Category: Physics

Neutrino Hypotheses Non Fingo

The final sentence of the neutrino paper that everybody is buzzing about: We deliberately do not attempt any theoretical or phenomenological interpretation of the results. From a somewhat older work in physics: Rationem vero harum gravitatis proprietatum ex phænomenis nondum potui deducere, et hypotheses non fingo. Quicquid enim ex phænomenis non deducitur, hypothesis vocanda est;… Continue reading Neutrino Hypotheses Non Fingo

How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog: The Cover

I’m looking at an email from my editor when Emmy wanders by the computer, sniffing around just in case a crumb of food has fallen on the floor in the last five minutes. “Hey,” I say, “Come here and look at this.” “Look at what?” “This:” “It’s the cover for my new book.” “A-hem.” “OK,… Continue reading How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog: The Cover

Greenhouse Physics and Car Shades

I got a new comment on an old post asking an interesting question about thermodynamics: I have a question that bears somewhat on this issue of keeping cars parked in the sun, cooler. You all know those accordion folded/aluminized shades you can put up inside the windshield and back window. Seems to me putting them… Continue reading Greenhouse Physics and Car Shades

Active Learning Experiment: The First 1.6 Weeks

As mentioned a while back, I’m experimenting with “active learning” techniques in my intro courses this term. Specifically, I’m doing a variant of the “Peer Instruction” method developed by Eric Mazur and others. There are a few complications imposed by our calendar/ class schedule, but I’m giving it a shot, and I thought I’d report… Continue reading Active Learning Experiment: The First 1.6 Weeks

Statistical Significance Is an Arbitrary Convention

In typical fashion, no sooner do I declare a quasi-hiatus than somebody writes an article that I want to say something about. For weeks, coming up with blog posts was like pulling teeth, but now I’m not trying to do it, it’s easy… anyway, that’s why there’s the “quasi-” in “quasi-hiatus,” and having been reasonably… Continue reading Statistical Significance Is an Arbitrary Convention

Quantum Computing with Microwaves

It’s been a while since I did any ResearchBlogging, first because I was trying to get some papers of my own written, and then because I was frantically preparing for my classes this term (which start Wednesday). I’ve piled up a number of articles worth writing up in that time, including two papers from an… Continue reading Quantum Computing with Microwaves

Poor Man’s Clickers, or Re-Inventing the Flat Tire?

As previously noted, I’m planning to do more active-learning stuff in my intro mechanics courses this fall (starting next Tuesday), and as a result have been reading/ watching a lot of material on this (which, by the way, includes far too many slickly produced sales videos and not nearly enough “here’s an example video of… Continue reading Poor Man’s Clickers, or Re-Inventing the Flat Tire?

New Paper Dance: “Investigating Systematic Uncertainty and Experimental Design with Projectile Launchers”

The week before last, I finished writing up a pedagogical paper I’ve been meaning to write for some time, and sent it off to The Physics Teacher. A couple of days ago, it occurred to me that I could probably post that to the arxiv. So I did, just before I left town for an… Continue reading New Paper Dance: “Investigating Systematic Uncertainty and Experimental Design with Projectile Launchers”