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Canadian banknotes to explore the phenomenon of diffraction Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-22 Isabelle Bonnet, Julien Gabelli
Gratings and their well-known diffraction patterns are the basis of spectrometers to characterize light sources. Reciprocally, periodic peaks in the diffraction pattern of x-rays scattered by solids bring valuable information about the internal geometry of the crystal lattice, providing details about the arrangement of atoms in the solid. In both cases, periodic gratings are considered. What about
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Electrostatic potential of a uniformly charged annulus Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-19 Orion Ciftja, Cleo L Bentley Jr
The calculation of the electrostatic potential and/or electrostatic field due to a continuous distribution of charge is a well-covered topic in all calculus-based undergraduate physics courses. The most common approach is to consider bodies with uniform charge distribution and obtain the quantity of interest by integrating over the contributions from all the differential charges. The examples of a
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Multivariable calculus textbook representation of non-cartesian coordinates: a misalignment between multivariable calculus textbook content and upper-division physics application Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-19 Chaelee Dalton, Brian Farlow, Warren M Christensen
Upper-division undergraduate physics coursework necessitates a firm grasp on and fluid use of mathematical knowledge, including an understanding of non-cartesian (specifically polar, spherical and cylindrical) coordinates and how to use them. A limited body of research into physics students’ thinking about coordinate systems suggests that even for upper-division students, understanding of coordinate
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Revisiting the bound states of a confined delta potential Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-19 Luiz G M Ramos, Antonio S de Castro
The stationary states of a particle under the influence of a delta potential confined by impenetrable walls are investigated using the method of expansion in orthogonal functions. The eigenfunctions of the time-independent Schrödinger equation are expressed in closed form by using a pair of closed-form expressions for series available in the literature. The analysis encompasses both attractive and
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A horizontally driven inverted pendulum Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-14 Rod Cross
An inverted pendulum can be stabilised by hand or by a high frequency sinusoidal vertical oscillation of the bottom end or by feedback control if a horizontal force is applied at the bottom end. The pendulum is unstable if a sinusoidal force is applied in a horizontal direction at the bottom end. It is shown in the present paper that an inverted pendulum can be stabilised if a low frequency horizontal
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Rearranging equations to develop physics reasoning Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-13 Anastasios Kapodistrias, John Airey
Researchers generally agree that physics experts use mathematics in a way that blends mathematical knowledge with physics intuition. However, the use of mathematics in physics education has traditionally tended to focus more on the computational aspect (manipulating mathematical operations to get numerical solutions) to the detriment of building conceptual understanding and physics intuition. Several
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The initial trajectory of a ball released from uniform circular motion Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-12 Milan Batista
This short paper presents a simple analytical model for the abrupt termination of circular motion, as discussed in the ‘The Most Mind-Blowing Aspect of Circular Motion’. The model confirms that when a string is released, a ball at the far end of the string continues to move in a near-circular motion for a short time.
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A diffraction approach to assess the elastic properties of a nylon string Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-12 Francisco M Muñoz-Pérez, Adrián Garmendía-Martínez, Juan C Castro-Palacio, Vicente Ferrando, Juan A Monsoriu
Young’s modulus of a nylon string has been determined experimentally by combining elasticity theory and wave optics. A diffraction experiment was setup to determine the change in string diameter for different tensile forces, applied by means of hanging weights. A linear elasticity model was used to calculate Young’s modulus. We provide a simple method, which could be used as the basis of an experiment
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Derivation of the Schrödinger equation from QED Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-12 Spyros Efthimiades
The Schrödinger equation relates the emergent quantities of wavefunction and electric potential and is postulated as a principle of quantum physics or obtained heuristically. However, physical consistency requires that the Schrödinger equation is a low-energy dynamical condition we can derive from the foundations of quantum electrodynamics. Due to the small value of the electromagnetic coupling constant
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Trajectory of a golf ball on a sloping green Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-12 Rod Cross
Calculations are presented on the trajectory of a golf ball that rolls across the inclined surface of a golf green. The ball follows a curved path and comes to a stop at a point displaced at an angle to the initial launch direction. It is shown that the displaced angle is independent of the launch speed but depends on the launch angle and the ratio of the incline angle to the coefficient of rolling
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Maximal submergence in dense granular suspensions Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-08 Hollis Williams
How far can a person sink downwards in quicksand? Experience would seem to suggest that there is low risk of submerging completely, but it is not easy to demonstrate this because of the complex rheology of granular suspensions. We study several mathematical models for the sinking of a vertical cylinder downwards into quicksand, finding that an approach with a buoyancy equation modified by drag force
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Universal synchronization: acoustic experiments, the phase oscillator model and mechanical analogues Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-06 Manfred Euler
Although synchronization effects play an important role in many areas of basic and applied science, their treatment in undergraduate physics courses requires more attention. Based on acoustic experiments with a driven organ pipe, the article proposes analytical, numerical and qualitative approaches to this universal phenomenon, suitable for introductory teaching. The Adler equation is developed, a
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Experimenting with light at the 6th European Physics Olympiad Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-06 Jošt Stergar, Simon Čopar
A good experimental task for a high school physics competition requires an interesting and relatable topic, careful testing, and meeting constraints of time, budget, and curriculum. This article presents the experimental task from the European Physics Olympiad in the year 2022. The students explored the properties of light sources, such as their colour temperature, angular light distribution, efficacy
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Two-point resistances in symmetric bracelet resistor networks: accurate estimates and exact expressions Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-05 Frédéric Perrier, Frédéric Girault
Resistor networks, used to model new types of natural or artificial matter, also provide generic examples for practising the methods of physics for obtaining estimates, revealing the main properties of a system and deriving exact expressions. Symmetric bracelet resistor networks are constructed by connecting n identical resistors in a circle, and then connecting two such circles by another set of n
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Logarithmic pinpricks in wavefunctions Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-01 M V Berry
Waves in the plane, punctured by excision of a small disk with radius much smaller than the wavelength, can be modified by being forced to vanish on the boundary of the disk. Such waves exhibit a logarithmically thin ‘pinprick’, and logarithmically weak oscillations persisting far away. As the radius vanishes, these modifications become asymptotically invisible. Examples are punctured plane waves,
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Another look at the current-carrying wire in special relativity Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-03-01 Glenn S Smith
In this paper we examine two models for a current-carrying wire in special relativity. The first model assumes an infinitely long wire and does not specify the source or return path for the current. This model is simple and easy to analyze, so it is often used in introductory textbooks to show the significance of special relativity for electromagnetism. The second model is a coaxial line with a battery
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Student understanding of the Bloch sphere Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-28 Peter Hu, Yangqiuting Li, Roger S K Mong, Chandralekha Singh
Quantum information science is a rapidly growing interdisciplinary field that is attracting the attention of academics and industry experts alike. It requires talent from a wide variety of traditional fields, including physics, engineering, chemistry, and computer science, to name a few. To prepare students for such opportunities, it is important to give them a strong foundation in the basics of quantum
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Wilks’s theorem, global fits, and neutrino oscillations Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-26 J M Hardin
Tests of models for new physics appearing in neutrino experiments often involve global fits to a quantum mechanical effect called neutrino oscillations. This paper introduces students to methods commonly used in these global fits starting from an understanding of more conventional fitting methods using log-likelihood and χ 2 minimization. Specifically, we discuss how the Δχ 2, which compares the χ
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A simple model for the prediction of CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere, depending on global CO2 emissions Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-23 M Vollmer, W Eberhardt
We present a very simple model for estimating time dependent atmospheric CO2 concentrations c(t) from global carbon emission scenarios, serving as single input data. We derive a single linear differential equation of 1st order, based on parameters which are estimated from quantitative data of the global carbon project and Mauna Loa data for CO2 concentrations. The model is tested first by comparing
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A general derivation of the classical Doppler effect in 3D space Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-21 Francesco Zanchini
The classical Doppler effect has already been studied in many textbooks and papers. However, the formula currently used to describe the Doppler effect for a source and a receiver moving with constant velocities is not suitable for practical applications. Indeed, the formula makes use of two angles that depend on the state of the source-receiver system both at the emission instant and at the reception
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A research-informed graphical tool to visually approach Gauss’ and Stokes’ theorems in vector calculus Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-21 L Hahn, S A Blaue, P Klein
Gauss’ and Stokes’ theorems are fundamental results in vector calculus and important tools in physics and engineering. When students are asked to describe the meaning of Gauss’ divergence theorem, they often use statements like this: ‘The sum of all sources of a vector field in a region gives the net flux out of the region’. In order to raise this description to a mathematically sound level of understanding
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How can the global temperature increase be explained to students? Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-16 R De Luca, V Lamberti
The temperature increase of the system Earth-atmosphere can be described by means of a parallelism between the leaking bucket’s dynamics and the energy balance between the incoming radiant power from the Sun and the outcoming net heat flow rate to outer space. The analogy is interesting from a didactical point of view, since the stable fixed point of the temperature can be related to the height of
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Four errors students make with inverse-square law vectors Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-15 Colin S Wallace, Liam Jones, Alex Lin
In this paper, we discuss four errors introductory physics students make when attempting to add two inverse-square law vectors. We observe multiple instances in which students (1) add vectors as if they were scalars, (2) project the r (or r 2) in the denominator, instead of the entire vector, when attempting to find the vector’s components, (3) incorrectly apply the Pythagorean theorem when attempting
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Can the Dirac deltas in dipole fields be ignored in classical interactions? Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-14 Thales Azevedo
When studying (or teaching) classical electromagnetism, one is bound to deal with the electric field of an ideal electric dipole, as well as its magnetic counterpart. A careful analysis then reveals that each of those fields must include, for consistency, a term proportional to a Dirac delta function localized at the position of the dipole. However, one is usually told not to worry about those terms
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Addendum on ‘Entropy uniqueness determines temperature’ Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-14 Wayne M Saslow
We discuss how to apply the proposed minimum entropy deviation criterion when there is a measurable property P for which there is a statistical mechanical theory as a function of temperature T. When P m can be measured more accurately than heat flow dQ, then P(T) can be inverted to obtain accurate values for T(P); following this, the minimum rms entropy deviation criterion using T(P) then can be used
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A thermoelectric cloud chamber: I. Redesign and operation Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-13 Antoine F Andrade, Lucas W G Souza, Ana P Perini, Lucio P Neves
Developed by CTR Wilson, the cloud chamber was among the most important experimental apparatuses for observing nuclear phenomena in the first half of the twentieth century. Currently, cloud chambers are used as a didactic resource to teach radiation-matter interactions and other Nuclear Physics phenomena. This paper presents the construction of an electrically cooled cloud chamber. This device enables
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A thermoelectric cloud chamber: II. Contributions to medical physics education Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-13 Lucas W G Souza, Ana P Perini, Lucio P Neves
Medical Physics is a branch of science concerned with the application of physical principles in the benefit of health. It is an inherently interdisciplinary field that requires strong skills in various fields of science and technology. Thus, it is challenging for students and their learning processes benefit from teaching methodologies that enable a good understanding of abstract concepts. In this
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Lost work and exergy: two views of the same concept Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-12 Joaquim Anacleto
We present the fundamental equation for a system and for a process, and by considering irreversibility within the system, we show that the lost work concept emerges naturally from the formalism. We then argue that if irreversibility is considered within the surroundings the lost work becomes what is known as exergy. Therefore, lost work and exergy are two views of the same concept, which in turn integrates
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The Coriolis effect and coupled oscillations in a rotating swings amusement ride Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-07 Jurnan P Schilder, Ann-Marie Pendrill
Rotating swings are found in many different versions in parks around the world. They are beautiful examples of the equivalence between gravitational and inertial mass: empty swings and swings with heavy adults hang at the same angle to the vertical. However, sometimes one can notice empty swings moving in a different pattern in an outdoor ride, where wind can induce additional motion, sideways or back
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Does a physical pendulum ever act like a simple pendulum? Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-02-05 E L Fulton, T J Gay
We show that for a physical pendulum comprising a massive sphere swinging from a massive string, there is, in general, a length of string for which its oscillatory period equals the period calculated by the simple pendulum model with a point-like mass swinging from a massless string whose model length equals the summed length of the real string and the sphere’s radius.
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Physics language and language use in physics—What do we know and how AI might enhance language-related research and instruction Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-29 Peter Wulff
Language is an important resource for physicists and learners of physics to construe physical phenomena and processes, and communicate ideas. Moreover, any physics-related instructional setting is inherently language-bound, and physics literacy is fundamentally related to comprehending and producing both physics-specific and general language. Consequently, characterizing physics language and understanding
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Augmented reality technology in teaching about physics: a systematic review of opportunities and challenges Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-29 Andrej Vidak, Iva Movre Šapić, Vanes Mešić, Vjeran Gomzi
The use of augmented reality (AR) allows for the integration of digital information onto our perception of the physical world. In this article, we present a comprehensive review of previously published literature on the implementation of AR in physics education, at the school and the university level. Our review includes an analysis of 96 papers from the Scopus and Eric databases, all of which were
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How understanding large language models can inform the use of ChatGPT in physics education Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-29 Giulia Polverini, Bor Gregorcic
The paper aims to fulfil three main functions: (1) to serve as an introduction for the physics education community to the functioning of large language models (LLMs), (2) to present a series of illustrative examples demonstrating how prompt-engineering techniques can impact LLMs performance on conceptual physics tasks and (3) to discuss potential implications of the understanding of LLMs and prompt
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Fraunhofer approximation of Fresnel integrals Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-17 K Dupraz, G Dupuis, A Martens, J-M Rax, F Zomer
A method to derive the Fraunhofer diffraction integral by making use of the theory of distributions is presented. With respect to standard textbooks, the pedagogical benefit of this method is that it uniquely uses the far-field approximation of the Fresnel diffraction integral. An operator representation of Fresnel diffraction is also derived.
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A pedagogical approach to introducing the honeycomb lattice gauge theory Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-16 Fei-Jie Huang, Yi-Fen Zhao
A pedagogical approach to introducing the honeycomb lattice gauge theory is presented. Lattice gauge theory, which is an important theory for understanding strongly correlated systems, is a significant topic covered in the quantum field theory course for graduate students. Typically, quantum field theory textbooks introduce lattice gauge theory using the square lattice. However, beginners often find
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Mass formulas for individual black holes in merging binaries Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2024-01-16 Zeynep Tugce Ozkarsligil, Bayram Tekin
We give formulas for individual black hole masses in a merger, by using Newtonian physics, in terms of the three measured quantities in the detector: the initial wave frequency f 1, the maximum detected frequency (chirp frequency) f 2, and the time elapse τ between these two frequencies. Newtonian gravity provides an excellent pedagogical tool to understand the basic features of gravitational wave
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Modelling assisted tunneling on the Bloch sphere using the Quantum Composer Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-29 Jonas Bley, Vieri Mattei, Simon Goorney, Jacob Sherson, Stefan Heusler
The Bloch sphere representation is a geometric model for all possible quantum states of a two-level system that can be used to describe the time dynamics of a qubit. As explicit application, we consider the time dynamics of a particle in a double-well potential. In particular, we adopt a recent method for off-resonant excitations, the so-called SUPER principle (Swing Up of the quantum emitter population)
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Berry phase of spin-one system in a rotating electric field Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-29 Abdaljalel Alizzi, Zurab K Silagadze, Artem Uskov
We consider in detail how the Berry phase arises in a rotating electric field in a model system with spin one. The goal is to help the student who first encountered this interesting problem, which is fraught with some subtleties that require attention in order not to go astray.
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An educational model of the Deutsch algorithm for secondary school Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-29 Claudio Sutrini, Giacomo Zuccarini, Massimiliano Malgieri, Maria Bondani, Chiara Macchiavello
In this paper, we present the outline of an educational path to introduce a crucial historical turnpoint of quantum information research—namely the Deutsch algorithm—to secondary school students. We discuss a basic elementarization strategy allowing students to single out and focus on the individual features of quantum mechanics involved in the different steps of the algorithm information processing
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Reply to Comment on ‘Covariant formulation of electrodynamics in isotropic media’ Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-26 Palash B Pal
This note contains my response to the comment written by J Franklin on my paper ‘Covariant formulation of electrodynamics in isotropic media’.
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Should you walk, run or sprint in the rain to get less wet? Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-21 Matteo Zaegel, Mathis Vehils-Vinals, Hugo Guastalla, Benjamin Benabou, Auguste Gires
We have all wondered once whether we should walk, run or sprint in the rain in order to stay as dry as possible. Previous publications already addressed this subject using simple models, as for the shape of the body and the description of the rain and wind. This paper presents a detailed approach which relies on a more realistic ‘human body’ shape and accounts for the variability in time of both the
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Diffraction patterns of optical discs under the far-field condition Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-19 Zhuofan Cai, Shijiang Chen, Boyang Deng, Shuqi Liu, Wei Zhao, Zengming Zhang
When optical discs are illuminated, bright-colored lines can often be observed on the surface of them. Starting from the oblique incident grating diffraction model, this paper analyzes the physical mechanism behind the appearance of these colored lines and provides the coordinate expression of the location of the colored lines on the optical disc under the far-field condition. The wavelength distribution
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The origins of physics words Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-15 P-M Binder
The predominantly Greek and Latin etymological roots that form the core introductory physics vocabulary are identified. They number slightly over 260. Words with other origins and common suffixes are also listed. Definitions are also given for a group of words that have caused difficulties for students in physics classes, contrasting meanings that are, and are not related to physics. A reverse dictionary
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Comment on ‘Covariant formulation of electrodynamics in isotropic media’ Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-13 Jerrold Franklin
A recent paper Pal (2022 Eur. J. Phys. 43 015204) puts into covariant form an extension of relativistic classical electromagnetism from free space to a linearly polarizable medium. The paper is based on the assumption that the relativistic tensor, F μ ν , which is a tensor in free space, will also be a tensor in a linear medium. Pal constructs a proposed covariant formulation that gives Fμν for a
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EMF revisited Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-07 Art Davis
This paper was inspired by a recent publication by Redžíc (2018 Eur. J. Phys. 39 025205) which threw into bold relief the differences between the way Maxwell viewed the current and the way Lorentz visualized it. We make the assumption that for a circuit of laboratory dimensions current (and charge perturbation effects in general) can be assumed to propagate instantaneously around the loop. Our second
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Solving differential equations with deep learning: a beginner’s guide Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-07 Luis Medrano Navarro, Luis Martin-Moreno, Sergio G Rodrigo
The research in artificial intelligence methods with potential applications in science has become an essential task in the scientific community in recent years. Physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) is one of these methods and represents a contemporary technique based on neural network fundamentals to solve differential equations. These networks can potentially improve or complement classical numerical
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Doppler effect in the ripple tank: further experiments with a moving source Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-06 Michele D’Anna, Tommaso Corridoni, Stefano Sposetti, Federico Corni
In this paper, we extend some recent works about the Doppler effect in surface waves on water. We improve the experimental set up by exploring several situations: source in motion with constant velocity and receiver at rest, source at rest and receiver in motion with constant velocity, as well as both source and receiver in motion. Thereby we produce fractional frequency changes Δf/f0 of the order
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The motion of a washer on a vertical steel rod Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-06 Yao Xingxing, Liu Gongyu, Yang Hancheng, Xiao Ting, Zheng Yuan
A washer on a vertical steel rod may start spinning instead of simply sliding down. The forces on the washer are analyzed, and the relationship between the angular velocity of rotation and the angular velocity of precession is obtained. A relationship about the coefficient of friction of the washer is obtained at the condition of rotation without slipping. The influence of the coefficient of friction
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A spherical version of Feynman’s static field momentum example Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-12-04 Oliver Davis Johns
The Feynman demonstration that electromagnetic field momentum is real—even for static fields—can be made more pedagogically useful by simplifying its geometry. Instead of Feynman’s disk with charged balls on its surface, this article uses the geometry of a hollow non-conducting sphere with uniform surface charge density. With only methods available in a typical upper-division electrodynamics course
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Low-cost measurements of the ‘resonant’ wavelengths reflected by a compact disc under skimming light rays Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-29 M Di Mauro, P Onorato, L M Gratton, R De Luca, O Fiore, L Gislén, A Naddeo
We demonstrate the construction and utilization of an affordable apparatus using readily available materials to accurately measure in a quantitative manner the wavelengths reflected by a compact disc (CD) under skimming light rays. In fact, only a limited number of wavelengths can be revealed when light rays from a white lamp are directed at a CD (or a DVD) in a manner that specifically selects the
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A physical point of view on the arithmetic and geometric mean inequality Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-29 M Modestino, R De Luca, O Faella
We propose a simple experiment designed to justify the arithmetic and geometric mean inequality by means of the laws of thermodynamics. The experiment consists in measuring the entropy variation ΔS in the thermodynamic irreversible process of cooling a metal in water. By considering the metal and water as a single isolated system, the arithmetic and geometric theorem is seen to hold by noticing that
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Hands-on visualization of the effect of fictitious forces with a laser pointer Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-29 Benito Vázquez-Dorrío, Angel Paredes, Miguel Angel Queiruga-Dios
Inertial motion looks like accelerated motion when observed from the point of view of a non-inertial reference frame. A non-inertial observer can then describe the trajectories by introducing fictitious forces, like the centrifugal and Coriolis forces, that arise from the coordinate change between reference frames. This well-known fact is part of the typical Physics syllabus for undergraduate scientists
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Exploring digital signal processing using an interactive Jupyter notebook and smartphone accelerometer data Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-21 P Pirinen, P Klein, S Z Lahme, A Lehtinen, L Rončević, A Susac
Digital signal processing is a valuable practical skill for the contemporary physicist, yet in physics curricula, its central concepts are often introduced either in method courses in a highly abstract and mathematics-oriented manner or in lab work with little explicit attention. In this paper, we present an experimental task in which we focus on a practical implementation of the discrete Fourier transform
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Relativistic mechanics and thermodynamics: IV. Thermodynamic processes Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-21 J Güémez, J A Mier
Two thermodynamic processes, an adiabatic gas compression and an isothermal gas compression, taking place in a moving lab are analysed using a four-vector fundamental equation, dE μ = δ W μ + δ Q μ , a relativistic generalization of the first law of thermodynamics dE = δ W + δ Q. These processes are first described in frame S, with the lab at rest, and then in frame S¯ , moving with constant velocity
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Quantum computing with trapped ions: a beginner’s guide Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-16 Francesco Bernardini, Abhijit Chakraborty, Carlos R Ordóñez
This pedagogical article elucidates the fundamentals of trapped-ion quantum computing, which is one of the potential platforms for constructing a scalable quantum computer. The evaluation of a trapped-ion system’s viability for quantum computing is conducted in accordance with DiVincenzo’s criteria.
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Radioactivity in a bucket Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-16 Luis Peralta
In radiation physics classes, point sources are typically used, for which it is relatively easy to describe the signal obtained by a radiation detector, such as the NaI(Tl) scintillation detector. The use of large extended radiation sources is generally avoided due to the mathematical complexity that their description may involve. However, the use of Monte Carlo simulation methods allows this limitation
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Solving time-independent Schrödinger equation variationally using random numbers Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-15 Pranjal Praneel, Ashish Kumar, Manoj K Harbola
Finding wavefunctions for even the simplest of interacting particle systems consisting of two particles is extremely difficult. It is therefore highly desirable that an accurate and easily implementable method be available to instructors and students of quantum-mechanics for obtaining wavefunctions for these particles. The usual approach taken to do this is to use parametrized functional form for the
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New analytical results in solid state physics using the Lambert W function Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-01 Ahmed Houari
Analytical solutions in physics are always preferred for the sake of mathematical completeness. For this, using the Lambert W function, I derive closed-form analytical expressions for the equilibrium interionic distance in an ionic crystal, the formation energy of a vacancy in a crystal, the zero-temperature energy gap of a clean-limit superconductor and the critical Kosterlitz–Thouless temperature
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Teaching ideal gas in a uniform field: exploring student preferences Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-11-01 Wittaya Kanchanapusakit, Pattarapon Tanalikhit
An ideal classical gas under uniform gravity is a commonly discussed problem in statistical thermodynamics. At an introductory level, the condition of hydrostatic equilibrium gives rise to the barometric formula, which describes the variation of gas pressure with height. At an advanced level, the partition function can be used to find the density and the internal energy of the gas. These methods rely
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On the connection between Lenz’s law and relativity Eur. J. Phys. (IF 0.7) Pub Date : 2023-10-30 Thales B S F Rodrigues, Bruno F Rizzuti
In this work, we demonstrate explicitly the unified nature of electric and magnetic fields, from the principles of special relativity and Lorentz transformations of the electromagnetic field tensor. Using an operational approach we construct the tensor and its corresponding transformation law, based on the principle of relativity. Our work helps to elucidate concepts of advanced courses on electromagnetism