Category: Podcast

19. The “New” Model of Energy

Posted on by Thomas in Podcast

Thomas and Robin feel the pain of Physics teachers all over the UK and attempt to get to grips with the new model of energy as promoted by the IoP. No more energy types, just energy stores that increase and decrease in magnitude and transfer processes that are allowed by the energy differences.

Timestamps

  • Philae lander found @ 00:30
  • Shooting nuclear waste in to the Sun @ 2:00
  • What is energy? @ 3:25
  • Energy Stores and the IoP’s different model @ 5:34
  • Tom Norris talking explaining the “new” model of energy @ 7:59
  • Robin helps Thomas talk about energy @ 17:27
  • Thomas and Robin grapple with a roller-coaster example @ 24:31
  • Precision of language @ 29:53
  • Common language with Brian Lane @ 30:32
  • A new T-shirt @ 34:33
  • The elephant in the room @ 36:00
  • Vacuum Cannon back in stock soon @ 36:56

Summary

After discussing the recent spotting of the lost Philae Lander and the folly of firing nuclear waste in to outer Space Robin and Thomas finally (and after much procrastination) bite the bullet and talk about Energy. The IoP has been pushing a “new” model of electricity in an effort to standardise the way it is talked about. Thomas’ understanding of this at the start of the episode is, to say the least, hazy. Robin talks him through it with the help of Tom Norris (from Episode 10: Ways to teach… Electricity). Moving away from “types of energy” to energy as the currency of force interactions that lets things happen does seem more sensible, but it is quite a change in thinking. W. Brian Lane, a professor from the USA mulls over his response to a student from the UK explaining energy with the new model before Thomas announces that there is a new t-shirt design and the vacuum cannon will soon be back in stock.

Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions – on our Facebook Page: https://fb.me/physicstp .  You can also message us via our website contact form at the.physicsteachingpodcast.com, Twitter @physicstp, email using  the address given in the podcast (if we remember) or by leaving a voice memo using WhatsApp or Telegram to the phone number in our Twitter profile, +44 7898 814716 (don’t call the number, nobody will answer, just hold down the microphone icon and speak your message). Don’t forget to tell us your name because we may use your audio in a future episode.

The music we use remains One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.

Send Message
Reset Form

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

19.1 “New” Energy Model ~ Extended Interview with Tom Norris

Posted on by Thomas in Podcast

20 minutes of chat with Tom including him going in to more detail about the “New” model of energy.

The music in this extra episode is Cantina Rag by Jackson F. Smith. It was the runner up in our “Which music shall we have for the podcast?” play off.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

18. Spin, Shared Resources and Social Media

Posted on by Thomas in Podcast

Photographic Physics in the News (great for a podcast) before Paul Reynolds tells us about his web site, planetphysics.co.uk that started as a personal site for storing files for printing but has slowly become a resource for non-specialists. Thomas and Robin then discuss how the internet can support non-specialists.

Timestamps

  • Single atom visible @ 00:54
  • A new particle @ 3:53
  • PlanetPhysics.co.uk @ 6:00
  • Shared resources (and where are they?) @ 12:11
  • New T-shirt @ 18:20
  • How twitter can be useful @ 19:54
  • Robin agrees with OFSTED @ 23:23

Summary

Thomas is blown away by a photo of single atom that won the 2018 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council science photography competition. It reminds him of the scanning tunnelling microscope he saw at the Cavendish labs once. Robin then worries Thomas with his knowledge of what “Spin” is as they mull over the new fast spinning charmonium particle.

We then hear from Paul Reynolds (@PlanetReyolds on twitter) who has accidentally set up a resource that supports the non-specialists in his department. He has used standard google tools to drag and drop resources in to a web site. This leads in to a discussion of how peple are using the internet to support Physics teaching and how fragmented that World is.

A great shock in the episode if Robin agreeing with OFSTED and then suggesting that Thomas (and you) contribute to their ongoing consultation document.

Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions – on our Facebook Page: https://fb.me/physicstp .  You can also message us via our website contact form at the.physicsteachingpodcast.com, Twitter @physicstp, email using  the address given in the podcast (if we remember) or by leaving a voice memo using WhatsApp or Telegram to the phone number in our Twitter profile, +44 7898 814716 (don’t call the number, nobody will answer, just hold down the microphone icon and speak your message). Don’t forget to tell us your name because we may use your audio in a future episode. Please do leave a voice memo: Thomas thinks nobody loves him.

The music we use remains One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.

Send Message
Reset Form

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

17. Smashing Neutrons, Supporting Non-Specialists and Surviving No Practicals

Posted on by Thomas in Podcast

Thomas and Robin chat about Kilonova (neutron star collisions that create heavy elements), ways of supporting non-specialists and what to do when practicals fail.

Timestamps

  • Neutron Stars and Kilonova @ 2:45
  • Science(ish) Podcast and their episode “Is LIGO right?” @ 4:05
  • Flywheels for energy storage @ 5:22
  • Faking being a Physics Specialist @ 5:54
  • Tips for non-specialists @ 8:20
  • Practicals going wrong – ripple tanks @ 10:42
  • Practicals going wrong – cloud chamber @ 13:17
  • Dealing with practicals that go wrong @ 15:44
  • Teaching Physics with no practicals @ 17:09
  • Send us your tips @ 23:29

Summary

Physics in the news this week talks about Neutron Stars and how their collisions (Kilonova) create the heavier elements through neutron bombardment. This leads on to LIGO and the controversy around whether its results are right or not. Science(ish) Podcast has covered this in depth in their episode “Is LIGO right?”. Thomas reports on the Vacuum cannon sales (6 at the time of writing) and gets sidetracked on to talking about some research he did in to flywheels. Robin muses about how you can use the Physics in the News to fake being a Physics Specialist and Thomas and Robin discuss their lack of knowledge outside physics (Nose-buds anyone?) and suggest tips for non-specialists to make their knowledge appear deeper than it is. Thomas reports back on his failed practical work last week and begs the listener for advice on using a ripple tank or making a cloud chamber. Finally, Thomas reports that Patrick Kaplo has challenged the podcast to support lessons with no practicals. The thought of this has Thomas in full panic mode, but Robin calms him down.

Where is the diffraction? Are you a believer?

Ways to teach… Distance, Speed and Acceleration

Episode 20 (assuming we make it) will be all about ways to teach distance, speed and acceleration (or displacement, velocity and acceleration). How do you do it and what works best for you?

Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions – on our Facebook Page: https://fb.me/physicstp .  You can also message us via our website contact form at the.physicsteachingpodcast.com, Twitter @physicstp, email using  the address given in the podcast (if we remember) or by leaving a voice memo using WhatsApp or Telegram to the phone number in our Twitter profile, +44 7898 814716 (don’t call the number, nobody will answer, just hold down the microphone icon and speak your message). Don’t forget to tell us your name because we may use your audio in a future episode. Please do leave a voice memo: Thomas thinks nobody loves him.

The music we use remains One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.

Send Message
Reset Form

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

16. The Vacuum Cannon!

Posted on by Thomas in Podcast

Thomas, Robin and Patrick Kaplo discuss the amazing vacuum cannon and how it can be used to make physics thrilling. The cannon is now available in the shop. Buy it and you’ll be supporting the podcast while you have a BLAST!
It is half term next week in the UK so it will be two weeks until episode 17.

Timestamps

  • Mars rover named for Rosalind Franklin @ 00:47
  • Introducing the Vacuum Cannon @ 1:20
  • Robin and Thomas test the cannon @ 4:43
  • A joyful enterprise @ 11:40
  • Safety considerations @ 13:14
  • Tips and tricks for firing it @ 14:46
  • Ways to calculate speed @ 17:06
  • Selling the cannon @ 23:52

Summary

Patrick Kaplo joins the team to talk about the brilliant Vacuum Cannon. This is a recognised piece of equipment, although Thomas and Robin had not heard of it. Thomas built one and tested it with spectacular results. All schools should have one! The cannon is actually covered in detail by CLEAPSS and they give full instructions (with links to where to buy parts) on how to make one (CLEAPSS login needed).

Thomas was so keen to spread the joy, he decided to sell the cannon in our shop and you can pick one up for £20 (including P&P but you need to enter the code BOOM at checkout). You can also support the podcast by purchasing a small upgrade that includes a £5 donation.

Patrick Kaplo modelling the t-shirt
Patrick Kaplo rocks the tptp look.

Ways to teach… Distance, Speed and Acceleration

Episode 20 (assuming we make it) will be all about ways to teach distance, speed and acceleration (or displacement, velocity and acceleration). How do you do it and what works best for you?

Please share ideas or successes – or indeed questions – on our Facebook Page: https://fb.me/physicstp .  You can also message us via our website contact form at the.physicsteachingpodcast.com, Twitter @physicstp, email using  the address given in the podcast (if we remember) or by leaving a voice memo using WhatsApp or Telegram to the phone number in our Twitter profile, +44 7898 814716 (don’t call the number, nobody will answer, just hold down the microphone icon and speak your message). Don’t forget to tell us your name because we may use your audio in a future episode. Please do leave a voice memo: Thomas thinks nobody loves him.

The music we use remains One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.

Patrick’s theme tune is from Hail to the Chief Bluegrass Banjo by Tom Adams from BanjoNews.com under Fair Use.

Send Message
Reset Form

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

15.1 Extended Interview with Nicky Thomas about Diffraction

Posted on by Thomas in Podcast

Full interview with Nicky Thomas about teaching diffraction (29 minutes). She covers how she teaches it in more detail as well as more context and thoughts about doing diffraction as a practical EPQ.

The music in this extra episode is Cantina Rag by Jackson F. Smith. It was the runner up in our “Which music shall we have for the podcast?” play off.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

15. Water, Waves and Woodlice

Posted on by Thomas in Podcast

Sea slugs use physics to move up to 90 km a day. Who’d have known? In the main body of the podcast Robin talks to Nicky Thomas about teaching diffraction. She has much to share so we released an extended interview podcast Finally woodlice can also assist in physics teaching by being a source of real distance/time data.

Timestamps

  • Our secret plans @ 00:30
  • Plea for people to share their ideas about how to teach distance, speed and acceleration @ 1:54
  • Physics in the News: Sea Cucumber escape strategy @ 2:55
  • Nicky Thomas on Diffraction @ 5:09
  • Biologist Sylvia and using Woodlice to teach Physics @ 19:07

Summary

Robin and Thomas are excited about their secret plans for the weekend that are related to the future “Ways to teach…” episode on distance, speed and acceleration. Thomas then tells Robin about escapologist sea slugs that use their deep knowledge of physics to move up to 90km a day. The main guest this week is teacher Nicky Thomas. Her favourite thing to teach is diffraction and she describes how she tries to make it a progressive subject through the key stages. Nicky told Robin how she explores diffraction with different age groups and give some context for how it is used in industry by Panalytical. Thomas from the future appears to tell the listener that the interview had to be cut hard, but you can hear the whole half hour on a special bonus podcast that has been released The last part of the podcast is an idea linked to distance, speed and acceleration: using woodlice as a source of real distance time information. This is described by an old colleague of Thomas’, Sylvia Gummery.

Ways to teach… Distance, Speed and Acceleration

Episode 20 (assuming we make it) will be all about ways to teach distance, speed and acceleration (or displacement, velocity and acceleration). How do you do it and what works best for you?

Please share ideas or successes on our Facebook Page – https://fb.me/physicstp .  You can also message us via our website contact form at the.physicsteachingpodcast.com, Twitter @physicstp, email using  the address given in the podcast (if we remember) or by leaving a voice memo using WhatsApp or Telegram to the phone number in our Twitter profile, +44 7898 814716 (don’t call the number, nobody will answer, just hold down the microphone icon and speak your message). Don’t forget to tell us your name because we may use your audio in a future episode. Please do leave a voice memo: Thomas thinks nobody loves him.

The music we use remains One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.

Send Message
Reset Form

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

BL4S Logo

14. Cataracts, Cameras and (CERN) Competitions

Posted on by Thomas in Podcast

Thomas and Robin respond to a request from a listener and investigate the BL4S Competition run by CERN. Win an all expenses trip to a high energy beam lab where you will be supported to do your own experiment. They also announce the subject of the next “Ways to teach…” episode: Distance, Speed and Acceleration.

TimeStamps

  • Cataracts @ 00:58
  • Cameras that (don’t) see round corners @ 2:20
  • LSST and its huge camera @ 3:40
  • Beam Line for Schools (BL4S) Intro @ 5:12
  • BL4S @ 6:03
  • The next “Ways to teach…” Episode (Distance, speed and acceleration) @ 19:04

Summary

Robin describes a Camera that (doesn’t) see round corners. It was published in nature (PayWall) but The Guardian has a nice summary. The LSST 3,200 megapixel camera is being built in Chile (it turns out it is well under way, and not really news, but is still really impressive). The CERN Beam Line for Schools (BL4S) competition is the main focus this week in response to a tweet from @teachingofsci. Thomas chats with Prof. Pete Watkins and Dr Elizabeth Cunningham about the competition. The BL4S web site is a mine of useful information, including previous entry videos, previous winners’ 1,000 word proposals and ideas to get you started. Finally Robin introduces the next “Ways to teach…” Episode: Distance, Speed and Acceleration.

Ways to teach… Distance, Speed and Acceleration

Episode 20 (assuming we make it) will be all about ways to teach distance, speed and acceleration (or displacement, velocity and acceleration). How do you do it and what works best for you?

Please share ideas or successes on our Facebook Page – https://fb.me/physicstp .  You can also message us via our website contact form at the.physicsteachingpodcast.com, Twitter @physicstp, email using  the address given in the podcast (if we remember) or by leaving a voice memo using WhatsApp or Telegram to the phone number in our Twitter profile, +44 7898 814716 (don’t call the number, nobody will answer, just hold down the microphone icon and speak your message). Don’t forget to tell us your name because we may use your audio in a future episode. Please do leave a voice memo: Thomas thinks nobody loves him.

The music we use remains One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.

Send Message
Reset Form

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

13. Lasers, Labs and a Large(r) hadron collider

Posted on by Thomas in Podcast

Thomas and Robin had such fun talking to Patrick Kaplo (Episode 11) from Windham, New Hampshire that we talked to him again about his Challenge Labs. These are graded practicals where there is a one-shot event at the end of the practical that gives you your final grade. You can listen to how this works in an optics lab… err… practical in this episode or rewind to episode 11 for the sliced pendulum experiment.

Time Stamps

  • CERN Plans @ 00:20
  • Thomas uses Podcast ideas in his lesson @ @ 2:57
  • Challenge Practicals @ 6:48
  • Formative Feedback @ 9:53
  • Refractive Index based Challenge Lab @ 11:15
  • Post interview chat 19:40

Summary

Size isn’t everything, but no-one told CERN: they’ve announced designs for the next generation collider. Thomas and Robin are looking forward to find out just a little bit more about the Big Bang and the nature of matter. Thomas celebrated an inaugural ‘podcast day’ when in the same day he used the electric motors, mystery tubes and Perimeter Institute resources ( ‘Bubble Chamber Detective’) from previous episodes.

Friend of the Podcast Patrick Kaplow returns to be embarrassed by Robin’s hero-worship. Never has anyone been audibly grateful for thousands of miles of ocean. Patrick tells us about “Challenge Labs”, where there is a one shot answer that gives you your grade. He goes on to describe a simple refraction/reflection experiment to test students’ understanding where the grade is determined by a one shot attempt at predicting a laser beam’s path through a prism.

A brief caution: don’t forget to check with CLEAPSS (or your local Health and Safety body) that any Laser pens or cheap lasers are safe to use.

Please share ideas or successes on our Facebook Page – https://fb.me/physicstp .  You can also message us via our website contact form at the.physicsteachingpodcast.com, Twitter @physicstp, email using  the address given in the podcast (if we remember) or by leaving a voice memo using WhatsApp or Telegram to the phone number in our Twitter profile, +44 7898 814716 (don’t call the number, nobody will answer, just hold down the microphone icon and speak your message). Don’t forget to tell us your name because we may use your audio in a future episode. Please do leave a voice memo: Thomas thinks nobody loves him.

The music we use remains One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.

Send Message
Reset Form

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

12. Shrink-Rays, Spectrum and String…

Posted on by Thomas in Podcast

Thomas and Robin discuss why – when they are less likely than a podcast from the gym in January – media are still obsessed with Shrink Rays and mysterious (not Alien) Space signals. They soon move onto far more entertaining matters as they talk about teaching the EM Spectrum. Thomas tells us about his lovely “How long is a piece of String?” lesson. One of Robin’s favourites, it’s a great way of engaging reluctant students in the exploration of measurement, errors and uncertainty.

Time STamps

  • (not) Shrink Ray @ 2:50
  • Signals from Deep Space @ 4:50
  • Electromagnetic Spectrum @ 6:37
  • How Long is a piece of string? @ 14:18

Summary

It’s not a Shrink Ray: this is published in Science Magazine, but theengineer.co.uk is a bit more accessible. Remember to tell us your examples of how putting “Laser” on the front of everything makes the students think anything is better. Whys is any signal from space immediately attributed to Aliens? The BBC should know better. Helen CK’s question on Facebook about how to teach the Electromagnetic Spectrum finally gets addressed. (Sorry for the delay, Helen!) Your ideas will be bigger and better than ours so please share. Equally, if there’s something you want to throw open to the community, just let us know (twitter, contact form, instagram). If you find your students reluctant to engage with uncertainty and measurement, then you will love Thomas’s “how long is a piece of string?” practical.

The EM Spectrum

Helen CK contacted us long ago asking for ways to teach the e-m spectrum. Thomas and Robin chatted about how they would teach it. Thomas from the future visits to remind them that the Electromagnetic Spectrum song by Emerson Foo and Wong Yann is not to be missed (below). N.B. Take care with this song because there are some spurious ones set up in YouTube to fool and embarrass unwary teachers. Thomas mentioned “any number of Doppler effect videos on YouTube”, this is a good one.

Please share ideas or successes on our Facebook Page – https://fb.me/physicstp .  You can also message us via our website contact form at the.physicsteachingpodcast.com, Twitter @physicstp, email using  the address given in the podcast (if we remember) or by leaving a voice memo using WhatsApp or Telegram to the phone number in our Twitter profile, +44 7898 814716 (don’t call the number, nobody will answer, just hold down the microphone icon and speak your message). Don’t forget to tell us your name because we may use your audio in a future episode.

The music we use remains One legged equilibrist polka by Circus Homunculus.

Send Message
Reset Form

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS