The two independent methods of measurement of the mass of ice created at sudden solidification of supercooled water are described. One is based on the calorimetric measurement of heat that is necessary for melting the ice and the second interprets the volume change that accompanies the water freezing. Experimental results are compared with the…

A porphyrin-based test paper has been designed and prepared. It can be used to analyze for Al[superscript 3+] and Fe[superscript 3+] in aqueous solution. An experiment employing the test paper can help students understand basic principles of spectrophotometry and how spectrophotometry is used in analyzing for metal ions. (Contains 1 scheme and 1…

In this article we discuss the concept of equilibrium establishment in four most usual instances as is electrostriction and vaporization as related to the concept of equilibrium shell formation. Two more cases are then studied which are of relevance. One is the Brownian movement, the study of which is essential for pedagogical reasons as to…

After the discovery that superconducting magnets could levitate diamagnetic objects, researchers became interested in measuring the repulsion of diamagnetic fluids in strong magnetic fields, which was given the name "The Moses Effect." Both for the levitation experiments and the quantitative studies on liquids, the large magnetic fields necessary…

This article examines several readily available "magic tricks" which base their "trickery" on physics principles, and questions the use of the word "magic" in the 21st century, both in popular children's science and in everyday language. (Contains 18 figures.)

How "green" are 15-year-olds? To what extent do they understand environmental issues? What are the sources of their information about the environment? Can they apply scientific principles and evidence to the world around them? This paper reports that across OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries, around…

Studies on student learning during primary- and secondary-school course-related field trip activities have shown lasting cognitive and socio-cultural effects. However, fewer studies have investigated the potential benefits of incorporating field trip activities into post-secondary education. The curriculum in a first-year university chemistry…

The use of toys in physics teaching is common. This brief review of the physics of toys intends to show that they are not only very useful in lectures and demonstrations in order to motivate students but also very interesting from a scientific point of view. However, since their physics is sometimes too cumbersome, the effect can be the opposite.…

A challenging task in physical studies of the upper ocean using underwater sound is the interpretation of high-resolution acoustic images. This paper covers a number of basic concepts necessary for undergraduate and postgraduate students to identify the most distinctive features of the images, providing a link with the acoustic signatures of…

Even though philosophical themes in science education have been advocated for several decades, little attention has been paid to how these themes can be contextualized in the teaching of a particular domain of science. The purpose of this paper is to provide an example theoretical framework for applying a philosophical theme, reduction, in…