President’s Message
As the end of the year rapidly approaches and the New Year dawns,
a little reflection on the events of the past year is in order. As a section, we
are very active in promoting the dissemination of information to our members
through the newsletter, the sharing session, the spring meeting, and the
workshops.
Taking these as individual events means that we reach a significant portion of
the section’s members. If you have taken the opportunity to participate in a
workshop, you realize the time and effort the workshop leaders have expended. It
seems as if the same faces conduct these programs and they do so because they
enjoy imparting some knowledge to assist others in their classroom teaching. If
you think about the vast talents you have then maybe you can run a workshop for
others. Contact one of the officers for further information. We should be proud
of the work we do at so little a cost to those attending a workshop and the
Bauder Fund of the AAPT has noted this fact.
At this time when we celebrate the upcoming holidays, it is also a time to pay
tribute to Leon Goldberg, our long-time editor of the newsletter. Leon passed
away this September and we are still trying to fill the void he left in his
capacity of editor. See the related article.
The entire executive board extends its best wishes for a happy holiday season
and a bright and happy 2005 – The World Year of Physics.
Ray Polomski
Upcoming Events
Looking for something interesting to do? Why not join other
members at some of the events that are on the horizon.
Jan. 15 – Physics Olympics at Monmouth Regional HS
Feb. 5 – Make ‘n Take Workshop at Monmouth Regional HS - Electricity
Feb. 18 – Dave’s Dazzling Demo Night at Rutgers University
Mar. 12 – 13 – Spring Meeting at Princeton University
Check our website, www.njaapt.org, for further information on the events.
All of the programs are a way to celebrate the World Year of Physics 2005.
If you want to learn more about the WYP 2005, visit their website:
In Memoriam
Leon Goldberg, the editor for the NJAAPT Newsletter for as long as any of
can remember, passed away this past September. Leon was a tireless worker
for the section who constantly attempted to make the issues fun to read
and to be as informative as possible. The job of editing the newsletter
was a serious concern of Leon’s and he prodded the members for articles to
be contributed on any subject related to physics.
Leon had an illustrious career teaching physics at Glassboro State
College, now Rowan University, until his retirement. Leon was a fixture at
executive board and section meetings. He was always ready to assist when
needed and did so joyfully. Leon and his wife, Norma, spent much of the
winters in Arizona from which he would put together the newsletter. They
traveled to visit family and friends and made the most of life.
Because of his dedication to the NJAAPT, the executive board last spring
voted to honor Leon with the Lifetime Contribution Award to be presented
at the New Jersey Science Convention. When he was told of the honor, Leon
in rather humble terms stated that it was a nice gesture and that he was
flattered by the nomination.
Those who knew of Leon as a friend, a colleague, or as a member of the
NJAAPT executive board will truly miss him.
Workshop
October 20,2004
A workshop on sound, waves, and energy was held at Monmouth
Regional HS and hosted by Jessie Blair. The eighteen participants were
treated to a variety of activities and demonstrations.
Dave Bandel began the day by leading the group in making a Vector
Component Apparatus out of wood. It shows how the x and y magnitudes
change as the angle between the vectors change.
Harry Rheam presented some demonstrations in potential and kinetic energy.
To illustrate the concept Harry used a number of toys and later
distributed the toys to each of the attendees.
John Valente assisted the group in making a swing ride demonstrator and
explained the physics behind the ride at Great Adventure.
Dave Pinkus demonstrated wave motion and helped in constructing individual
wave demonstrators for each person to take back to the classroom.
Jessie Blair presented materials to make magnetic blackboard vectors.
Using the cardboard vectors makes the composition and resolution of
vectors more visual for the students.
World Year of Physics 2005
United States Physics Talent Search (USPTS)
The World Year of Physics 2005 Physics Talents Search is an
international educational project aimed at increasing interest,
enthusiasm, and participation in physics related activities by students
ages 10-18 and their families. The Talent Search begins with a process
similar to earning a merit badge in scouting-type organizations. Students
will participate in activities drawn from several lists and will earn
points for these activities. The points system is designed so that all
students who participate in the project feel encouraged and are left with
a positive experience with physics. Students earning 10 points will be
recognized as “United States WYP 2005 Physics Talent,” students earning
points equal to their age in years will earn an “International Honorable
Mention in the WYP 2005 Physics Talent Search.” From this group, a smaller
group (120 students) will be selected by the US National Organizing
Committee to be the “International WYP 2005 Physics Young Ambassadors”
from the United States. The project will run from January 1 through June
30, 2005. ( see )
Call for Participation
We are seeking physicists to act as “evaluators” for the WYP 2005
Physics Talent Search in the US. Evaluators need no special training, and
any APS or AAPT member residing in the US is eligible. Evaluators will not
be required to travel. The primary responsibility of evaluators will be to
meet with student participants from their geographic region
(electronically or in person) and evaluate their efforts at various
activities.
Evaluators will not be required to spend more time than they can afford on
this effort. After evaluating a student’s work, evaluators will be able to
communicate their results to the organizing committee through a simple,
web-based form.
If You Are Interested
Please let us know by going to 2005.org/cgi-bin/wyp.cgi?ID=1004
and entering your
e-mail address, and checking the box marked “I am NOT a student, but I
am interested in becoming an evaluator”
For further information, please contact A. Garvin, Chair US National
Organizing Committee, at
agavrin@iupui.edu
Edmunds Workshop
November 13
The day started with coffee and bagels. What is a workshop without keeping
the teachers filled with coffee and food?
After the participants were primed with coffee and bagels, Jessie Blair
started off with her clucking chicken. Jessie made a few different cups
with different strings and sponges attached to make a sound of a clucking
chicken.
Rich Urban followed with a give-away of wine glasses, minus the wine, and
sound tubes. Rich explained that the wine glasses and vinegar can be used
to produce a sound. This is different than blowing in bottles. It is the
amount of material that determines the frequency of the sound. In the
bottle it is the air column that resonates which means the higher the
water the higher the frequency of sound. In the wine glasses it is the
glass and water that resonates so the higher the water the lower the
frequency of the sound, more mass to vibrate.
Pat White followed with a demonstration of an air cannon and of course an
air cannon for each participant. Pat described how she uses the air cannon
in her class. Later in the day Pat demonstrated several demonstrations/lab
activities on plasma. Pat learned these at a week long workshop at PPPL.
It was suggested that NJAAPT consider doing a workshop on plasma at PPPL.
Rob Adams had several items to demonstrate and make. Rob had palm pipes
made from straws and PVC. He also made a standing wave demonstration with
a motor and string. Rob also demonstrated many noise makers such as a
xylophone and slide trombone made from straws.
Rob Schanne did several demonstrations on sound including lissajous
figures produced from a speaker and laser. The participants made this
demonstration. Rob also demonstrated using a keyboard and oscilloscope to
produce wave patterns including beat frequencies.
Harry Rheam had the participants make chimes from copper tubes and
aluminum rods, and a Doppler ball. Harry also demonstrated how the insides
of a music box could be used to demonstrate the effects of a sounding
board.
Somewhere in there was lunch and toy kazoos and noisemakers.
New Jersey Science Convention
October 12 – 13, 2004
The NJAAPT Physics Demo Den, coordinated by Borislaw Bilash, Harry
Rheam, Rich Urban, and Jessie Blair, was a rousing success once more at
the NJSC. There were four sessions, one hour each, covering the topics of
electricity, magnetism, rotational and circular motion, and sound. Each of
the sessions was filled with enthusiastic individuals who were presented
with an entertaining program using simple materials. With the use of
handouts for the construction and explanation of many of the
demonstrations, teachers should be able to duplicate any of the concepts
they saw during the presentations. Some of the demonstrations required the
use of a subject to reinforce the concept and the audience certainly
provided more than enough volunteers who were willing to sacrifice
themselves for the good of physics. This shows that there is a wide
interest for the type of program the NJAAPT puts on at the NJSC. We could
always use a little more help in providing a meaningful show for a wide
audience. Why not consider being a part of the demonstration group for
next year’s NJSC
For the past two years the NJAAPT has honored members of the section who
have contributed greatly its success. This year the honorees, Peter
Lindenfeld and Leon Goldberg, were presented with the Lifetime
Contribution Award.
Peter Lindenfeld has spent 49 years teaching at Rutgers University and has
influenced numerous physics teachers. He has been a member of the
executive board for too many years to recall and many an executive board
meeting was held in the Rutgers University Physics Department. Peter is a
continuing contributor to educational research in the field of physics
teaching and has presented numerous papers at both the Winter and Summer
Meetings of the AAPT.
The honor of the Lifetime Contribution Award was presented to Leon Gold
posthumously. Unfortunately, Leon, who was the editor of our newsletter
for over twenty years, passed away in September. His dedication to the
section as editor is legendary and his shoes will be hard to fill. After a
rewarding teaching career at Glassboro State College he retired and spent
his time with his wife and family. In speaking to him a short time before
his death, I informed him of our intention of honoring him with the award.
I know he felt humbled that we would make such an effort to reward him for
something he loved doing.
Berger County Sharing Session
October 20, 2004
A sharing session in Bergen County was at Pascack Valley
High School in Hillsdale. As in the past, the purpose is to bring physics
teachers together to share ideas about the teaching of physics. At this
session, twelve active and retired teachers participated in a number of
lively activities and demonstrations.
John Johnston brought two very interesting and practical demonstrations
for the group. John showed his version of the ring flinger using an air
core solenoid and different aluminum rings. The characteristics of the
rings altered the results seen. John asked for predictions about the
distances the rings fly if they are a thicker or thinner gage aluminum or
if they have a larger height. Each of the rings was then fired from the
ring flinger with the results explained. This demonstration can be used to
ask students to predict the distance the rings will fly and to see how
accurate their answers might be. Using the air core solenoid again, John
demonstrated the property of mutual inductance the transformer effect to
light a light bulb.
John’s second contribution was his demonstration using a constant motion
tractor to discuss the concept of friction and the normal force. He has
constructed a sled that attaches to the tractor that holds masses to
represent the object being pulled. As more mass is added, the tractor
starts to slip and stops moving forward. Students can then be posed the
question: what will make the tractor move forward again? The answer could
be to increase the normal force on the tractor by adding mass to it or to
change the surface over which the tractor moves. John showed with a simple
demonstration how friction is dependent upon the normal force.
Bill Koenig of Pascack Valley High School showed an apparatus he
constructed for his students to measure “g”. With the device his students
were able to measure the instantaneous velocity of the freely falling
object at any point in its fall. The accuracy of the measurements
demonstrated to the students that they were able to approach the value of
g – 9.80 m/s^2. Bill also showed a skateboard demonstration of constant
motion and Newton’s second and third laws. He was able to construct the
demonstration with materials he obtained from his students including
unused skateboards and rollerblades.
Frank Olesky of Clarkstown South High school in Clarkstown, NY brought
along his demonstrations on rotation motion. He gave his students the
assignment of determining which can would roll down an inclined plane
faster. To accomplish this, they had to select various types of food
products in cans, which they had at home and then tested which of these
rolled faster. The results were then discussed and the students were able
to deduce that the speed was dependent upon the type of material in the
can as well as its distribution. An interesting ideas Frank also brought
was a wire cube with a 1-ohm resistor on each face. The purpose of the
cube is to have the students determine the resistance found in the
resistor orientation. As the cube is skewed so the sides are no longer
parallel, the question becomes: what is the equivalent resistance in the
circuit? This device can be used to produce numerous circuits to force
students into thinking about the relationships in electrical circuits.
The group wishes to thank the staff at Pascack Valley Regional High School
– Borislaw Bilash. Eric Gundersen, and Bill Koenig for the hospitality in
hosting the sharing session.
Morris County Sharing Session
Nov. 17, 2004
The sharing session group moved from Bergen to Morris County in November.
A group of fourteen attending the meeting at Parsippany High School and
was hosted by Dr. Jim Ferrara. This was the first time that the Bergen
County Sharing Session ventured to another county in an effort to attract
some new participants.
Ray Polomski began by discussing the role of the University of Texas in
providing a free homework service for physics. This program has been in
existence for over five years and it provides teachers with access to the
database at the University of Texas. At the AAPT meetings in the winter
and summer, Patsy McDonald, a retired physics teacher from Texas, has
presented a paper on the homework service. It provides teachers with the
opportunity to assign problems and the university does all the record
keeping. Information regarding access to the service can be obtained at: .
Frank Olesky of Clarkstown South HS in NY discussed a lab on the use of
coffee filters to determine the velocity dependence of the air-resistance
force and to develop an equation for terminal velocity.
Sue Hoyt of Indian Hills Regional HS in Oakland discussed an activity of
having students determine the mass of a rod using a meterstick, clamp, a
fishing weight, a wedge, and a paper clip. Sue also distributed
applications for the Physics Olympics and discussed the organization of
the NJAAPT sponsored event.
Jim Ferrara followed up on an idea brought to the last session by Frank
Olesky. He assigned the students in his AP Physics to determine which can
of food would roll down an inclined plane the fastest and which the
slowest. This had a dual purpose because the school was holding a food
drive and students were asked to contribute from their cupboards. He
demonstrated both the fastest and the slowest. Why not try this yourselves
and see which your students find.
Jim also presented data obtained by his classes of the relationship
between speed and the stopping distance of a car. The data was collected
with the assistance of the resource officer in his school who volunteered
to drive the police car to a certain speed and then bring it to a stop,
The results were then graphed and an equation for the data was developed.
All those attending are thankful for Jim Ferrara’s hospitality in hosting
the session.
The next sharing session will be held at Indian Hills Regional HS in
Oakland and will be hosted by Sue Hoyt. For further information and
directions contact Sue at: or Ray Polomski at: r7429@optonline.net