Elliott Finkley Presentation

On wednesday November 16 I will presenting to the class a short presentation on Magnetic Induction

Fun Physics Questions

Hey all!

I figured to spark your interest in physics, I would throw you all a little physics "scavenger hunt".

These questions are for fun, so please answer at least one. The answers are cool, trust me! Some questions toward the end will focus on Physics 112.

1) What is the coldest temperature achieved in a laboratory?

2) What is the hottest temperature achieved in a laboratory?

3) What is the other form of Newton's Second Law of Motion? Hint: Mass is not constant.

4) What is the exact speed of light in a vacuum?

5) What is the most abundant element in the universe?

6) What is a quark?

7) What is the ether and what theory came from disproving its existence?

8) What is an electric charge? How many type of charge are there?

9) What is magnetism?

10) What is the mass of an electron?


Good luck and I hope to see all ten questions answered!!

Waves of Physics

Check out this video on waves dont look to hard you might go dizzy
Really look at the motion of the balls,notice the differnt length of the string attached..

The Changing World

So think to yourself about how many times you have an idea and it's wrong. A few hundred years ago a mathematicaian concluded a knew all math. Well in this day and age, stuff changes; especially the scientific world.

The IUPAP just added three new elements to the periodic table of elements. Crazy, huh?

You may think, how many elements exist? I want your opinion, so please use your physics and chemistry backgrounds wisely!

To inspire you, check out the article about the new elements:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2058054/Elementary-dear-Copernicus-Three-new-members-join-periodic-table.html

ONE MORE THING! I want to post something that you like. Please leave a comment and the first person to post an interesting topic will have a blog post based on their topic!

Have a good week!!

Light -> Electricity

Using sunlight to make electricity?
That's absurd!

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-11-solar-loss.html

Well, no. It has been proven in the passed century that light and electricity are directly related and share numerous properties. We can thank the great physicists of the late 19th and early 20th century. Among the most famous ones are Michael Faraday and James Maxwell. They are, in the most part, responsible for much of what we have today.
































This is a famous photo, funny for those who understand it, that gives an idea behind the workings of Maxwell. The most basic forms of these equations will be covered in your physics 112 course.

There is still much work that needs to be done. The present stage of technology is still a baby, believe it or not. It's still amazing to see where we are at today, but the possibilities are endless.
Harnessing the power of sunlight will open up the doors to new technologies.

What is Gravity?

Gravity. Right. The imaginary thing that keeps us on the Earth and everything in order.

There is a big problem though. We know how gravity works and are finding out new and interesting things about it, but do we know why it works?

No. There are only theories of why gravity works.

Take a look at this video below that gives you an overview of what gravity is and how it works.

Warning: You might have to watch it more than once to understand everything the narrator says. The end is especially tricky because those bits of information are probably beyond the scope of your physics knowledge.



Say what?! Did that guy just say gravity also attracts massless objects? How does that work? What is a massless object? Has physics stopped working? Nope. This is a huge part of upper-level physics. Quite interesting.

So tell me, how does gravity effect your life? Can you tell me what a light-year is?

Getting Closer to Sci-Fi?

Your mind will be blown:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ws6AAhTw7RA

Some of the most basic topics discussed in this video are things you will cover in Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism. The whole idea behind magnets and magnetic fields will seem clearer to you after you take it.

The only thing that went through my mind was Luke Skywalker traveling with his Landspeeder through Tatooine (for any Star Wars nerds out there). Anything is possible if you can think of it. Star Wars may soon become a reality. I call dibs on the pink lightsaber.

Any wild ideas that you guys would like to share?

Roller Coaster

The Infusion at Blackpool Pleasure Beach in Blackpool, England -- a suspended looping coaster

Dave Thompson

Roller Coasters and Your Body

Your body feels acceleration in a funny way. When a coaster car is speeding up, the actual force acting on you is the seat pushing your body forward. But, because of your body's inertia, you feel a force in front of you, pushing you into the seat. You always feel the push of acceleration coming from the opposite direction of the actual force accelerating you.

This force (for simplicity's sake, we'll call it the acceleration force) feels exactly the same as the force of gravity that pulls you toward the Earth. In fact, acceleration forces are measured in g-forces, where 1 g is equal to the force of acceleration due to gravity near the Earth's surface (9.8 m/s2, or 32 ft/s2).

A roller coaster takes advantage of this similarity. It constantly changes its acceleration and its position to the ground, making the forces of gravity and acceleration interact in many interesting ways. When you plummet down a steep hill, gravity pulls you down while the acceleration force seems to be pulling you up. At a certain rate of acceleration, these opposite forces balance each other out, making you feel a sensation of weightlessness -- the same sensation a skydiver feels in free fall. If the coaster accelerates downward fast enough, the upward acceleration force exceeds the downward force of gravity, making you feel like you're being pulled upward. If you're accelerating up a steep hill, the acceleration force and gravity are pulling in roughly the same direction, making you feel much heavier than normal. If you were to sit on a scale during a roller coaster ride, you would see your "weight" change from point to point on the track.

At the top of a hill in a conventional coaster, inertia may carry you up, while the coaster car has already started to follow the track down. Let go of the safety bar, and you'll actually lift up out of your seat for an instant. Coaster enthusiasts refer to this moment of free fall as "air time."

Harris, Tom. "How Roller Coasters Work" 09 August 2007. HowStuffWorks.com. 16 October 2011.

Physics in Cheerleading

THE PHYSICS SIDE TO CHEERLEADING

The Physics……..Newton’s Third Law of Gravity

Newton’s Third Law states that if two objects interact the force exerted on object 1 is equal in magnitude but opposite in direction to the force exerted on object 2 by object 1.

Several forces are present when two objects interact with one another. Body 1’s force on 2 is the action force and body 2’s on 1 is the reaction force. The reaction force accelerates away from the earth and the action force accelerates towards the earth. A normal force is also present which acts in both ways.

The variables present are :

• Fg – the action force (= to mg)
• Fg' - the reaction force
• n-normal force exerting away from the earth
• n'- normal force exerting towards the earth
• Fg ' = - Fg
• N=-n'

The Cheerleading and How it Relates to Physics............

The stunt pictured is a QP. The girl is standing on the guy’s single hand. Notice the normal force present that holds her in the air. In which direction are the action and reaction forces working?

THE SPORT OF GYMNASTICS AND CHEERLEADING:
A cheerleader must become an expert on the physics of rotation. When a she is thrown into the air for a fancy stunt that involves rotation of the body she has all the angular momentum from her push-off that she will get.
``

• Angular momentum equals the product of mass, velocity and distance from mass to axis of rotation.
• QUESTION:How can her rate of rotation change without the help of someone giving her a little help or her pushing off on something?
• ANSWER: The angular speed increases or decreases by changing the distance between the mass and the axis of rotation. When a cheerleader performs a stunt, for example, a back tuck, she may have nothing to gain angular momentum(if she stands on the ground with velocity and position both equal to zero. But when she jumps up and tucks her mass in to decrease the distance between her body and the axis of spin. Her angular momentum is still constant because no external torque (radius X force) occurs. Cheerleaders must be in top shape athletically and gymnastics background is often required to do the rigorous routines required today.

MOMENTUM = mass * velocity

FORCE= change in momentum/ change in time

http://www.unc.edu/~reet/physicsside.html

Rotation and Applications

So here I have a video for all of you.



I have a few questions... Hopefully Professor Ellis has not addressed this example in class.

What does the figure skater do to achieve three rotations?
Other than stability, why does she throw her hands out at the end of the rotation?

Interesting Topics in Physics

Hey class!

I was wondering if anybody found a topic in physics they are interested in. As part of my project, I am going to present a topic in physics and I would like to choose something that you all would be interested in. Please leave a comment with a topic that you would like to know more about, or a certain application.

I hope everybody has a good week! For the mean time, check out this video:

You're in for a surprise in that video.

-Brandon Krouppa

Football Physics Force Laws

It happens about 100 times a game in the National Football League: a bone-jarring tackle that slams a player to the turf. On the play shown in the photo above, Seattle Seahawks defensive back Marcus Trufant (23) drilled Philadelphia Eagles receiver Greg Lewis (83) with such force that Lewis couldn't hang on to the ball. (Seattle won the Dec. 5, 2005, game at Philadelphia 42-0 in the most lopsided shutout ever broadcast on Monday Night Football.) Incompletions and fumbles aren't the only consequences of such tackles. More than 100 concussions are recorded each season in the NFL. Given the size and speed of today's athletes, it's surprising that more gridiron warriors aren't carried off the field on their shields. For that, they can thank high-tech gear that protects them from the physics at play in the sport's fearsome collisions.

HALF A TON OF HURT

At 5 ft. 11 in. and 199 pounds, Marcus Trufant is an average-size NFL defensive back (DB). Those stats don't stand out in a league where more than 500 players weighed 300-plus pounds at the 2006 training camps. But a DB's mass combined with his speed -- on average, 4.56 seconds for the 40-yard dash -- can produce up to 1600 pounds of tackling force, according to Timothy Gay, a physics professor at the University of Nebraska and author of The Physics of Football.

HITTING THE DECK

Researchers rate a field's shock absorbency with a metric called G-Max. To measure it, an object that approximates a human head and neck (about 20 sq. in. and 20 pounds) is dropped from a height of 2 ft. A low G-Max means the field absorbs more energy than the player. Trufant and Lewis landed on grass in Philly's new stadium, which has a cushy G-Max of just over 60. Synthetic surfaces have G-Max ratings of up to 120. The hardest turf: frozen grass.

LUGGING THE G-LOAD

Most people associate high g-forces with fighter pilots or astronauts. But common earthbound events can also boost g's. Few things can match the g-load of a wicked football hit.

ENERGY DISTRIBUTION

A tackle with half a ton of force sounds like a crippling blow. But, according to John Melvin, an injury biomechanics researcher for General Motors and NASCAR, the body can handle twice that amount -- as long as the impact is well-distributed. That job usually is handled by the player's equipment, which spreads out the incoming energy, lessening its severity.

BODY ARMOR

According to Tony Egues, head equipment manager for the Miami Dolphins, shoulder-pad plastic hasn't changed much in 25 years, but it is now molded into designs with more right angles to deflect impacts. Players also rely on the helmet's solid shell and face mask to redistribute the energy of a collision.

MEMORY FOAM

During a tackle, foam padding beneath the plastic components of equipment compresses, absorbing energy and reducing the speed of impact. (The slower a hit, the less force it generates.) Visco elastic foam, which was invented by NASA to protect astronauts from g-forces during liftoff, retains its shape better than conventional foam, rebounding rapidly after hits.

SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS

According to a Virginia Tech study, a tackle like Trufant's probably caused Lewis's head to accelerate in his helmet at 30 to 60 g's. VT researchers gather data with the Head Impact Telemetry System, which employs sensors and wireless transmitters in helmets. "We see 100-g impacts all the time," says Stefan Duma, director of the university's Center for Injury Biomechanics, "and several over 150 g's."

CHINKS IN THE ARMOR

While Trufant and Lewis generally have enjoyed healthy careers, they (and other players) face the same nemesis: the dreaded knee injury. The knee's anterior cruciate ligament can withstand nearly 500 pounds of pressure, but it tears far more easily from side hits and evasive maneuvers. According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, more than 1200 knee injuries were reported by the league between 2000 and 2003, accounting for one out of every six injuries -- by far the highest percentage in the NFL.

Masamitsu, Emily, Coburn, Davin Football Physics The Anatomy of a Hit
http://www.popularmechanics.com/outdoors/sports/physics/4212171

Newton 3rd Law of Motion

Newton's Third Law

A force is a push or a pull upon an object that results from its interaction with another object. Forces result from interactions! According to Newton, whenever objects A and B interact with each other, they exert forces upon each other. When you sit in your chair, your body exerts a downward force on the chair and the chair exerts an upward force on your body. There are two forces resulting from this interaction a force on the chair and a force on your body. These two forces are called action and reaction forces and are the subject of Newton's third law of motion. Formally stated, Newton's third law is:

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

The statement means that in every interaction, there is a pair of forces acting on the two interacting objects. The size of the forces on the first object equals the size of the force on the second object. The direction of the force on the first object is opposite to the direction of the force on the second object. Forces always come in pairs - equal and opposite action-reaction force pairs.

A variety of action-reaction force pairs are evident in nature. Consider the propulsion of a fish through the water. A fish uses its fins to push water backwards. But a push on the water will only serve to accelerate the water. Since forces result from mutual interactions, the water must also be pushing the fish forwards, propelling the fish through the water. The size of the force on the water equals the size of the force on the fish; the direction of the force on the water (backwards) is opposite the direction of the force on the fish (forwards). For every action, there is an equal (in size) and opposite (in direction) reaction force. Action-reaction force pairs make it possible for fish to swim.

Consider the flying motion of birds. A bird flies by use of its wings. The wings of a bird push air downwards. Since forces result from mutual interactions, the air must also be pushing the bird upwards. The size of the force on the air equals the size of the force on the bird; the direction of the force on the air (downwards) is opposite the direction of the force on the bird (upwards). For every action, there is an equal (in size) and opposite (in direction) reaction. Action-reaction force pairs make it possible for birds to fly.

Consider the motion of a car on the way to school. A car is equipped with wheels that spin in a clockwise direction. As the wheels spin clockwise, they grip the road and push the road backwards. Since forces result from mutual interactions, the road must also be pushing the wheels forward. The size of the force on the road equals the size of the force on the wheels (or car); the direction of the force on the road (backwards) is opposite the direction of the force on the wheels (forwards). For every action, there is an equal (in size) and opposite (in direction) reaction. Action-reaction force pairs make it possible for cars to move along a roadway surface.

The Physics Classroom

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/newtlaws/u2l4a.cfm

Faster Than the Speed of Light?!

So you may or may not have heard the news. A group of scientists at CERN, the world's largest physics lab located in Italy, made a startling discovery. Neutrinos (a sub-atomic particle) travel faster than the speed of light. Here is an article on it:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/neutrinos-may-have-traveled-faster-than-the-speed-of-light/2011/09/23/gIQAo04HqK_blog.html

Now why is this a big deal? The speed of light is the ultimate speed; it's impossible for anything to go faster than the speed of light according to the laws of physics. Most of the fundamental laws of physics are based of this fact. This idea was introduced in the early 20th century by Albert Einstein. According to Einstein's theory of special relativity: as you approach the speed of light, time slows down, you become heavier, and you you become flatter. But if there was the possibility of traveling faster than the speed of light then the impossible happens: time goes backwards, you are lighter than nothing, and you have a negative width. This is why people relate relativity and light speed with time travel. I think this is totally bogus and is just shrouded in pretty looking math equations.

I personally dislike Einstein's theories of relativity, so I am VERY excited about this news. I always talked about writing my dissertation to disprove his theories, but that could take a while :). The experiment is being reproduced in a couple other labs in the US and Japan to get the most accurate results and confirm that there were no errors. If they are right, then this will cause all physics books to be rewritten. This can break a lot physics and take us back quite a bit :)

What do you think about this awesome (hopefully true) discovery?

BTW, Speed of light = c = 3*10^8 meters/second = 186,000 miles/second...REALLY FAST

As my idol stated so long ago:

"Einsteins relativity work is a magnificent mathematical garb which fascinates, dazzles and makes people blind to the underlying errors. The theory is like a beggar clothed in purple whom ignorant people take for a king... its exponents are brilliant men but they are metaphysicists rather than scientists." ~Nikola Tesla

How I View and Solve Physics Problems

Hey class. Due to my technological limits, you have to click the individual pictures to view them in the normal size.

Well I hope this solves some of your problems. I left out some details. Please fill in the steps I left out!

Brandon Krouppa

Newton 2nd Law of Motion

Newton's Second Law (Law of Motion)

You may be surprised to learn that Newton wasn't the genius behind the law of inertia. But Newton himself wrote that he was able to see so far only because he stood on "the shoulders of Giants." And see far he did. Although the law of inertia identified forces as the actions required to stop or start motion, it didn't quantify those forces. Newton's second law supplied the missing link by relating force to acceleration. This is what it said:

­When a force acts on an object, the object accelerates in the direction of the force. If the mass of an object is held constant, increasing force will increase acceleration. If the force on an object remains constant, increasing mass will decrease acceleration. In other words, force and acceleration are directly proportional, while mass and acceleration are inversely proportional.

Technically, Newton equated force to the differential change in momentum per unit time. Momentum is a characteristic of a moving body determined by the product of the body's mass and velocity. To determine the differential change in momentum per unit time, Newton developed a new type of math -- differential calculus. His original equation looked something like this:

F = (m)(Δv/Δt)

where the delta symbols signify change. Because acceleration is defined as the instantaneous change in velocity in an instant of time (Δv/Δt), the equation is often rewritten as:

F = ma

The equation form of Newton's second law allows us to specify a unit of measurement for force. Because the standard unit of mass is the kilogram (kg) and the standard unit of acceleration is meters per second squared (m/s²), the unit for force must be a product of the two -- (kg)(m/s²). This is a little awkward, so scientists decided to use a Newton as the official unit of force. One Newton, or N, is equivalent to 1 kilogram-meter per second squared. There are 4.448 N in 1 pound.

So what can you do with Newton's second law? As it turns out, F = ma lets you quantify motion of every variety. Let's say, for example, you want to calculate the acceleration of the dog sled shown below.

If you want to calculate the acceleration, first you need to modify the force equation to get a = F/m. When you plug in the numbers for force (100 N) and mass (50 kg), you find that the acceleration is 2 m/s2.

Now let's say that the mass of the sled stays at 50 kg and that another dog is added to the team. If we assume the second dog pulls with the same force as the first (100 N), the total force would be 200 N and the acceleration would be 4 m/s².

Notice that doubling the force by adding another dog doubles the acceleration. Oppositely, doubling the mass to 100 kg would halve the acceleration to 2 m/s².

Finally, let's imagine that a second dog team is attached to the sled so that it can pull in the opposite direction.

If two dogs are on each side, then the total force pulling to the left (200 N) balances the total force pulling to the right (200 N). That means the net force on the sled is zero, so the sled doesn’t move.

This is important because Newton's second law is concerned with net forces. We could rewrite the law to say: When a net force acts on an object, the object accelerates in the direction of the net force. Now imagine that one of the dogs on the left breaks free and runs away. Suddenly, the force pulling to the right is larger than the f­orce pulling to the left, so the sled accelerates to the right.

What's not so obvious in our examples is that the sled is also applying a force on the dogs. In other words, all forces act in pairs. This is Newton's third law -- and the topic of the next section.

Harris, William. "How Newton\u0027s Laws of Motion Work" 29 July 2008. HowStuffWorks.com. 18 September 2011.

Some Physics Humor and Learning Physics

Hey everybody.

I hope everyone is recovering well after a long week of tests and assignments.

Check out this video from the TV show "The Big Bang Theory".

Click here to view the video.

So how many of you feel like Penny? Don't worry, It's actually kind of normal. Physics is a science that requires a new way of thinking. You will eventually learn to solve problems in a more dynamic way.

So review your test when you get them back and try to see which problems you didn't like too much. You can always take them to the tutoring center or Professor Ellis for review.

I hope you all had a good laugh and are ready for some more physics! I will be back next week to solve a problem from the test for all of you. I will show you all step by step how I see problems and solve them.

PS: If you can answer the question Sheldon poses beginning at the 3:02 mark in the video, reply to this post in a comment!

Have a good week!

Brandon Krouppa

Progress?

Hey everyone, I hope your class is progressing well.

So how has PHYS 111 been treating you so far? I know that you guys recently took an exam, I hope it went well. If you read my last post then the following will be a repeat.

Don't lose hope if you didn't do as well as you hoped. You can make up for it.

Review your mistakes! A lot of passed concepts will come back at some point.

Seek help. There are tutors that will offer assistance. Your instructor will help as well.

On another note, have any of you ever been interested in the field of Biomedical Engineering? The reason I mention this is because many of you are studying biology, medicine, etc. and were interested in their applications involving physics. As you all know, I am studying engineering/math/physics, but I'm not such a fan of Biology. Biomedical Engineering puts engineering and medicine into one field. Now I'm not a fan of wikipedia, but you can check out the page on Biomedical Engineering; it will blow your mind. It discusses the topics on surgery, medical imaging, genetic and tissue engineering, and a few others. None of this would be around if it wasn't for physics :)

Enjoy the week!

-Peter Perez de Corcho

I thought it would be a good idea to show you this article on Physics in movies.

9 Laws of Physics That Don't Apply in Hollywood

In general, Hollywood filmmakers follow the laws of physics because they have no other choice. It’s just when they cheat with special effects that we seem to forget how the world really works.

1. Those Exploding Cars

No car explosions, please – found at LookyLuc [Flickr]

When you’re watching an action flick, all it takes is a crash, or maybe a stream of leaky gasoline that acts like a fuse, and suddenly, bang! You see a terrific explosion that’s complete and violent. But gasoline doesn’t explode unless mixed with about 93% air. Gas-induced car explosions were discovered on film relatively recently (you don’t see them in the old black-and-white movies), and now audiences just take them for granted. In general, there’s no need to rush out of a crashed car, risking injury, because you fear an imminent explosion – it’s probably not gonna happen.

2. Sound that Moves at the Speed of Light

Hollywood always gets this one wrong. On film, thunder doesn’t follow lightning (as in real life, because sound is slower); they occur simultaneously. Similarly, a distant volcano erupts, and the blast is heard immediately rather than five seconds later for each mile. Explosions on the battlefield go boom right away, no matter how far away spectators are. Even a small thing, like the crack of a baseball player’s bat, is simultaneous with ball contact, unlike at a real game.

3. Everything is Illuminated: The Myth of Radioactivity

Film would have you believe that radioactivity is contagious and makes you glow in the dark. Where did this idea come from? The Simpsons? Perhaps, but the truth is that the most common forms of radioactivity will make you radioactive only if the radioactive particles stick on you. Radioactivity is not contagious. If a person is exposed to the radioactive neutrons from a nuclear reactor, then he can become slightly radioactive, but he certainly won’t glow. And because radioactive things emit light only when they run into phosphor – like the coating on the inner surface of a TV tube – you don’t really need to worry.

4. Shotgun Blasts and Kung Fu Kicks Make Targets Fly across the Room

With the string of new kung fu films out (they run the gamut from The Matrix to Charlie’s Angels), you just can’t escape the small matter of bad physics. Yeah, the action scenes look great and all, but in reality momentum is conserved, such that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. So, when you see a gal kick someone across the room, technically, the kicker (or holder of a gun) must fly across the room in the opposite direction – unless she has a back against the wall.

5. Legends of the Fall

We aren’t surprised when the cartoon character Wile. E. Coyote runs off a cliff and is suspended there momentarily before he falls. But in the movies, buses and cars shouldn’t be able to jump across gaps in bridges, even if they go heavy on the accelerator. The fact is, a vehicle will fall even if it’s moving at a high speed. During the 1989 San Francisco earthquake, a driver saw a gap in the bridge too late, and probably inspired by the movies, accelerated to try to make it across. Unfortunately, the laws of physics were not suspended, and he fell into the hole and crashed on the other side. Movies with special effects should come with a warning: “Laws of physics are violated in this movie. Don’t try these stunts at home.”

6. The Sounds of Science

All across the silver screen, you’ll catch people screaming as their car flies in slow motion across the gap in the bridge. The problem, though, is that their voices don’t change. In reality, if you slow down motion by a factor of two, the frequency of all sounds should drop by an octave. Women will sound like men, and men will sound like Henry Kissinger. Sound is an oscillation of the air. Middle C, for example, is 256 vibrations per second. If time is slowed down, there are fewer cycles per second, and the resulting sound is lower in pitch.

7. Shell Shock! Exploding Artillery Shells that Blow Straight Up

In movies, shells tend to kill only the person standing directly over them. It seems like a waste of artillery, since – if you believe the movies – each shell can’t kill more than a single rifle bullet can. But in real life, artillery shells blow out in all directions, killing people all over. Movie directors like to have their actors running through a field of such shells, but they don’t want their actors killed, so they arrange for underground explosions in holes that blow straight up, missing anyone who’s more than 5 feet away.

8. The Sparking Bullet

Sparking bullets are relatively recent invention in movie special effects. The gimmick provides a way of letting the audience know that the bullet just barely missed its target. In real life, sparks do occur when you scrape steel or other hard metals on hard surfaces (such as brick) because little pieces of brittle materials are heated to glow and fly off. The problem here is that bullets are generally made of lead because it’s dense and soft, and you don’t want the bullets scarring the steel of the gun barrel. Ever notice that no sparks fly from the front of the gun? That’s because you’re seeing lead bullets.

9. Sound Travels in Space

This is the granddaddy of all scientific complaints about space movies. For instance, in space the hero shouldn’t be able to shout out instructions to the other astronauts from a spot several yards away. The movie Aliens corrected this misimpression with its tagline: “In space, nobody can hear you scream.” And it’s true. Sound is the vibration of air, and it’s sensed when the air makes your eardrums vibrate. But try to forget this rule as soon as possible; it’ll wreck a good many movies for you.


Muller, Richard. "9 laws of Physics That Don't Apply in Hollywood." neatorama. N.p., 03/06/2007. Web. 9 Sep 2011. .

Folding@home

Hey all!

I hope everybody enjoyed their long weekend. A key question that many of you ask is, "why should I like physics and how does it pertain to the real world?" Physics is important. Physics is the base for all other sciences like chemistry and biology. A key study that has been more than 10 years in the making has studied protein folding and how it affects processes in the cell.

Have you ever wondered how these scientists know how proteins fold?

Many of the scientists that use Folding@home to work on projects are biophysicists. They understand the physics of molecules, how they interact, and how they eventually fold into proteins. It all begins with an idea. They first want to know how a protein folds because the

protein is related to a disease like cancer.

Simulations and Results

Molecular dynamics is simple... when you have as many molecules as fingers on your hand. It's all just solving for Newton's equations of motion and a few other equations based on potential and physical statistics. To understand how proteins fold, massive amounts of calculations need to be made to determine how the molecules will interact with each other. Simulations are built

using computer code and then run throughout the Folding@home network. The results are then compiled and sent back for analysis.

So let's say you have a protein. To be exact, it's the p53 protein; also called tumor suppressor protein 53. You see where I am going with this example? This protein's folding process has been studied under various conditions, such as: temperature, types of solvent, and molarity of molecules. Each condition makes the protein fold in different ways, and in some conditions, the protein has a high chance of misfolding. This would ultimately lead to the cell becoming cancerous (Chong et. al.).

Wrap Up

Physics is very important for biological study. It's a requirement for medical school for a reason. The world today calls for more medical researchers to study this kind of science because of the ever increasing demand to cure and prevent disease.

If this has sparked your interest, or if you want to learn about a special topic, let me know.

-Brandon Krouppa

More information at: Folding@home

Chong, L.T., Snow, C.D., et. al. (2004). Dimerization of the p53 Oligomerization Domain: Identification of a Folding Nucleus by Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Retrieved from: http://www.stanford.edu/group/pandegroup/folding/papers/Chong-p53-JMB-2004.pdf

The picture above is published under Fair Use for the purpose of scholarship.

Magnetic Induction and My Life Exerience on Majoring in Physics

When I first started college my first major was Architecture Engineering but JU didn't have it. I talked with advisers in the engineering department and they said JU has a 3/2 program where you take classes at JU for three years then transfer to another institution to finish. My only probably was I was getting money to play football at JU so I couldn't afford to transfer out so I choose physics. Now that I am a Physics major I enjoy some topics that still fit my Architect plans. I have a brief description I wrote in a presentation last semester on what interests me in Magnetic Induction and how we see or perform it in our every day lives.

Magnetic Induction in Technology

Magnetic Induction is defined as a production of voltage across a conductor moving through a magnetic field.It was formulated by Michael Faraday in 1831. Technology today uses magnetic induction to operate equipment. From computer hard drives, tape recorders, to credit cards magnetic induction takes place. I found out that the airport uses magnetic induction with the detectors the passengers go through to check for metal or illegal objects. The detector already has its own magnetic field so when it is interrupted by a metallic object there is a change in the magnetic field causing the detector to sound off. One unique way magnetic induction takes place is in traffic lights in small towns or suburbs. Traffic vehicle detectors created with loops of wires buried in the pavement to sense the presence of a vehicle which in this experiment we call the vehicle the conductor. The disturbance it creates in the magnetic field from the vehicle causes the light to turn (Riccioli, 2000)(Finkley, 2010).

Riccioli, J. (2000, april 1). How Stuff Works. Retrieved from How does a traffic light detect that a car has pulled up and is waiting for the light to change?": http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-driving-safety/safety-regulatory-devices/question234.htm

Elliott Finkley Project Physics Seminar.

The Secrets to Succeeding in a Physics Course

Hello everyone, I hope your first week of classes went well!


I thought I'd lend some advice from personal experience on dealing with a course like Physics.
The following list is a simple guide of 10 steps to help you succeed with your PHYS 111 course; this stuff is golden! This kind of list would sell like candy on infomercials. Make use of it.

1. Don't skip class! That's the worst thing you can do. Once you start skipping class, it becomes a habit. Physics isn't a course where you can slack off and expect an A. Even missing one session can harm you. The topics you cover each day are going to be completely new to you, and a course like Physics isn't so easy to comprehend or learn without the aid of an instructor. It's not some English course where you can miss a week and still get an easy A.

2. Do your homework! It's best to begin your homework on the same night you took notes on the subject matter; waiting one day is fine as well. Don't leave your homework till the last minute. Your mind will not perform magic tricks to recall the information you learned from the week before. Trust me, I've done it and I have paid for it. On top of that, practice makes perfect. If you consistently do your homework then you will begin to absorb the material and be more prepared for the exams.

3. Study in a quiet and relaxed environment. Concentration is key to problem solving for a physics course. If you go to the library, get away from the noise (even though there shouldn't be any noise to begin with). Music may help, but it doesn't apply for everyone. I usually play classical music from Beethoven and Bach when I study. Hard rock or heavy metal just gives me the urge to head bang instead of thinking.

4. If you are struggling on a problem, move on and come back later. Some people get into the habit of staying on one problem until they solve it, even if it takes hours. If they don't get it done, they quit. Don't let that happen to you. Move on and see if you can solve the following problems, they may even lead to a hint or idea on solving the previous problem.

5. Seek help if you are stuck. There are tutors in the library that are there for you! Your professor has office hours as well; she's there to help you. Sadly I'm not one of the tutors, but I am willing to help. I am on a bit of a schedule, but I always enjoy helping others. I spend most of my life in the library so you are bound to run into me.

6. Stay motivated and keep a positive attitude! The reason why you hear stories of people failing their physics course is because of their lack of motivation and attitude towards the subject matter. Stay positive. Even if you happen to fail your first exam, it's not over. Keep your head up high and continue on. Look over your mistakes and work on them. I know exactly what you are all going through, I went through it and still do once in a while.

7. Manage your time. Prepare a schedule for your course (not just physics, but all of them). Set some time throughout the week on when to begin your homework, how much of it to accomplish, and so forth. Split your assignments up into small parts. Some of the assignments I work on take days to complete...maybe weeks. You need to let your mind rest, too much physics will drive you up the wall. I usually feel like jumping off a cliff after working on one physics problem for 4 hours (and still not solving it). Don't worry I won't really do it, so please don't call the police, I'm very sane...kind of.

8. Work in groups! That's right, work in groups. I tend to work in groups a lot more often now than ever before. Two minds are better than one. Five minds are MUCH better than one. One person may come up with an idea while another person comes up with the other one to compliment the first, then BAM, you got it. An example:
"Yo dude, we can use equation 4.1b for that kind of motion."-Peter
"Oh check this out, this variable becomes zero because of so and so."-Brandon
"WHOAH! We can combine these two equations and come up with the solution!"-Ashley
"HOORAY!"-Everyone
This happens on a near daily basis. But just because I suggest working in groups does not mean you can cheat! As you all know, cheating may lead to a road you don't want to follow. DON'T DO IT!

9. Take notes. Aww what a bummer, notes? Well you're in college, deal with it. Your notes are the guide to successfully competing your work. Don't be sloppy, keep everything organized and in order. Don't fall asleep in class or doodle when you're bored, you will miss out on very important information. There's a reason coffee was invented. It's tough to catch up when you fall behind.

10. Study the in text examples. The book is your ultimate resource. The pretty pictures and endless text are there for a reason. The examples are a great lead into the chapter discussions and end chapter problems. I sometimes rely on these examples when my notes don't lead me to the right path. And reading the chapter gives you an upper hand in grasping the greater concepts of the topics. Understanding the 'why' will get you more interested in the subject. This will assist with the 'how' portion for the problems.

And that's it. I can make a book out of this and make millions, but it will serve its purpose as a guide for your physics course. It's free of charge! I really hope this list will help guide you through the semester. I have followed these rules since the beginning of my studies in the field of mathematics and physics. They worked and still do.

Now my question to you is this: What are you expecting out of this blog? What will make you want to come back and check on updates? I would hope that you all come in and check the blog at least 3 times a week. I was expecting more posts on the first blogs since this is such a huge class; I'm not sure if this direction we are heading in is too boring for some people. I don't want you to get into the attitude of checking your blog because it's part of your grade. I want you to visit the blog because you are interested in it and/or enjoying it.

Thanks everyone, have a great week!

-Peter PdeC

Visualizing Physics Problems / SPS Meeting

Hey everybody!

I don't know about the rest of you, but I know I am excited for the second week of classes!

Like many physics majors, I believe visualizing a problem is the key to success. Mechanics is very intuitive because we encounter it on a day-to-day basis. Now I know you all won't be learning about space-time, but this comic makes a great point. As well as grabbing your attention, the pictures you draw for your problems will help you solve problems with a more thorough understanding.

So don't forget to draw your diagrams for problems! It will most likely increase your grade on your exams (Rosengrant et al.).

ALSO! I want everybody to know there will be a Society of Physics Students meeting this Thursday at 12:30PM in Merritt Penticoff 125. I hope to see you all there!

Image source: http://www.xkcd.com/895/

Rosengrant, D., Heuvelen, A.V., Etkina, E. (2006). Case Study: Students' use of multiple representations in problem solving. Retrieved from http://paer.rutgers.edu/ScientificAbilities/Downloads/Papers/PERCDRAVHEE2005.pdf.

Introduction

Hi, my name is Elliott Finkley I am a Physics student at JU. I am from Jacksonville, Florida born July 13, 1988. I am a former Ju All American football player here at JU. My plans are to get signed to a professional team soon. I currently am a JV coach at a high school here in Jacksonville on the southside called Atlantic Coast.

While I wait I am finishing my degree. On my free time I like playing video games, listening to music and train for football.

My favorite subject in physics is working with electric fields and magnetic inductions. It is my job to interest you in learning about physics and show you why i picked it as a degree.

My Introduction

Hello everyone. My name is Peter Perez de Corcho and I am at my fourth and final year at JU. I'm glad to be part of this blog, I'll be sure to visit frequently. I hope to learn a little bit from each of you as time progresses.

I am currently doing a double major in Mathematics and Electrical Engineering with a minor in Physics. I will be finishing at JU next Spring with my degree and Mathematics and I plan on finishing my engineering degree at Georgia Tech (if I get accepted that is). The field of engineering and math was something I knew I would get into at a very young age.

On my free time I enjoy playing guitar, listening to music, working out, and running. These hobbies help me keep my mind intact so that I don't go insane from the work loads we engineering/math/physics majors deal with. We all need our breaks from the books. Even Einstein turned to his violin when he struggled with his research and studies.

Now here is a question I have for you:

What are your thoughts on the Physics 111 course? Do you enjoy it? Do you despise it? Why?

Any thoughts on taking your physics knowledge any further?

My First Post - An Introduction

Hey all. My name is Brandon Krouppa and I am a physics major with a minor in applied math here at JU. I am excited to write on this blog, as it gives me a chance to show all of you why I am interested in physics and why you should be too!

I was born and raised in Huntington, NY, and originally came to Jacksonville University as a biology major. I took Biology 170 and Biology 208 before departing biology and becoming a physics major. I am glad I made this choice, even though I maintain a big interest in cellular and molecular biology, including genetics.

I am currently taking courses that I find to be interesting and I am also steadily working on a research project involving the use of computational physics, in other words, using computer programs to assist with calculations associated with a physical problem.

I am also very involved on campus. I am the College of Arts and Sciences Representative for JUSA, as well as their Historian, and I am also Secretary of SPS (the Society of Physics Students).

So that's it for now, but I have a question for all of you...

What about physics interests you?

Feel free to ask questions about me or physics and hopefully I can answer your physics questions!

-Brandon Krouppa

bkroupp@jacksonville.edu

A first post! More to come...

This blog will feature articles to supplement the discussions in PHYS 111 Principles of Physics I in Fall 2011.

--Brian Lane