AP/IB/Honors Physics Activity Browse

Search for activities specifically designed for introductory college level physics courses. Refine this search by either clicking on the terms in boxes to the right or typing a term into the search box below. Activities include a description, background information, and necessary student documents.


Results 1 - 20 of 193 matches

Unit 1: Exploring Harrier Meadow, an Urban Wetland System part of Evaluating the Health of an Urban Wetland Using Electrical Resistivity
Students will conduct a virtual exploration of Harrier Meadow, a salt marsh in the New Jersey Meadowlands. They will identify its vulnerability to pollution, its tidal connection to the Hackensack Estuary and the ...

Unit 3: Codorus Creek Case Study: Measuring and Interpreting Seismic Refraction Data part of Measuring Depth to Bedrock Using Seismic Refraction
This unit presents an applied case study example and the associated concepts related to designing a seismic survey and analyzing the data. It discusses parts of the instrument and presents practical experience ...

Scaling sizes of sports field part of Teaching Computation with MATLAB:MATLAB Workshop 2020:Activities
This is a MATLAB live script that guides students to learn about the kinematics of thrown balls in various sports. It helps the students learn about simple numerical methods to solve differential equations, as well ...

Unit 4: The Magic of Geophysical Inversion part of Evaluating the Health of an Urban Wetland Using Electrical Resistivity
This unit introduces the student to the concept of geophysical inversion, which is the process of estimating the geophysical properties of the subsurface from the geophysical observations. The basic mechanics of ...

Unit 3: Field Geophysical Measurements part of Evaluating the Health of an Urban Wetland Using Electrical Resistivity
Near-surface geophysical measurements are performed by moving sensors across the earth's surface. Active geophysical sensors transmit a signal into the earth and record a returned signal that contains ...

Bouncing Ball Explorer part of Teaching Computation with MATLAB:MATLAB Workshop October 2022:Activities
Exploration of the sound of a bouncing ball dropped on a hard surface, the sound recorded with a mobile phone or laptop microphone, is the basis for an accessible experiment in elementary mechanics. For ...

Unit 5: Integrated Geophysical Interpretation and Comparison with Ground Truthing part of Evaluating the Health of an Urban Wetland Using Electrical Resistivity
In this unit, students explore spatial associations between the three-dimensional electromagnetic (EM) conductivity inversions and the visible patterns of Salicornia (pickleweed) introduced in Unit 1, Exploring ...

Unit 2: Geophysical Properties of the Subsurface part of Evaluating the Health of an Urban Wetland Using Electrical Resistivity
Archie (1950) defined the term petrophysics to describe the study of the physics of rocks, particularly with respect to the fluids they contain. Although originally focused on geophysical exploration, petrophysics ...

Projectile Motion and Circular Motion part of Teaching Computation with MATLAB:MATLAB Workshop 2017:Activities
4 MATLAB Grader (previously Cody Coursework) problems assigned to freshmen physics majors in a general physics course are described. The physics concepts are projectile motion and circular motion.

Field Presentation part of E-STEM:Field Course:ESTEM-PD Activities
During the E-STEM Field Course, each student was responsible for a field presentation related to a geology, geomorphology, hydrology, and/or ecology topic specific to the Sierras or Owens Valley. Depending on the ...

Career Portfolio part of E-STEM:Field Course:ESTEM-PD Activities
This activity is an opportunity for students to document their interaction with environmental professionals with whom they interact during and after their environmental field course. Each career portfolio entry ...

Design a basketball shooting machine part of Teaching Computation with MATLAB:MATLAB Workshop 2024:Activities
In this assignment, students will determine the appropriate exit velocity from a basketball shooting machine as it passes the ball back to the shooter on the free throw line. Students will simulate the trajectory ...

Virtual Pendulum Experiments & Mechanical Oscillations part of Teaching Computation with MATLAB:MATLAB Workshop October 2021:Activities
The pendulum motion is one of the first encounters with the concept of a harmonic oscillator. This activity seeks to complement a traditional, rigorous, theoretical approach with a rigorous numerical model. It ...

Intro to Image Processing with MATLAB part of Teaching Computation with MATLAB:MATLAB Workshop 2020:Activities
This short project introduces students to image processing with MATLAB including importing images from the web, color transformations, circle finding, and edge finding. These techniques are broadly applicable in ...

Thermodynamics: Sea ice melt part of PENGUIN:PENGUIN Modules
Students learn about thermodynamics topics through calculation of the amount of heat required to melt Arctic sea ice. They start by watching an online animation of changing polar ice with time. They next download ...

Unit 1: Introducing Shallow Seismology to Explore Our Subsurface Environment part of Measuring Depth to Bedrock Using Seismic Refraction
This introductory unit is designed to provide a standalone introduction to geophysical imaging of the shallow subsurface, motivate students to become invested in the topic, provide career context for these ...

Unit 2: How Seismic Waves Travel Through the Ground part of Measuring Depth to Bedrock Using Seismic Refraction
This unit presents core underlying principles needed to understand refraction seismology concepts including refraction of rays, types of seismic waves, interpreting information about subsurface materials from ...

Physics: Permafrost part of PENGUIN:PENGUIN Modules
Students learn what permafrost is, the implications of permafrost thawing due to climate change, and how to calculate heat diffusion through permafrost. Student activities include watching a video about permafrost, ...

Unit 1: Data Set Analysis part of Mapping the Environment with Sensory Perception
In this unit, students will be introduced to different data types used in the geosciences and other disciplines to understand environmental problems. The instructor will discuss the difference between qualitative ...

Cool Roof part of Teaching Computation with MATLAB:MATLAB Workshop 2018:Activities
This project is a hands-on, open-ended, collaborative assessment of students' abilities to collect numerical data, and develop mathematical models of naturally occurring phenomena. Students design physical ...