paper presents a simple and accessible experimental unit, in which Ohm's ideas are implemented with the help of modern…

Although energy is fundamental to our civilization, few high school students have a clear picture of what happens when they use it. To become informed citizens and decision makers, every high school student must understand how we generate electrical energy. Working through the series of inexpensive, hands-on activities presented in this article,…

We physics teachers are forever in search of real-life applications of the theoretical concepts we teach. In mechanics we often utilize vehicle motion exercises, yet most textbook problems involving these are rather tame and deal with constant acceleration. What often captures the imagination of students is the actual performance of cars they…