Writing about A Brief History of Time*, Stephen Hawking freely admitted that he didn't care much for equations. He went on to add, with a hint of humour; "this is partly because it is difficult for me to write them down but mainly because I don't have an intuitive feeling for equations". You may feel … Continue reading The Importance of Equations
Exam Tips 1: Word Choices
Obviously you have to know your subject content to succeed in any test or exam but there are also some things you can do to avoid common mistakes. Here are five top tips for getting extra marks simply by being more careful in your use of words. 1. Learn the command words and how to … Continue reading Exam Tips 1: Word Choices
Surface Colour and Cooling
In the same way that surface colour affects the rate at which objects heat-up and the maximum temperature that they reach (as discussed here) so too will the surface colour affect the rate of cooling. As before, there is a standard experiment that you are expected to know and a typical set of curves that … Continue reading Surface Colour and Cooling
Surface Colour and Heating
Most people say you shouldn't go out on a summer's day wearing black because you will get too hot. It would be much better to wear white as this will keep you cooler. But is that actually true? We can test this idea using two boiling tubes that have been sprayed to have different surface … Continue reading Surface Colour and Heating
Raise your grades!
Back in February I told you about a free online mini-course to help you improve your exam technique over five days. That course is back again so if you missed it the first time, do it now. (Bear in mind that "exam" technique includes tips for improving your answers in tests of all types - … Continue reading Raise your grades!
Speed of Sound in an Iron Bar
Sound travels at different speeds in different materials. We often think only of sound moving through the air (a gas) but in fact it also moves through both liquids and solids. Note that there is a difference between sound moving through a liquid and waves that can be seen on the surface of a liquid. … Continue reading Speed of Sound in an Iron Bar
Speed of Water Waves
For hundreds of years, water waves have been used to understand wave behaviour in general. This is understandable given that water waves are a natural phenomenon that can also be created artificially and studied in the lab. On the simplest level, a stone thrown into the middle of a pond will create waves that extend … Continue reading Speed of Water Waves
Thermal Equilibrium
Any object that has a constant temperature is in a state of thermal equilibrium. This means the rate at which energy is transferred to the object is exactly equal to the rate at which energy is transferred from the object. In the context of electromagnetic radiation, we can state that the rate at which the … Continue reading Thermal Equilibrium
Light and Heat
It is obvious to say that hot objects emit (give off) both visible light (a glow) and heat (that we can feel but not actually see). This is true of bonfires, light-bulbs and even our Sun. The connection between heat and light is taken completely for granted in everyday life: the glow of a hot … Continue reading Light and Heat
Six Impossible Things
Most of the physics you learn at school hasn't changed for hundreds of years. It is important stuff because we know that it works and it underpins a lot of the modern world. But that doesn't mean it is right. This is the point that is made in John Gribbin's new book, Six Impossible Things. … Continue reading Six Impossible Things
Mr Tarrant's physbang 'blog 