Introduction
The History of Physics in the New HSC Physics Syllabus (Pdf - 59.38 KB), by Lawrence Cram. Paper given to the 9th Biennial Science Teachers' Workshop, "The New Physics HSC Syllabus", mounted by the School of Physics, University of Sydney, June 15-16, 2000.
SPACE - course notes from Bob Emery, St Pius College, Adamstown , NSW
Space - from NSW HSC Online
Space - from HSC Physics, UNSW
Physics, Spaceflight and the Earth's Magnetism - from David G. Stern, Emeritus, Goddard Space Center
The Earth's Gravitational Field
Newton's Laws - a tutorial, from The Physics Classroom
Multimedia Tutorials on Newton's laws - from The Physics Classroom
Classroom materials - from Goddard Space Science Center, includes Newton's Laws of Motion and Gravity, stimulus material, teaching ideas and notes
Gravitational Potential Energy - lessons from The Physics Classroom
Recognising Forces - an online activity, from The Physics Classroom
GRACE -- Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment - from NASA
Physics - How Things Work - interesting discussions of Work and energy, from University of Virginia
Gravitational Force: An Internet Based Lesson Plan - from Georgia State University
Standard Planetary Information, Formulae and Constants - Information about the acceleration due to gravity on other planets, from Planetary Atmospheres Node, NASA
The Major Planets: Properties of the 8 major planets (and Pluto) - from Krysstal
Student Investigations and Experiments
Grasping Gravity - an investigation, from Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA
Launch a frisbee into orbit - from The Technology Teacher, April 2003 (pdf 447.1 KB),
How does gravity assist work with interplanetary satellites? - from How Stuff Works
Projectile motion
Space/Math - Constants and Equations for Calculations - a Space FAQ page from Usenet
Orbital Mechanics - from Rocket and Space Technology
Selections from Dialogue Concerning Two New Sciences - translation of Galileo's Ideas - from University of Virginia
The Galileo Project: Science - from Rice University
Projectile Motion Applet - allows you to vary data and see results in graphical form, from University of Virginia
Quicktime Movies - from Physics Net, Western Washington University
Mechanics Interactive Physics Simulations - from Physics Net, Western Washington University
Mechanics Example Problems - from Physics Net, Western Washington University
Using Spreadsheets for Projectile Motion - detailed Instructions for working with a spreadsheet, University of Virginia
Planet Impact - is a series of learning modules inspired by the crash of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 on Jupiter, students investigate how the gravitational force of a large body, such as Jupiter, affects the path of a smaller body, such as a comet, from Space Telescope Science Institute
Escape velocity
Newton's Mountain - applet from University of Virginia
Inertial forces during launch
Launch a "Rocket" from a Spinning "Planet" - from ScienceLinks, NASA
Rocket launch experiment- from Science Netlinks, NASA
Later Deceleration Studies on the High-Speed Track - from History of Research in Space Biology and Biodynamics, NASA
The dynamics of rocketry
Rocketry - lessons from NASA
Momentum - from Science Clarified, see paragraph 'Applications'
Welcome to the Beginner's Guide to Rockets - from NASA
40th anniversary of Apollo 11 : 1969 - 2009 - from Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA
Rocket Principles - teachers' resources, from NASA
Circular orbital motion around the Earth
Planetary Orbits - includes an interactive animation
More general motion of satellites
Orbital Motion and Kepler's laws - from School for Champions
Johannes Kepler: The Laws of Planetary Motion - from University of Tennessee
Kepler Motion - virtual lab (applet) from Univeristy of Hawaii
Problems with reentry
Spacecraft Reentry - from Aerospace Corporation
Satellite Re-entry - from Visual Satellite Observer's Home Page
Visual Satellite Observer's Home Page - site for amateur observers of satellites
A Moon for a Man - easy-to-read article is from a history of one of the NASA projects
A Report on an Artificial Earth Satellite - an historically interesting report which discusses re-entry angle written by the Russian Scientific Research Institute in 1954 at the very start of their space program
Student investigations and experiments
Java Applets on Physics - see Mechanics section, from Walter Fendt's
Jesper's g-meter - home made g-meter used to measure car accleration
G-Meter - description from NASA
DE-ACCM5G Application Note: G Meter - instructions for construction of a g-meter designed to be mounted on a car, from Dimension engineering
Uniform Circular Motion
How Satellites Work - from How Stuff Works
Orbital Decay of Satellites
What is Low Earth Orbit? - from tech-FAQ
What is a Low Earth orbit - a definition from Answers.com
Satellite Orbital Decay Calculations - 10 page pdf (368.81 KB) from Department of Industry Tourism and Resources, Australia
Why do satelites eventually come down? - from MadSci Network
Historical Figures in rocket science - Tsiolkovsky, Oberth, Goddard, Esnault-Pelterie, O'Neill or von Braun
History of Rocketry - from Spaceline, has separate chapters on Tsiolkovsky, Goddard, Oberth and von Braun
The life of Konstantin Eduardovitch Tsiolkovsky - from Informatics
Early History: Nuclear Thermal Propulsion - from Federation of American Scientists, with information about Esnault-Pelterie
Life of Gerard K. O'Neill - from Space Studies Institute
Science fiction ideas
The rigours associated with rocket launching, as well as historical aspects of the space race, are accurately conveyed in the movies:
The Right Stuff (1983)
and
Apollo 13 (1996).Practical details associated with space stations appear in many sf movies - for example:
2001, A Space Odyssey (1968)
and
Outland (1981)The idea that there are more efficient ways of raising people and payloads into space other than rockets, namely a giant "elevator" constructed between the surface of the planet and a geo-stationary satellite is explored in:
The Fountains of Paradise (1979) by Arthur C. Clarke, Review
and
Green Mars (1993) by Kim Stanley Robinson.Astronauts
How to Become an Astronaut - from NASA
How to Become an Astronaut - from Space Frequently Asked Question site
Basics of Space Flight - Online textbook from NASA - in particular Chapter 14
VIDEO: Liftoff to Learning: Space Basics - from NASA (requires Real Player)
Human Spaceflight - from NASA
Rocket and Space Technology - topics include Basics of Space Flight, Space Hardware, Space Centers, Space Missions and Space and Rocketry terms
Mission Events Summary - from NASA
Space Science Hotlist - from The Franklin Institute Online
The Future
The Solar System and Gravity
The 8 Planets - Multimedia Tour of the Solar System by Bill Arnett
Universcale - The Size of Things, created by Nikon
"Powers of Ten" - a video created by IBM in 1977. Explores the scale of the universe from an electron to the limits of space.
A Scale Model of the Solar System - an Applet, from Bob Jenkins
Another Solar Sytem Applet - from UCLA
Astronomy Notes - a helpful, comprehensive site with notes about general astronomy by Nick Strobel
Sir Isaac Newton: The Universal Law of Gravitation
Sir Isaac Newton: The Universal Law of Gravitation - from University of Tennessee
Newton's law of gravitation - from University of Winnipeg
Newton's Law of Gravity - from About.com
Gravitation & Circular Motion - from skool.ie web site in Ireland Summary Notes
Educator's Guide to The Inverse Square Law - from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
10 Gravity - from Newtonian Physics by Benjamin Crowell online physics textbook
Gravitational Slingshot
Gravitational Slingshot - from MathPages
Animation of Slingshot effect - a good explanation, from European Space Agency
The Slingshot effect - from University of Durham. (pdf, size 222.33 KB.)
Slingshot Effect - Flashlet from University of Virginia
Special Relativity and the Understanding of Space and Time
EinsteinLight - 2005 web site from UNSW for The International Year of Physics, includes modules on relativity and constant c, scroll down for a series of excellent internet links
Spacetime 101 - from Caltech, background covering how mathematical models of space and time have evolved since ancient times, from the Pythagorean Rule to Newtonian mechanics, Special Relativity and General Relativity
Galileo's Principle of Relativity
Galileo's Spacetime: Introducing the Principle of Relativity - from Syracuse University
Galileo's funnel cart demonstration - Quicktime Movie, from University of Maryland PURPOSE: To demonstrate the independence of velocity components in a dramatic way. Just click on the Image
Alternative movie here
The Speed of Light - brief notes from University of British Columbia
Michelson-Morley Experiment
Michelson-Morley Experiment - from Science World Web Site, this entry contributed by Leonardo Motta
The Michelson-Morley Experiment - from Michael Fowler at the University of Virginia
The Michelson-Morley Experiment - notes in pdf from Modern Physics textbook (W.H. Freeman). Size 49.76 KB.
Michelson-Morley Experiment - diagram of the experiment and Data for the M-M experiment, from Hyperphysics, Georgia State University
Michelson Interferometer - from Hyperphysics, Georgia State University
Flashlet Simulation of the Experiment - from University of Virginia
Inertial frames of reference
Modern Physics Problems - Applets from from Modern Physics Explorer
Space and Time: Inertial Frames - from Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Inertial Reference Frames - from Upscale at University of Toronto
Inertial frames - from EinsteinLight at University of New South Wales, good animation
Simulation: Clocks and the Postulates of Special Relativity - with a java app, from University of California Los Angeles
Special Relativity
Teaching Special Relativity Using Physlets - web-based material described in a paper in The Physics Teacher, from Davidson College
History of mathematical physics - from St Andrews University
Foundations - a non-mathematical introduction as a series of online articles from by Greg Egan
Relativity - from US National Science Foundation
Special Relativity - from Stanford University
MAGIC through two MILLENNIA - from the University of Toronto
Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity - from The Physics Classroom website
Consequences of Special Relativity
Relativity of simultaneity
Simultaneity Video - from National Science Foundation, select 1905: Relativity Link, then click on Simultaneity in Multimedia frame
The Relativity of Simultaneity - Einstein's origional paper
Discovering the Relativity of Simultaneity: How did Einstein take "The Step"? - from the University of Pittsburgh
or with animated figures
The equivalence between mass and energy
The Equivalence of Mass and Energy - from Plato Website at Stanford University
About Mass Energy Equivalence - from Upscale at University of Toronto
This month in Physics History: April - from APS News
Einstein's Big Idea - from NOVA
Length contraction
Relativistic Length Contraction
Length Contraction - from Michigan State University, includes worked examples
Time dilation
Time Dilation Video- from National Science Foundation. Select 1905: Relativity Link then click on Time Dilation in Multimedia frame
Mass dilation
Does mass change with velocity? - from Usenet physics FAQ
Relativistic Mass - from Hyperphysics, Georgia State University, Enter a decimal less than 1 in the box to get an instant calculation
Mass dilation FAQ - from The University of New South Wales
Implications for Space Travel
A Trip through the Universe at the Speed of Light - Gene Smith's Astronomy Tutorial, from University of california at San Diego
Was Einstein Wrong about Space Travel? - from NASA
Time traveller - from NOVA: Einstein's Big Idea. nb: requires Shockwave player.
Through the City at the Speed of light - Computer Simulation of the Relativistic Bike Ride
C-ship: Relativistic ray traced images
Seeing Relativity - from Australian National University
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