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March 4, 2017

You Physics Teachers Really Ought to Teach Numerical Calculations

Numerical calculations are such an integral part of real world physics that it would be wrong to not include them in the intro courses. The post You Physics Teachers Really Ought to Teach Numerical Calculations appeared first on WIRED.

March 3, 2017

Let’s Do the Physics Of Knocking an Asteroid Into the Sun

In the show The Expanse, people try using a spaceship to direct an asteroid into the sun. Would this even work? The post Let's Do the Physics Of Knocking an Asteroid Into the Sun appeared first on WIRED.

February 23, 2017

Forget Weather Apps: Measure the Wind Yourself With an Old Electric Motor

You can build an anemometer with an electric motor and a fan blade. Here's how. The post Forget Weather Apps: Measure the Wind Yourself With an Old Electric Motor appeared first on WIRED.

February 20, 2017

Flying at Light Speed Is Pretty Much Impossible—Unless You’re Han Solo

In Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Han needs crazy fast reaction time to get inside the Starkiller shields without crashing into the planet. The post Flying at Light Speed Is Pretty Much Impossible—Unless You're Han Solo appeared first on WIRED.

February 15, 2017

Check Out This Awesome Crash Test. Now, Let’s Run the Physics

This car barrier has rollers built into it to reduce the car impact along the direction of the rail. In this video analysis, I will calculate the acceleration of an impacting car. The post Check Out This Awesome Crash Test. Now, Let’s Run the Physics appeared first on WIRED.

February 10, 2017

How Much Energy Does Iron Fist Pack Into His Superpowered Punch?

In the latest trailer for the Netflix show <em>Iron Fist</em>, we get to see the superhero's power punch. Here is an estimate of its energy and power. The post How Much Energy Does Iron Fist Pack Into His Superpowered Punch? appeared first on WIRED.

February 8, 2017

Let’s Use Physics to Model the Gaps in Saturn’s Rings

When a planet has a ring system, you will often see gaps in the rings. Can these ring gaps be modeled numerically? The post Let's Use Physics to Model the Gaps in Saturn's Rings appeared first on WIRED.

February 1, 2017

Spill-Proof Cups Aren’t Magic. They’re Physics!

There is a popular mug that doesn't spill. Here's how it might work, along with an estimate of the maximum tipping force to knock it over. The post Spill-Proof Cups Aren't Magic. They're Physics! appeared first on WIRED.

January 30, 2017

So You Wanna Get Into Physics. Here Are Three Tips and Tricks

Here are three areas that introductory physics lab students can work on at the start of the semester. The post So You Wanna Get Into Physics. Here Are Three Tips and Tricks appeared first on WIRED.

January 25, 2017

Wanna Learn About Vectors? Just Let Python Do the Work

Vectors are pretty important in the introductory physics course. Here are some tips on using python to teach vectors. The post Wanna Learn About Vectors? Just Let Python Do the Work appeared first on WIRED.