Physics News from the AIP Term 4, No 4, 2014
Table of Contents
1. Sponsorship Grants to attend Physics Teachers' Conference from Laby Foundation
2. More Second hand Equipment: Dual Trace CROs
3. Two issues: i) Combined Classes and ii) Biol teachers considering VCE Physics
4. Forthcoming events for Students and the General Public *
a) A Tour of the Universe (and selected Cosmic mysteries), 6:30pm, 5th December, Swinburne University
b) Physics Days at Luna Park - Bookings open. Cost $24.95 per student No Roulette Display. 4th day confirmed.
5. Forthcoming events for Teachers *
a) Physics Teachers' Conference - Registrations open. Extra Workshops on CROs
b) Physics in General Science Conference - Registrations open
6. Physics News from the Web
a) Albert Michaelson's Mechanical Computer for Fourier Analysis and Fourier Synthesis.
b) Bowling ball and the feather. Brian Cox repeats Galileo's experiment
c) 'Interstellar' and the Physics behind the film
* Events listed for the first time are in bold with details below. The details of the other events can be found on our website at www.vicphysics.org/forthcomingevents.html or in previous newsletters at www.vicphysics.org/aipnews.html
This newsletter is compiled by the Australian Institute of Physics (Victorian Branch) Education Committee.
The next meeting of the AIP Education Committee will be at 5pm on Tuesday, 18th November at University High School at which the Committee will prepare its review of the exam paper. All teachers are welcome to attend this or any other meeting. You don't need to be a member of the AIP to get involved. If you would like to attend, please contact the chair, Sue Grant, at .
1. Sponsorship Grants to attend Physics Teachers Conference from Laby Foundation
The Laby Foundation offers grants to teachers and schools with the aim of building the capacity in physics teaching across Victoria, specifically targeting (but not solely limited to) disadvantaged and rural schools.
They have provided funds to assist teachers to attend the 2015 Physics Teachers' Conference and have asked the AIP Education Committee to administer the scheme. Teachers and/or schools can receive up to $400 to assist with travel costs, the conference fee and CRT costs. The grant will equal either the total cost or $400, whichever is smaller.
Applications are to be received by the Education Committee by Friday, 28th November with recommendations to the Laby Foundation made early December and applicants advised before the end of the 2014 school year.
Successful applicants will need to then personally register for the conference with STAV including the registration payment. After the conference they will need to submit a report of their experiences at the conference at which time reimbursement to the teacher and/or the school will be made.
Applicants will need to provide a case for sponsorship (a substantiated statement) based on the following selection priorities:
1. Geographical and/or socio-economic disadvantage.
2. Low participation in VCE physics and/or low science profile in the school (Data should include: Physics student numbers for Years 11 and 12, male and female, for the current and previous two years, as well as Year level student numbers for Years 10, 11 and 12, male and female, for the current and previous two years)
3. Infrequent representation of the school at recent Physics Teachers' Conferences.
4. Other disadvantages identified by applicant.
How to apply:
Complete the application form found at: http://www.vicphysics.org/conf2015.html . Your application should include a statement addressing one or more of the selection priorities, totaling no more than 500 words.
Send the completed form to : Laby Foundation Grants, c/- Australian Institute of Physics (Vic Branch) Education Committee, PO Box 3054, Richmond VIC 3121 or email it to the Committee at with subject 'Laby Foundation application'.
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2. More Second hand Equipment: Dual Trace CROs
The last newsletter listed equipment surplus to requirements from Box Hill High School. There was quite a lot of demand for the sole air track, but the other items are still in stock. See the full list with quantities at www.vicphysics.org/equipment.html
Now about 20 second hand Cathode Ray Oscilloscopes (CRO) from Monash University are available. They are Trio and Hameg dual trace CROs.
To request an item or two from the Box Hill list or one of the CROs, please contact the Committee at with subject 'Second Hand Equipment'. For the month of November, priority will be for under-resourced schools with negligible equipment budgets, after that to any school.
Items can be picked up at the Physics Teachers' Conference next year.
The conference now has an extra workshop on 'How to use your CRO' is Sessions D and E for those who receive one of the CROs or indeed, any participant see details under item.
Another equipment related item is the Committee's Physics Equipment Grant Scheme
Physics Equipment Grant Scheme - Next Round
The Committee uses some of its funds to provide essential physics equipment to under-resourced schools with negligible equipment budgets. Over the last couple of years about 16 schools each received item(s) of equipment to a value ranging from $200 to $500.
Applications for the next round close on the last Friday of November.
Condition:
· At least one teacher currently at the school must have attended either this year's Physics Teachers' Conference or have registered for next year's conference.
Application details:
· Teacher's name and contact details
· School's name, address and contact details
· Physics student numbers for Years 11 and 12, male and female, for the current and previous two years as well as projections for 2015,
· Year level student numbers for Years 10, 11 and 12, male and female, for the current and previous two years as well as projections for 2015.
· Description of requested item or items, including brand, model, supplier and cost.
· List of equipment less than 10 years old.
· Physics equipment budget and expenditure for the last two years.
A list of typical items and an application form can be found at www.vicphysics.org/equipment.html, but schools should not feel limited to the items on the list.
Applications can be sent to: Physics Equipment Grants, c/- Australian Institute of Physics (Vic Branch) Education Committee, PO Box 3054, Richmond VIC 3121 or emailed to the Committee at with subject 'Equipment grant application'.
3. Two issues: Combined Classes and Biol teachers considering VCE Physics
i) Combined Classes. In a small number of schools the physics teacher is being asked to teach VCE Units 1 & 2 and VCE Units 3 & 4 in the one class. Apart from the disadvantage to the students, this arrangement places a heavy burden on the teacher. It raises difficult management issues of content and class time that are not easily resolved. If you are in this situation and have experiences to share or this is a prospect for next year, please get in touch with the AIP at with subject 'Combined class'.
ii) Biol teachers considering VCE Physics Some biology teachers are considering or have been asked by their school to consider teaching VCE Physics. If you have a biology background and are teaching physics now and would like to share your experiences or there is a prospect of you teaching physics in the near future, please get in touch with the AIP at with subject 'Biology and physics'.
4. Forthcoming events for Students and General Public *
a) A Tour of the Universe (and selected Cosmic mysteries), 6:30pm, 5th December, Swinburne University
Presenter: Dr Katherine Mack, University of Melbourne
Date: Friday 5 December 2014
Time: 6.30 - 7.30
Venue: Swinburne University, Hawthorn Campus, ATC building, ATC101
Abstract: Everything humanity has ever seen or experienced represents a tiny speck in a vast and mysterious Universe. What else is out there, and how are we figuring it out? What puzzles still wait to be solved? Come with your questions about dark matter, dark energy, black holes, or the ultimate fate of the Universe as we delve into some of cosmology’s most fundamental questions
Please click on the link below to register for the next public lecture
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1fgaVgnLEskt_nm3Oh3PZYiJgQehfpVnbaaSylWF4Xl0/viewform
Map: http://www.swinburne.edu.au/contacts-campuses/campuses/hawthorn/documents/hawthorn.pdf
b) Physics Days at Luna Park - Bookings open Cost $24.95 per student No Roulette Display.
4th day confirmed.
Luna Park is now taking bookings for the 2015 Physics Days at Luna Park. Next year there will be four days: Tuesday 3rd March, Wednesday 4th March, Thursday, 5th March and Friday, 6th March. You can make a tentative booking with indicative student numbers, then confirm your booking once your 2015 timetable is finalised and again once your class size is known.
The cost for next year will be $24.95 per student with teachers free. It is expected that dataloggers will also again be available, but the booking of a datalogger is to the Education Committee at with subject 'Datalogger booking', specifying brand (Pasco or Vernier), day and time (AM or PM).
The request for an aerobatic display by a member of the RAAF Roulette team was unsuccessful. They advised that "The Air Force has received a significant number of requests for support for the 2015 season and there are logistical and operational constraints which limit the number of events which can be supported.".
To make a booking contact Luna Park at Ph 9525 5033, Fax 9534 5764, email , by post to PO Box 1083, St Kilda South, VIC 3182 or online at http://lunapark.com.au/schools/vce-physics-days/
5. Forthcoming events for Teachers *
a) 2015 Physics Teachers' Conference - Registrations open. Extra Workshops on CROs
Next year's conference will be on Friday, 20th February at Monash University. The program and registration form are available at http://www.sciencevictoria.com.au/confVCE.html and http://www.vicphysics.org/conf2015.html . Online registrations are now available at the Science Victoria website.
The features of the program include:
· Day and late afternoon sessions. Participants can attend the whole day or just the late afternoon sessions,
· Opening address on 'Thermodynamics and Climate Change' by Prof David Jamieson, University of Melbourne.
· New Physics Study Design: Briefing by Maria James, Science Manager, VCAA. Maria is also offering a workshop on 'The use of scientific posters in communicating science' three times during the conference.
· Report by Bruce Walsh, the Chief Assessor, on the 2014 November Exam (repeated),
· Physics Karaoke: Short presentations in three adjacent rooms for easy movement.
· Over 70 workshops across five sessions, some on VCE topics, some on general across Years 7 - 12 and others specifically for Years 7 - 10.
· A Saturday program of excursions tasters at various venues and a medical physics in-service at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Teachers who are unable to attend the conference can register for any of the events in the Saturday program by separately emailing the AIP at with subject: 'Saturday registration' and personal contact details and chosen event(s).
The extra workshops are:
D18 How to use your CRO? Repeated in E17
Members of AIP Education Committee and Physics staff from John Monash Science School
The workshop will cover i) Setting up the CRO, ii) Safe use and care of the CRO, iii) Demonstrations with the CRO and iv) Experiments and measurement with the CRO. The workshop will use Trio CS1560A2 and Hameg HM203-7 CROs. The AIP Education Committee has been given 20 second hand CROs from Monash University to distribute to schools. Successful applicants can pick up their CRO at the conference at the venue for this workshop. They are welcome to attend the workshop. The workshop is also open to any other conference participants seeking a refresher on CROs.
E17 How to use your CRO? Repeat of D18
Members of AIP Education Committee and Physics staff from John Monash Science School
b) Physics in General Science (PIGS) Conference - Registrations open
Earlier this year alongside the Physics Teachers' Conference, the AIP Education Committee ran a Physics in General Science (PIGS) Conference. This conference was for middle school science teachers who were seeking to increase their confidence in teaching physics related topics or looking for new teaching ideas and resources. The conference will be offer again in 2015 and again at the same venue and on the same day as the Physics Teachers' Conference. The PIGS Conference is held after lunch with four sessions of workshops to minimise the cost to participants and the disruption to schools caused by their absence.
The program and registration form are available at http://www.sciencevictoria.com.au/confVCE.html and at http://www.vicphysics.org/pigs2015.html . Online registrations are now available at the Science Victoria website.
Please bring this event to the attention of your colleagues.
6. Physics News from the Web
Items selected from the bulletins of the Institute of Physics (UK) and the American Institute of Physics.
Each item below includes the introductory paragraphs and a web link to the rest of the article.
a) Albert Michaelson's Mechanical Computer for Fourier Analysis and Fourier Synthesis.
b) Bowling ball and the feather. Brian Cox repeats Galileo's experiment
c) 'Interstellar' and the Physics behind the film
a) Albert Michaelson's Mechanical Computer for Fourier Analysis and Fourier Synthesis.
Michaelson of Michaelson and Morley fame achieved many other scientific feats. He designed and built a mechanical machine to break a complex wave form into its sinusoidal components, but also to do the reverse.
This set of impressive videos by Bill Hammack, Dept of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois, cover its introduction and history, the workings of the machine, and a page by page guide to the 100 page book on the machine also available as a free PDF. This is the link to the 'Introduction and history': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAsM30MAHLg and so to the others.
He has produced videos on a range of technological devices; It has been said about his videos that 'should be held up as models of how to present complex technical information visually.' His website http://www.engineerguy.com/ has three series of videos as well as articles on how engineers and scientists should talk to the public.
b) Bowling ball and the feather. Brian Cox repeats Galileo's experiment
Brian Cox has produced another Science series called the 'Human Universe' . As part of the series he uses the NASA's multi-storey Space Simulation Vacuum Chamber. The slow motion video of the feather and the bowling ball is very impressive. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02985m0 An article on the video by Rhett Allain, http://www.wired.com/2014/11/dropping-objects-worlds-largest-vacuum-chamber/?mbid=social_twitter would be useful for students.