Fall 2002 Meeting Notes

 

Friday, November 1, 2002
Saturday, November 2, 2002Exploratorium/San Francisco State Local Host: Jim Lockhart
lockhart@stars.sfsu.edu

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Friday Workshops (at the Exploratorium)

“New Teacher Workshop”Paul Robinson, Lonnie Grimes, Dan Burns and Dean Bairdpresented this workshop to an appreciative group of about 20 new and veteran teachers.

“Amusement Park Physics”

Clarence Bakken presented this PTRA workshop to a group of approximately 12 teachers.

Friday Evening Social at the Exploratorium

5:00 – 7:30 The Exploratorium was open for physics teachers and their families to enjoy from about 5:15 until the talks started at 7:30.

NCNAAPT thanks PASCO Scientific for sponsoring the refreshments that we had at the Friday social. Their continuing support is appreciated by the entire section.

7:30 – 8:15 Paul Doherty, Show and Tell

Paul presented several demonstrations, many using magnetic phenomena. The section recognized Paul for his ongoing support of science teachers through Exploratorium Teacher Institutes. http://www.exo.net/~pauld/

8:15 – 9:00 The Physics Chanteuse

Lynda Williams, physics instructor at Santa Rosa Community College, presented a number of songs she has developed to teach and/or honor famous scientists. http://www.scientainment.com/pchant.html

Paul Doherty demonstrates dominoes that grow exponentially in size.	Lynda Williams bursts into song at the Exploratorium.

 

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SATURDAY, November 2, 2002

Morning Session, Science Building 101, San Francisco State University

9:00 Show & Tell – Contact the presenters for additional information

Dave Wall, CCSF, ret. A very large capacitorAndi Erzberger, LBNL QuarkNet and Cosmology projectsCheuk Chau, Chico State Modification of a heat absorber experimentDon Rathjen, Exploratorium Plans for a vibrating “bug” with uses in a classroom Clarence Bakken, Gunn H.S., ret. Two toys – constant speed car modification and air rocket data gathered using a Force Plate David Kagan, Chico State Job opening at CSU Chico Dan Burns, Los Gatos H.S. Kick Dis, a small hover puck for use in demos and labs James Dann, St. Ignatius College Prep E/M metal rod launcher Sue Lee, Chico State An electromagnetic igniter for flash bulbs Lewis Epstein, Insight Press Mystery of the behavior of falling maple seeds Ann Hanks, American River College Pattern of vibration for a meter stick held over edge of table Chuck Hunt, American River College Method of showing Brownian Motion w/o expensive apparatus Scott Perry, American River College Showed a “lifter”, an asymmetric capacitor that lifts off from the table wellsb@arc.losrios.edu http://jnaudin.free.fr/ Kris Wedding, CSUH Two demonstrations – glowing filament and falling candle Dean Baird, Rio Americano H.S. Rotational mystery batons – PVC and all Mike Ugawa, St. Ignatius College Prep Vibrating (and breaking) glass plates

10:00 Invited Talk “Detecting Earths”
Debra Fischer, UC Berkeley, fischer@astro.berkeley.edu

We learned about the nature and number of planets that have been discovered in recent years. This was an awesome presentation and appreciated by all who attended.

11:00 Invited Talk “The Forgotten Fundamental”
Al Bartlett, Professor Emeritus, University of Colorado at Boulder, Albert.Bartlett@colorado.edu

Dr. Bartlett stimulated us as he applied the basic mathematics of exponential growth to daily life situations such as resource use and population growth. The predictions lead to consequences that are very critical for everyone. Some of Dr. Bartlett’s ideas have been captured on fizziker.com.

Debra Fischer, pursuer of “Earth’s” beyond our solar system, enthralls the audience.	Dr. Bartlett gives NCNAAPT the straight scoop on exponential growth.

1:30 Raffle/Business Meeting

Elections were held for three offices that have been vacant since last spring. (Elections weren’t held at Cal Poly due to lack of quorum.) The new officer slate is listed online.

• Secretary: Joe Tenn, Sonoma State
• Vice President for Colleges and Universities: Mike Barnett, LBNL
• Vice President for High Schools: Clarence Bakken, Gunn H.S.

 

Contributed Papers (Concurrent Sessions)Contact the presenters for additional information Click here for original program descriptions
Session A	Session B
1:45 Exploring the Invisible Universe Lynn Cominsky, Tim Graves and Sarah Silva, Sonoma State UniversityTo see the Education and Public Outreach Programs at Sonoma State University, go to http://epo.sonoma.eduTo request NASA materials from any of our projects, please send mail to: materials@universe.sonoma.edu	1:45 Teaching Biomolecular Electronics and Biophotonics at college level: Is it possible? Enrique W. Izaguirre, Sonoma State University
2:00 “Humidity and the COR of Baseballs” David Kagan and Dave Atkinson, California State University, Chico	2:00 “The Case for Increased Emphasis on Life-Science Applications for Students in Algebra/Trig-Based Physics Courses” Peter Urone, California State University, Sacramento
2:20 “Model Rockets and Student Trajectory Simulation” Patti McLain, Jesuit High School	2:20 “LabVIEW in Beginning Labs” Bob Good, Cal-State Hayward
2:40 “Experimental Designs in the Introductory Physics Laboratory” Xueli Zou, California State University, Chico	2:40 “Understanding Partially Coherent Light” Zhigang Chen, San Francisco State University
3:00 ” Analyzing Galileo’s-Ramp Data” Tim Erickson, EEPS Media	3:00 “Detecting Infrared Light, Herschel’s Experiment in the Classroom” Dan Burns, Los Gatos High School
3:20 “Application of Video and Online Exercises to the Instruction of Kinematics and the Operation of the Air Table” Gary Latshaw, Foothill Community College	3:20 “Photoelectric Experiment with Light-Emitting Diodes” James M. Lockhart, San Francisco State University
3:40 “Research Project as a Final Assessment” Algis Sodonis, The Urban School of San Francisco	3:40 “Experimental Conic Sections” Lew Epstein, City College of San Francisco, and Wally Downs
4:00 “CPS Course Response System in Introductory Physics Courses” Susan Lea, San Francisco State University	4:00 “Simple Physics Uses of the Macintosh Graphing Calculator” Arnold F. McKinley, The Marin Science and Math Support Center
4:20 “Tuvan Throat Singing and You” Damon Jansen, Newark Memorial High SchoolNotes from this talk.	4:20 “Is Pressure Really Lower in a Moving Fluid?” Evan Jones, retired, Sierra College
4:40 “Lowell saw the canals on Mars, why can’t NASA?” Phil Gash, CA State University, Chico	4:40 “High Voltage Junk” Dave Wall, City College of San Francisco, and Mike Kan
5:00 “Integrating Modern Topics and Dark Energy” James Dann, St. Ignatius	5:00 “Taking Data Collection to the Next Level” Clarence Bakken, retired, Gunn High School

Upcoming Events

• Winter Meeting, AAPT, January, 11-15, 2003, Austin, Texas www.aapt.org
• Spring Meeting, NCNAAPT, Sonoma State University, April 4-5th, 2003 www.ncnaapt.org
• Summer Meeting, AAPT, August 2-6, 2003, Madison, Wisconsin www.aapt.org
• Fall Meeting, NCNAAPT, Lawrence Berkeley Labs, Berkeley, November 14-15, 2003 (Joint meeting with APS) www.ncnaapt.org
• Winter Meeting, AAPT, January 24-28, 2004, Miami Beach, Florida www.aapt.org
• Summer Meeting, AAPT, July 31-Aug 3, 2004, Sacramento, CA www.aapt.org

 

Updated 11/10/02