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May 2003

Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 423-511

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A call to action

Edwin F. Taylor

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 423 | Cited 6 times

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.-i Educational aids
03.65.Ge Solutions of wave equations: bound states
45.05.+x General theory of classical mechanics of discrete systems
04.20.-q Classical general relativity
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American Association of Physics Teachers: Citations for Distinguished Service, 2003

John Hubisz

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 426

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.10.Cr Announcements, news, and awards
01.40.-d Education
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Resource Letter: LBMOM-1: Laser-based modern optical microscopy

Joseph M. Imhof and David A. Vanden Bout

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 429 | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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This Resource Letter provides a guide to the literature exploring widely used laser-based modern optical microscopic techniques. Journal articles and books are cited for the following topics: confocal, near-field, nonlinear, total internal reflection, photon tunneling, and coherent microscopies. Review articles, books, and websites are included to support references to primary literature sources. © 2003 American Association of Physics Teachers.
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01.50.-i Educational aids
01.30.Tt Bibliographies
07.60.Pb Conventional optical microscopes

Dimensional analysis of models and data sets

James F. Price

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 437 | Cited 6 times

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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Dimensional analysis is a widely applicable and sometimes very powerful technique that is demonstrated here in a study of the simple, viscous pendulum. The first and crucial step of dimensional analysis is to define a suitably idealized representation of a phenomenon by listing the relevant variables, called the physical model. The second step is to learn the consequences of the physical model and the general principle that complete equations are independent of the choice of units. The calculation that follows yields a basis set of nondimensional variables. The final step is to interpret the nondimensional basis set in the light of observations or existing theory, and if necessary to modify the basis set to maximize its utility. One strategy is to nondimensionalize the dependent variable by a scaling estimate. The remaining nondimensional variables can then be formed in ways that define aspect ratios or that correspond to the ratio of terms in a governing equation. © 2003 American Association of Physics Teachers.
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01.50.-i Educational aids
45.40.-f Dynamics and kinematics of rigid bodies

Gravitational assist in celestial mechanics—a tutorial

James A. Van Allen

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 448 | Cited 9 times

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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In planning certain types of trajectories of spacecraft within the solar system, engineers rely on a technique called gravitational assist, or gravity assist. This technique underlies the feasibility of effecting a net change in both the speed and direction of motion of a spacecraft by passage through the gravitational field of a planet or a planetary satellite. The resulting increase, or decrease, in the kinetic energy of the spacecraft appears to contradict the casual expectation that in such an encounter the kinetic energy of the spacecraft after the encounter would be the same as that before the encounter. This paper describes the December 1973 encounter of the Pioneer 10 spacecraft with the planet Jupiter as a real-life example of gravitational assist. It then discusses the physical principles involved in understanding the dynamics of the encounter and concludes with remarks on the important role of gravitational assist in space exploration with artificial spacecraft and in understanding the motion of comets within the solar system. © 2003 American Association of Physics Teachers.
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01.50.-i Educational aids
95.30.Sf Relativity and gravitation
95.10.Ce Celestial mechanics (including n-body problems)
45.50.Pk Celestial mechanics
01.30.Rr Surveys and tutorial papers; resource letters
07.87.+v Spaceborne and space research instruments, apparatus, and components (satellites, space vehicles, etc.)
95.55.Pe Lunar, planetary, and deep-space probes
04.80.Cc Experimental tests of gravitational theories
96.30.Cw Comets

The strip grating as a circular polarizer

G. F. Brand

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 452 | Cited 3 times

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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A conducting strip grating can convert a linearly polarized plane wave into one that is circularly polarized. The conversion of a normally incident wave is most efficient when the grating period is 0.874 times the wavelength, the width of the strips is half the grating period and the angle between the direction of polarization and the strips is 45°. This result is confirmed by a microwave experiment at 35 GHz. © 2003 American Association of Physics Teachers.
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42.79.Dj Gratings

The universal Lagrangian for one particle in a potential

James Evans

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 457

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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In a system consisting of a single particle in a potential, the classical action ∫L dt is the number of phase waves that pass through the moving particle, as the particle moves from its initial to its final position. Thus the Lagrangian can be cast into the form L=p(vg−vp), where vg and vp are the group and phase velocities and p is the momentum. © 2003 American Association of Physics Teachers.
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01.50.-i Educational aids
03.65.-w Quantum mechanics
45.50.-j Dynamics and kinematics of a particle and a system of particles

Derivatives of the Dirac delta function by explicit construction of sequences

Timothy B. Boykin

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 462 | Cited 5 times

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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Explicit sequences that approach the Dirac delta function and its derivatives are often helpful in presenting generalized functions. We present a method by which a finite difference formula may be easily converted into a sequence that approaches a derivative of the Dirac delta function in one dimension. In three dimensions, we employ a sequence for the Dirac delta function based on a uniformly charged sphere of infinitesimal radius and infinite charge density and show that the charge density of an electric dipole is (in the sense of a generalized function) equal to −(∂/∂z)δ3(r). We use this result to derive Gauss’ law in a dielectric medium directly from the charge densities, without using the potentials. © 2003 American Association of Physics Teachers.
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01.50.-i Educational aids
02.30.Cj Measure and integration
02.70.Bf Finite-difference methods

A successful applied physics program at the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao

Rafael J. Muller and Claudio Guerra-Vela

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 469 | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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We describe the innovative ideas that have been incorporated into the applied physics program at the Humacao Campus of the University of Puerto Rico since 1981. The program was designed as a professional (terminal) one with mechanisms to guide students who wish to pursue graduate studies. Dwindling student registration in the program led to an aggressive recruitment/retention plan in the early 1990s. We describe our highly successful efforts and their results, including an increase in the number of majors, an increase of 25% in female students, and a graduation rate of 12.5 students/year for the past six years. © 2003 American Association of Physics Teachers.
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01.40.G- Curricula and evaluation

Physics of quiet and suffocative breathing

V. J. Menon and D. C. Agrawal

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 474 | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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The process of breathing is analyzed theoretically by setting up and solving the hydrodynamic equation of motion for air flow, obtaining an expression for the work due to the pressure-drop, viscosity and drag, deriving relations for the effective length and cross section of the respiratory track, and deriving an expression for the surface energy generated in the lungs. © 2003 American Association of Physics Teachers.
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01.50.-i Educational aids
87.19.U- Hemodynamics
87.19.Wx Pneumodyamics, respiration

The Braess paradox in mechanical, traffic, and other networks

Claude M. Penchina and Leora J Penchina

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 479 | Cited 2 times

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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We examine a network of strings and springs that exhibit counter-intuitive behavior. When a support string is cut, the load rises instead of falling. Our experimental and theoretical results lead to some general qualitative conditions for the existence of this paradoxical behavior, including effects of nonideal and nonlinear components. A simple procedure is given for doing a classroom demonstration of this behavior. This behavior is analogous to the well-known Braess paradox in traffic networks and also has (not well known) analogs in electrical, hydraulic, and thermal networks. Some new insights into the traffic paradox are gained from a study of the mechanical paradox. © 2003 American Association of Physics Teachers.
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
46.70.Hg Membranes, rods, and strings

Three methods for calculating the Feynman propagator

F. A. Barone, H. Boschi-Filho, and C. Farina

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 483 | Cited 7 times

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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We present three methods for calculating the Feynman propagator for the nonrelativistic harmonic oscillator. The first method was employed by Schwinger a half a century ago, but has rarely been used in nonrelativistic problems since. Also discussed is an algebraic method and a path integral method so that the reader can compare the advantages and disadvantages of each method. © 2003 American Association of Physics Teachers.
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01.50.-i Educational aids
03.65.Ge Solutions of wave equations: bound states
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Erratum: “Harmonic? Anharmonic? Inharmonic?” [Am. J. Phys. 70 (12), 1205–1207 (2002)]

Neville H. Fletcher

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 492 | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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Abstract Unavailable
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99.10.Cd Errata
01.50.-i Educational aids
03.65.Ge Solutions of wave equations: bound states

Erratum: “Application of Padé interpolation to stationary state problems” [Am. J. Phys. 70 (10), 1020–1024 (2002)]

C. N. Leung and Yvonne Y. Y. Wong

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 492

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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© 2003 American Association of Physics Teachers.
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99.10.Cd Errata
03.65.-w Quantum mechanics
02.60.Ed Interpolation; curve fitting
02.30.Mv Approximations and expansions
01.40.G- Curricula and evaluation
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Fast processes imaging device

S. Kasas, G. Dumas, and G. Dietler

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 493

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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42.79.Pw Imaging detectors and sensors
07.68.+m Photography, photographic instruments; xerography
85.60.Jb Light-emitting devices
85.60.Gz Photodetectors (including infrared and CCD detectors)

Frustrated total internal reflection: A simple application and demonstration

F. P. Zanella, D. V. Magalhães, M. M. Oliveira, R. F. Bianchi, L. Misoguti, and C. R. Mendonça

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 494 | Cited 4 times

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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© 2003 American Association of Physics Teachers.
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
42.25.Gy Edge and boundary effects; reflection and refraction
07.07.Df Sensors (chemical, optical, electrical, movement, gas, etc.); remote sensing

A simplified thermoacoustic engine demonstration

Andrej Jeromen

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 496

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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© 2003 American Association of Physics Teachers.
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01.50.My Demonstration experiments and apparatus
07.20.Pe Heat engines; heat pumps; heat pipes
43.35.Ud Thermoacoustics, high temperature acoustics, photoacoustic effect

Listening to the coefficient of restitution and the gravitational acceleration of a bouncing ball

C. E. Aguiar and F. Laudares

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 499 | Cited 8 times

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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We show that a well known method for measuring the coefficient of restitution of a bouncing ball can also be used to obtain the gravitational acceleration. © 2003 American Association of Physics Teachers.
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01.50.-i Educational aids
45.40.-f Dynamics and kinematics of rigid bodies

Automation of the Franck–Hertz experiment and the Tel-X-Ometer x-ray machine using LABVIEW

W. Fedak, D. Bord, C. Smith, D. Gawrych, and K. Lindeman

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 501 | Cited 1 time

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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We describe the use of LABVIEW to automate data collection and instrument control for the Franck–Hertz experiment and for the popular Tel-X-Ometer x-ray machine. Such automation permits the rapid collection and reduction of large amounts of data, thus facilitating exploration of the basic physics of these experiments. The use of industry-standard software packages, such as ORIGIN and MATHEMATICA, provides students with valuable exposure to professional tools for the display and analysis of data. © 2003 American Association of Physics Teachers.
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01.50.Pa Laboratory experiments and apparatus
07.05.Hd Data acquisition: hardware and software
07.05.Wr Computer interfaces
07.05.Dz Control systems
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Newton’s Tyranny: The Suppressed Scientific Discoveries of Stephen Gray and John Flamsteed

David H. Clark, Author, Stephen P. H. Clark, Author, and Mark P. Silverman, Reviewer

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 507

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.30.Vv Book reviews
01.60.+q Biographies, tributes, personal notes, and obituaries

The Topology of Chaos

Robert Gilmore, Author, Marc Lefranc, Author, and Nicholas B. Tufillaro, Reviewer

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 508

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.50.-i Educational aids
01.30.Vv Book reviews
05.45.-a Nonlinear dynamics and chaos
02.40.Pc General topology

Tritium on Ice: The Dangerous New Alliance of Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear Power

Kenneth D. Bergeron, Author and David Hafemeister, Reviewer

American Journal of Physics -- May 2003 -- Volume 71, Issue 5, pp. 510

Online Publication Date: Apr 2003

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Abstract Unavailable
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01.30.Vv Book reviews
01.50.-i Educational aids
89.20.Dd Military technology and weapons systems; arms control
89.30.Jj Nuclear fusion power
89.30.Gg Nuclear fission power
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