Engaging children in authentic investigation opens the doors for them to gain deep conceptual understanding in science. As students engage in investigation, they experience the practices employed by scientists and engineers, as highlighted in the Next Generation Science Standards (Achieve Inc. 2013). They also begin to understand the nature of…

Previous research suggests that students; prior knowledge can interfere with how they observe and remember lecture demonstrations. We measured students' prior knowledge in introductory mechanics and electricity and magnetism at two large universities. Students were then asked to predict the outcome of lecture demonstrations. We compare…

In teaching physics, the history of physics offers fruitful starting points for designing instruction. I introduce here an approach that uses historical cognitive processes to enhance the conceptual development of pre-service physics teachers' knowledge. It applies a method called cognitive-historical approach, introduced to the cognitive sciences…

A description is given of a series of recent experiments using a rotating magnetic circuit comprising a permanent magnet ring and yoke, and a stationary conductor in the air gap between the ring and yoke. The EMF induced in this case cannot be described by a simple application of Faraday's flux law. This is because the magnetic flux in the air gap…

A light-emitting diode (LED) and operational amplifier can be used as an affordable method to provide a digital output indicating detection of an intense light source such as a laser beam or high-output LED. When coupled with a microcontroller, the combination can be used as a multiple photogate and timer for under $50. A similar circuit is used…

We analyse the force acting on a moving dipole due to an external electromagnetic field and show that the expression derived in Vekstein (1997 "Eur. J. Phys." 18 113) is erroneous and suggest the correct equation for the description of this force. We also discuss the physical meaning of the relativistic transformation of current for a closed…

A Faraday cage is an interesting physical phenomenon where an electromagnetic wave can be excluded from a volume of space by enclosure with an electrically conducting material. The practical application of this in the classroom is to block the signal to a mobile phone by enclosing it in a metal can. The background of the physics behind this is…

Resonance effects are among the most intriguing phenomena in physics and engineering. The classical case of a mass-spring oscillator driven at its resonant frequency is one of the earliest examples that students encounter. Perhaps the most commonly depicted method of driving the vibrating system is mechanical. An alternative approach presented in…

An operational understanding of Newton's third law is often elusive for students. Typical examples of this concept are given for contact forces that are closer to the students' everyday experience. While this is a good thing in general, the reaction force can sometimes be taken for granted, and the students can miss the opportunity to really think…

Digital storage oscilloscopes (DSOs) are now easily available to undergraduate laboratories. In many cases, a DSO can replace a data-acquisition system. Seven such experiments/demonstrations are considered: (i) families of "I-V" characteristics of electronic devices (bipolar junction transistor), (ii) the "V-I" curve of a high-temperature…

Liquid-free cryogenic devices are acquiring importance in basic science and engineering. But they can also lead to improvements in teaching low temperature and solid-state physics to graduate students and specialists. Most of the devices are relatively expensive, but small-sized equipment is slowly becoming available. Here, we have designed…

This paper presents a laboratory exercise that introduces students to the use of video analysis software and the Lenz's law demonstration. Digital techniques have proved to be very useful for the understanding of physical concepts. In particular, the availability of affordable digital video offers students the opportunity to actively engage in…

Courtney and Dennis, two African American male students at McDowell High, were arrested at school for throwing water balloons during senior prank week. The principal assigned two police officers to the magnet school to oversee the implementation of a new discipline protocol. However, several members of the school staff were ill-informed about the…

In traditional teaching, the fundamental concepts of electromagnetic induction are usually quickly analyzed, spending most of the time solving problems in a more or less rote manner. However, physics education research has shown that the fundamental concepts of the electromagnetic induction theory are barely understood by students. This article…

Educators must address several challenges inherent to the instruction of scientific disciplines such as physics -- expensive or insufficient laboratory equipment, equipment error, difficulty in simulating certain experimental conditions. Augmented reality (AR) can be a promising approach to address these challenges. In this paper, we discuss the…