Although lab activities play an important role in physics teaching, many of these activities do not attain the expected objectives. Many reasons can be advanced for this, such as a lack of apparatus/equipment in schools, limits to the lab time allocated, teachers' lack of knowledge and skills about lab-oriented teaching methods or the teachers'…

The aim of this paper is to introduce a simple and low-cost experimental setup that can be used to study the eddy current brake, which considers the motion of a sliding magnet on an inclined conducting plane in terms of basic physical principles. We present a set of quantitative experiments performed to study the influence of the geometrical and…

Describes several ways to partially levitate permanent magnets. Computes field line geometries and oscillation frequencies. Provides several diagrams illustrating the mechanism of the oscillation. (YP)

Describes apparatus for demonstrating magnetic lines of force, plastic discharge tubes, minimum angle of deviation of light passing through a prism, light scattering, and measuring high voltage. (SL)

This book contains hands-on science laboratory activities for grades 4 through 9 that use discrepant events to challenge students. All of the "puzzlers" are based upon science principles and include directions for building gadgets that explain the "puzzlers." Topics covered include: volume conservation, magnetic phenomena,…

While the new movement in the teaching of physics--the study of the physics of daily life--is the keynote of the recent text-books, yet the laboratory manuals still adhere to the old method, leaving the presentation of material from everyday life to the text-book alone. It is the authors' belief that the manual as well as the text-book should be…

Describes an undergraduate physics experiment for studying Curie temperature and Curie constant of a ferromagnetic material. The exchange field (Weiss field) has been estimated by using these parameters. (HM)

Describes the design of the superconducting bird, a device to demonstrate the phenomenon of superconductivity. Discusses the utilization of the device as an example of a motor and compares it to the toy called the drinking bird. (MDH)

Describes a method for measuring the earth's magnetic field using an empty toilet paper tube, copper wire, clear tape, a battery, a linear variable resistor, a small compass, cardboard, a protractor, and an ammeter. (WRM)

Presented is a discussion of the events of the 20-year lapse between the invention of the pile in 1800 by Volta, and Hans Christian Oersted's famous definitive paper "Effects of a Current of Electricity on the Magnetic Needle." Students are thus enabled to appreciate the climate of the time and the manner and significance of Oersted's…

This paper focuses on the search for electromagnetic induction from 1820 to 1831 and the efforts by Augustin Fresnel's colleague, Andre Marie Ampere, in electric and magnetic induction. Faraday's work is discussed with excerpts from his diary on electromagnetism. A variety of different experiments by researchers including Francoise Jean Arago,…

This paper focuses on Michael Faraday's experimental research in electricity in the 1830's. Historical notes related to his work are included as well as experiments, his objectives, and illustrations of equipment for the experiments. Examples from his diary are given so that students can attempt to emulate his honest and systematic manner of…

Discusses the principles of magnetic levitation presented in the physics classroom and applied to transportation systems. Topics discussed include three classroom demonstrations to illustrate magnetic levitation, the concept of eddy currents, lift and drag forces on a moving magnet, magnetic levitation vehicles, levitation with permanent magnets…

This paper describes the events following the news of Oersted's discovery of the effects of a current of electricity on a magnetic needle. It focuses on Biot and Savart's law which expresses the force between a current element and a "molecule of magnetism" that can be deduced from Ampere's law of interaction between two current elements.…