Dave's Physics Archives

The table below provides archival links to Dave Smith's weekly Puzzlers, weekly NetResearch projects, and weekly Laboratory exercises that have appeared on the University of the Virgin Islands WebPhysics page since the Fall 1997 semester. Entries are designated with a brief description and are in the chronological order that they appeared during the semester. Although many entries have the same or similar descriptions, they may represent modified or alternative versions. Note that outside links contained within the NetResearch projects are not updated and some may no longer exist. (Of course, the latest versions will have the most up-to-date links.)

All written materials and graphics (unless otherwise noted) were created by Dave Smith. Feel free to use them in any educational capacity, provided you don't make any money from it. Happy Surfing!

 

PHYSICS 242 General Physics II -- Fall 1999

WEEK PUZZLER NET RESEARCH LABORATORY
1 Reversing charge attraction Lightning Electrostatics
2 Flux through a cube Coulomb and Gauss Electric Field Mapping
3 Cube of charges Electric fields Resistance
4 Electrical circuit Edison RC Circuit / Kirchoff Challenge
5      
6 Capacitor and dielectric Tesla Exam I
7 Charge in a magnetic field The Aurora Magnetic Fields and Induction
8 Falling magnet Theremin WAPA field trip
9 DC LRC w/bulb Microwaves AC LRC circuits
10 Loop antenna Refraction Exam II
11 Refraction of sound Fiber Optics  
12 Disappearing glass Telescopes Optics Exploration
13 Moon reflection Vision G.T. Woods Patents
14 Interference Holography Exam III
15 Relativistic spacing MRI Spectral analysis
16     Final Exam

PHYSICS 311 Classical Mechanics I -- Spring 1999

WEEK PUZZLER SPECIAL INTEREST PROBLEM
1 Rotations Surface representation
2 Tensors Rotation matrix
3 Projectile with air resistance Sinusoidal force
4 Growing raindrop Interplanetary travel
5 F = -kx3 rocket liftoff
6 Phase diagrams Underdamped oscillator
7 Shell planet Square World
8 1/r gravity Freefall through a shell planet
9 Accelerated pendulum Motorcycle cage
10 Energy and orbital shapes Reduced mass
11    
12 Gravity assist Waste dumpng in space
13 Spool and Rope Unrolling toilet roll
14 Weight of an hourglass Motion on a rotating platform

PHYSICS 241 General Physics I -- Spring 1999

WEEK PUZZLER NET RESEARCH LABORATORY
1 A mole of molecules Standards of Measurements Measurements and Errors
2 Triple scalar product Navigation Freefall and Human Acceleration
3 Long freefall Acceleration Projectile Launch
4 Air resistance Rockets Exam I
5 Banked road Solar Energy Acc Post-Mortem
6 Cushion springs More Energy Conservation of Energy
7 Head-on collision Roller Coasters Conservation of Momentum
8 Climb for ice cream Commerce in Space Exam II
9 Spool and rope UVI Charter Day Angular Momentum
10 Cylinder/hoop race Gravitation Cantilever
11      
12 Double pendulum Foucault Pendulum Pendulum
13 Boat and brick Hurricanes Fluids
14 Coffee and cream Entropy Exam III
15     Heat and Temperature

PHYSICS 242 General Physics II -- Fall 1998

WEEK PUZZLER NET RESEARCH LABORATORY
1 Reversing charge attraction Lightning Electrostatics
2 Flux through a cube Coulomb and Gauss Electric Field Mapping
3 EPE of charges Electric fields Resistance
4 Electrical circuit Edison RC Circuit / Kirchoff Challenge
5      
6 Capacitor and dielectric Tesla Exam I
7 Charge in a magnetic field The Aurora Magnetic Fields and Induction
8 Falling magnet Theremin The AC LRC Circuit
9 Inductor circuit Microwaves Exam II
10 Loop antenna Refraction Index of Refraction
11 Refraction of sound Fiber Optics Optics Exploration
12 Disappearing glass Telescopes Telescopes
13 Moon reflection Vision Exam III
14 Interference Holography G.T. Woods Patents
15      
16 Relativistic garage MRI Final Exam

NSC 101 Natural Science I -- Spring 1998

WEEK PUZZLER LABORATORY
1 Silly Prefixes Measurements and Errors
2 Hang time Measuring "g"
3 Sticky falling blocks Conservation of Energy/Bike
4 Rope pull on ice Fluid Statics and Dynamics
5 Weight at earth's center Exam I
6 Chinook wind Heat Capacity
7 Bulbs in a circuit Electricity
8 Floating magnets Speed of Sound
9 Binaural hearing Exam II
10 Images in mirrors Optics
11 One breath estimate Light and Perception
13   Oobleck and Magnesium
14 Sulfer compounds Exam III
15 Household chemicals Antacids
16   Final Exam

PHYSICS 341/351 Modern Physics/Lab-- Spring 1998

WEEK PUZZLER LABORATORY
1 Relativistic scissors Relativity - Beldar Takes a Trip
2 Relativistic car in garage Photoelectric Effect
3 Relativistic Jack and Jill Exam I
4 Power radiated by the body Diffraction of X-rays
5 X-ray scattering Electron e/m Measurement
6 Electron diffraction Millikan Oil Drop
7    
8 Wave functions Critical Potentials in Hg
9 Inflated Planck's constant Photovoltaic Cells
10    
11 Tossing dice  
13 Electron Spin Resonance 
14 Radioactive decay Nuclear Spectroscopy
15 Radioactive decay chain  

PHYSICS 211 Introduction to Physics I -- Fall 1997

WEEK PUZZLER NET RESEARCH LABORATORY
1 Estimates Standards of Measurements  
2 Projectile Acceleration Acceleration
3 Vectors Navigation and GPS  
4 Superman and guns Hurricanes  
5 Work in elevators    
6 Astronaut tossing momentum Energy Cons of Energy /Bike
7 Weight and the sun In Orbit Gravitation / COM
8 Orbiting spacestations   Exam II
9 Jumbie friction Gyroscopes/Precession Angular Momentum
10 Pressure and weight Underwater  
11 Brick in a boat Greenhouse effect Fluid Statics and Dynamics
12 Faucet stream    
13 Cooling coffee Entropy Heat Capacity
14 Double pendulum   Turkey Heat Capacity
15 Binaural hearing Pendulums Pendulum

NSC 101 Natural Science I -- Fall 1997

WEEK PUZZLER LABORATORY
1    
2 Gravity on another planet Gravity
3 Superman and guns  
4 Bernouilli and airplanes  
5 The sun and weight  
6 Cooling coffee Electricity
7 Electrical charges  
8 Floating magnets Exam II
9 Sound and starter's gun Optics
10 Archer fish and refraction  
11 Radioactivity  
12 Gases and pressure  
13 Carbonate dot diagram Exam III
14 Butane equation Oobleck and Magnesium
15 Planetary seasons Antacids

 

Please email questions or comments to: dsmith@uvi.edu