We solve for the motion of an object with initial velocity v[subscript 0] and subject only to the combined drag of forces linear and quadratic in the velocity. This problem was treated briefly by Newton, after he developed a theoretical argument for the quadratic term, which we now know is characteristic of turbulent flow. Linear drag introduces a…

The reciprocal lattice is derived through the Fourier transform of a generic crystal lattice, as done previously in the literature. A few key derivations are this time handled in detail, and the connection with x-ray diffraction is clearly pointed out. The Ewald sphere is subsequently thoroughly explained and a few comments on its representation…

Students' learning about the nature of science (NOS) consists of two related aspects that include their understandings of and ability to apply science processes, and their beliefs about NOS. To help students develop such understandings, the New Society activity gets them talking to each other about science, using the language of science such as…

Exhibits in informal science institutions, like science centers and museums, are often designed to help people learn, but research showing the immediate impact of experiences with exhibits on understanding is limited. This dissertation tested the hypothesis that the value of first-hand experience with an exhibit is not necessarily in its immediate…

In large introductory science courses at the postsecondary level, there is significant anecdotal evidence of traditionally underrepresented students disengaging from the lectures, resulting in withdrawals or failures. Because these science courses often fulfill graduation requirements and provide the students with broad introductions to basic…

The purpose of the present explanatory mixed-method design is to examine the effectiveness of a developmental intervention, Embedded Metacognitive Prompts based on Nature of Science (EMPNOS) to teach the nature of science using metacognitive prompts embedded in an inquiry unit. Eighty-three (N = 83) eighth-grade students from four classrooms were…

This qualitative multiple case study explored the conceptual frameworks of two congenitally blind male adolescents on the nature of matter. We examined participants' responses on four tactile investigations focused on concepts and processes associated with matter changes. The matter changes investigated were dissolution, chemical change,…

Science education models for secondary and college students as well as K-12 teachers have been dominated by classroom-based approaches. Recently, research apprenticeships wherein learners worked with practicing scientists on authentic scientific research have become increasingly popular. The purpose of this critical review of the literature was to…

There seems to be no reasonable way to measure the thickness of a narrow-mouth glass bottle. One can measure the outer and inner diameters of the mouth with a ruler or a pair of calipers and then calculate the thickness. However, this measurement might be interfered with by the threads at the mouth. Furthermore, it is uncertain whether the…

Isaac Newton may have seen an apple fall, but it was Robert Hooke who had a better idea of where it would land. No one really knows whether or not Isaac Newton actually saw an apple fall in his garden. Supposedly it took place in 1666, but it was a tale he told in his old age more than 60 years later, a time when his memory was failing and his…

In the last several years, the electronics industry has released hand generator-powered flashlights, which are advertised as the end of battery-powered flashlights. This has become possible because of recent advances in capacitor, magnet, and LED technology. Nevertheless, the physics behind these flashlights is fairly simple.

The equilibrium of a flexible inextensible string, or chain, in the centrifugal force field of a rotating reference frame is investigated. It is assumed that the end points are fixed on the rotation axis. The shape of the curve, the skipping rope curve or "troposkien", is given by the Jacobi elliptic function sn. (Contains 3 figures.)

Based on an ancient Chinese algorithm, J H He suggested a simple but effective method to find the frequency of a nonlinear oscillator. In this paper, a modified version is suggested to improve the accuracy of the frequency; two examples are given, revealing that the obtained solutions are of remarkable accuracy and are valid for the whole solution…

A simple approach for delineating the stereochemistry of the products relative to that of the reactants in reactions involving stereogenic centers is addressed. The reaction at the tetrahedral center involves the cleavage of a bond to one of the ligands in the reactant and the resulting new ligand in the product is labeled by affixing prime to the…

Teachers should use real-life issues while teaching chemical principles, so that students can find issues worthy of engagement both in their studies and over the course of a lifetime. Difficulties and failures present excellent teaching opportunities and they give the students the intellectual space to consider the questions that might be…