Help me choose a topic

[Loobna]

Ok - so I'm doing a module called 'Physics in Education' and one part of it is to write an essay on an aspect of teaching and learning physics. I am hopeless at writing essays (which is why I took a 90% maths based course!) - so I cannot even think of a nice topic to write it about because I am already in the 'eeek I have to write an essay' mode, which is very helpful!

The essay is to be aimed at fellow UG's - the example in the course handbook is 'Does the use of IT and the internet in the classroom aid the learning of science' from what I've seen going on at the school I go to for my placement - if the kid knows how to hack computers he won't learn anything beacuse they'll be on msn the whole lesson...

Any ideas welcome - I need a topic that will have lots of info readily available on the net/in books etc

p.s. If anyone has loadsa time on their hands and is very bored I reluctantly give you permission to write the essay for me :D

[Al-ghurabah]

guess no one wants to help this poor sis

where have all the uni people gone to

[ammarcool]

Just a Topic:

The Physics of Flight

The Physics of Flight involves conducting library research and mini-experiments in order to isolate and describe the variables which influence the ability of heavier than air objects to fly. A series of mini-experiments will be performed and actual models which illustrate these aerodynamic variables will be constructed.

hope this link might helpful for you:
http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/projects/yep/flight.html

Vertebrate Flight (http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/flight/physics.html)
GLIDING AND PARACHUTING (http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/flight/gliding.html)
THE EVOLUTION OF FLIGHT (http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/flight/evolve.html)
THE ORIGINS OF FLIGHT (http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/flight/origins.html)
THE THREE SOLUTIONS TO FLIGHT (http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/flight/converge.html)

Physics of Sailing

Optical Instruments and Illusions (http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/projects/yep/optics.html)

some sample projects:

BILL B's Physics Demos (http://amasci.com/scied.html)

http://clackhi.nclack.k12.or.us/physics/projects.html

[ammarcool]

Bernoulli's principle

Objects that fly using wings get their lift by taking advantage of Bernoulli's principle. Bernoulli's principle says that as a fluid's velocity increases its pressure decreases.

Airplanes and birds have an airfoil shape to each of their wings to produce lift. The airfoil shape produces unequal lengths across the top and bottom of the wing. Air splitting at the front of the wing must rejoin at the back of the wing so as not to create a vacuum. Since the top surface is curved upward and is longer it forces the air to move faster across the top than the bottom. Faster moving fluids create less pressure, so the bottom of the wing creates greater pressure producing lift.

Upside Down Airfoils

Racing cars use this principle to produce better traction. They place an airfoil on the back of the car but with the curved surface on the bottom. This is commonly called a spoiler. With the curved surface underneath, greater pressure is generated on the top forcing the back of the car down onto the road.

Forces in Flight

There are four major forces involved in flight.
1. Lift
2. Weight (gravity)
3. Thrust
4. Drag

Lift
In order to fly an object must be able to generate enough lift to overcome its weight. To accomplish this, air must be moving across the wing. This can be done by pushing the wing through the air such as with a jet engine or by moving the air acroos the wing such as with wind. The opposing force of ligt is gravity.

Weight
Weight is the force of gravity. It is a continous downward force that flying objects must constantly overcome to stay aloft. Objects can glide for a very long period of time but will eventually fall back to earth if they are don't generate enough lift to overcome gravity. The opposing forve of gravity is lift.

Thrust
Thrust is the force that moves the object forward. This is generated by a jet engine, propellar or the backward push of a bird wing. To move forward the flying object must overcome drag. To help reduce drag, airplanes are streamlined and most bird shapes have evolved to be streamlined. The opposing force to thrust is drag.

Drag
Drag is actually friction between the moving object and the air. It is also referred to as air resistence. The more streamlined, or aerodynamic, an object is the less air resistennce the object generates. The opposite force of drag is thrust.

Why Airfoils and Computational Science?
(http://www.lcse.umn.edu/~bruff/whycomp.html)

You can find more details: The Physics of Flight (http://www.furball.warbirdsiii.com/krod/basic-physics.html#lift)

The Ultimate Handbook (http://www.ultimatehandbook.com/Webpages/Beginner/physics.html)

[Loobna]

Some replies at last!

Thanks for the suggestions but my essay needs to be geared more towards the education side of physics - teaching and learning it.
I think I may do something on about whether kids learn better through practical work or theory or how practical work aids their understanding of physics - but I'm still open to other suggestions :)

[ammarcool]

Some replies at last!
I think I may do something on about whether kids learn better through practical work or theory or how practical work aids their understanding of physics - but I'm still open to other suggestions :)

Today only i read through the post once Al-ghurabah remind the same!

the topic you have selected kids learn better through practical work or theory or how practical work aids their understanding of physics is pretty much good! so you can go ahead with that inshallah.

I was so interested in DEEP inside the physics! Thats y i have posted some interesting details about FLIGHTS! I love flying! :D