Physics Column
Since March of 2006 I've had a weekly column about physics at Suite101.com. The articles are written for the lay reader.
Here are the latest articles directly from the RSS site feed:
Ohm's Law View Article
Ohm's law states that the current through a conductor between two points is proportional to the potential difference and inversely proportional to the resistance. |
Planck's Law View Article
Planck's revolutionary idea of describing light statistically rather than as a continuous wave seeded the birth of quantum physics. |
Absolute Zero View Article
If a substance is cooled enough it will become so cold that its atoms stop moving completely. This hypothetical point is called absolute zero. |
Brownian Motion View Article
Brownian motion describes the jerky movements of small particles as they are buffeted by invisible water or gas molecules. |
Newton's Theory of Colour View Article
Shine white light through a glass prism and the emerging rays of light will spread out in a rainbow of colours. |
Relatively Speaking View Article
Dimensions provide the backdrop through which the universe operates. Spacial and temporal dimensions provide the backdrop to reality. |
Discoveries in Physics 2008 View Article
Among the wealth of physics discoveries in 2008 editors and science writers of the American Institute of Physics and the American Physical Society has selected ten. |
Second Law of Thermodynamics View Article
The tendency of hot and cold bodies to exchange heat and move towards an even temperature is captured in the second law of thermodynamics. |
Hooke's Law View Article
Used in engineering, construction and materials science, Hooke's law shows how materials deform when forces are applied. |
Ideal Gas Law View Article
First stated by physicist Emil Clapeyron, the ideal gas law describes how the pressure, temperature and volume of a gas are all interrelated. |
Here is an archive of older articles:
- Waves - FRI 15 Sep 2006
Waves are ubiquitous in the study of physics, and we are intuitively familiar with them from a very early age, but what are they really?
- The Peculiar Vocabulary of Physics - FRI 08 Sep 2006
Over time, the field of physics has discovered many new phenomena that defy easy description or naming. What do you call something that has never been seen before?
- Book Review: Quantum Enigma - FRI 01 Sep 2006
The connection between consciousness and quantum reality has been bubbling up in popular culture and it has become unavoidable for physicists to address the issue.
- Dark Matter - FRI 25 Aug 2006
Dark matter has long remained elusive, but recent evidence suggests that it does exist, making up most of the matter in the universe. But what is dark matter supposed to be?
- Theory vs. Hypothesis vs. Law - FRI 18 Aug 2006
The definition of the word "theory" in the context of science is sometimes hotly argued by non-scientists
- The Physics of Hurricanes - FRI 11 Aug 2006
Hurricanes have hit the popular consciousness hard - the increased hurricane activity has everyone worried - but how do they work?
- The Big and the Small - Part 2 - FRI 04 Aug 2006
Last week we looked at how the four fundamental forces influence matter on the atomic and microscopic scales, this week we look at the macroscopic and cosmic scales.
- The Big and the Small - Part 1 - FRI 28 Jul 2006
At different scales, different forces have a predominate influence over matter.
- It's Just Rocket Science - Part 2 - FRI 21 Jul 2006
Last week we looked at some of the basic principles of rocketry, now we are going to examine the more complex issues of rocket flight.
- It's Just Rocket Science - Part 1 - FRI 14 Jul 2006
In its simplest form, a rocket is just a flying container of fuel open on one end to give a controlled flight.
- The Physics Family - FRI 07 Jul 2006
Physics is a discipline of science that includes many interrelated and active branches.
- Wormholes - THU 29 Jun 2006
A Wormhole is a theoretical shortcut through spacetime that connects two distant locations.
- Composite Particles - THU 22 Jun 2006
Beyond the elementary fermions, leptons, and bosons, are the composite particles which are made up of these elementary particles.
- Bosons - THU 15 Jun 2006
Bosons, along with fermions and leptons complete the 'zoo' of elementary particles.
- Leptons - THU 08 Jun 2006
Leptons, along with fermions (quarks) and bosons (which we will subsequently look at), compose the 'zoo' of elementary particles.
- Fermions - FRI 01 Jun 2006
The fermions are a class of elementary particles that are defined by their 1/2 integer spin, and the fact that they make up the matter that we interact with everyday.
- The Particle Zoo - THU 25 May 2006
According to Einstein's famous equation, all matter is made of energy, but all matter is also made of fundamental particles - little, discrete, bundles of energy.
- Relativistic Effects - FRI 19 May 2006
When an object with mass moves at a speed approaching the speed of light, it's inherent properties are changed in surprising ways.
- Transformers - FRI 12 May 2006
A transformer is a machine simple in design, but sublime in its simplicity.
- Newton's Third Law - FRI 05 May 2006
Newton's third law states that when one body exerts a force on another body, the second body responds with an equal and opposite force.
- Newton's Second Law - FRI 28 Apr 2006
Newton's Second Law describes the relationship between force, mass, and motion, and is an essential tool used to unravel the mysteries of the mechanical Universe.
- Newton's First Law - FRI 21 Apr 2006
Newton's First Law, the simplest of Newton's three laws of motion, provides a frame of reference for understanding all motion in the Universe.
- http://physics.suite101.com/article.cfm/ElectricUniverse - FRI 14 May 2006
Physics Book Review: "Electric Universe: The Shocking True Story of Electricity" by David Bodanis
- Star Lifespan - FRI 07 May 2006
How long does a star live? Each star is unique, and the lifespan of every star is determined primarily by it's mass. The more massive a star is, the shorter its lifespan.
- The Neutron - THU 30 Mar 2006
The neutron is one of the most common particles of matter, and it is integral to the formation of every element other than hydrogen. Find out why.
- Parallax - THU 23 Mar 2006
How do you know how far away something is when you cannot travel to it? For instance, how do we know how far away stars are from the Earth? One way to find out is by using the principle of parallax.
- Stiction - FRI 17 Mar 2006
Stiction is a common sense way of saying "static friction". Find out what it means, and why it is so, well, sticky.
- Gamma Ray Bursters - FRI 10 Mar 2006
Gamma ray bursters are among the most violent phenomena in the visible universe. In fact, if one occurred near the Earth it would incinerate the atmosphere in seconds. Find out how this can happen and why you have nothing to fear.
- The Coriolis Effect - FRI 03 Mar 2006
The coriolis effect has to do with the rotation of the Earth, and little to do with how a toilet flushes in Australia.
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