Sep 18Member-onlyBouncing Balls with Python: From Boring to Back SpinPretty much everyone has bounced a ball at one point in time. You might think it’s a very simple physics problem — and it is quite simple. But it’s also very complex. You can make it as complicated as you like. I’m going to start off with the simplest bouncing…Physics7 min readPhysics7 min read
Sep 12Member-onlyPhysics Battle: Aristotle vs. NewtonAristotle lived and died over 2,000 years ago. That’s so far in the past that it’s before they invented last names — so he’s just Aristotle (single name like Cher or Prince). Then 1700 years later we have Isaac Newton (you know he is more modern because of the two…Physics3 min readPhysics3 min read
Sep 8Member-onlyAhsoka Physics: Making a Hyperspace Jump to Another GalaxyI’m just going to assume that you’ve already watched Ahsoka Part 4: Fallen Jedi. But here’s the important part you need to know (for the physics stuff). Baylan and Morgan are working to travel to another galaxy (and find Grand Admiral Thrawn). They have acquired the map and are making…Physics5 min readPhysics5 min read
Sep 5Member-onlyAhsoka Physics: Video Analysis of a Space JumpYou know I’m watching Ahsoka, right? At the same time, I’m always keeping an eye open to find a new Star Wars Physics post (here’s my giant list so far). OK, so how about that scene in Part 3: Time to Fly? Wait! Here’s your spoiler alert. …Physics5 min readPhysics5 min read
Aug 26Member-onlyFour Ways to Solve the Schrödinger Equation for the 1D Infinite Square WellOh, you are taking quantum mechanics? That’s great. In just about every single version of this course, the students are going to find an expression for the wave function in an infinite 1 dimensional square well using Schrödinger equation. So, how do you solve this problem? Well, you are in…Physics21 min readPhysics21 min read
Aug 13Member-onlyModeling Double Slit Interference With PythonThe goal here is to model the pattern of light you get when a laser passes through a double slit. There’s a lot of stuff to do for this, so let’s get started. Light as an Electromagnetic Wave Of course light is an electromagnetic wave. That means it’s an oscillation of both the electric and…Physics7 min readPhysics7 min read
Aug 7Member-onlyHow Fast Was This Cop Going Down the Slide?When crazy viral videos appear online with some physics content, it’s my sworn duty to analyze them. In this case, it’s this video showing a police officer going down a long slide and coming out the bottom with a surprisingly fast speed. There are so many questions to consider…Physics7 min readPhysics7 min read
Jul 30Member-onlyWhat Does “Weight” in the International Space Station Really Mean?Everyone loves this short video. It shows astronaut Woody Hoburg in the International Space Station during a reboost maneuver. He states that astronauts are NOT always weightless in the space station as he slowly “falls” backwards — in the opposite direction of the acceleration of the ISS. There’s a…Physics7 min readPhysics7 min read
Jul 28Member-onlyRound Trip Flying Time with a Constant WindHere’s a fun physics question for you. It goes like this: Suppose a plane can fly with a constant air speed from point A to B and back without any wind. If there is a constant wind, what happens to the round trip time? Does it stay the same, increase…Physics7 min readPhysics7 min read
Jul 21Member-onlyHow to Make a Voltmeter and Ammeter Almost from ScratchYes, it’s true. You can pick up a fairly nice digital multimeter that doesn’t even cost that much. Most of these can measure electric current, electric potential difference (voltage) and resistance. But why get something that you could build yourself? Wouldn’t that be more fun? For the first device, I’m…Physics9 min readPhysics9 min read
