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More Stuff!
This is a grab bag of lectures, etc., that I've given at various times in the past that do not fit in well with my current courses. Much of this material was originally presented in summer courses for high school physics teachers.
Electricity and Magnetism
This first lecture covers E&M from the earliest times up to Michael Faraday.
Summer 1995 Lectures on History of Theories of Electricity and Magnetism
This second lecture doesn't really follow from the first, it's an attempt to show -- in as elementary a fashion as possible -- how Maxwell found the speed of light from electrostatics and forces between current-carrying wires.
Summer 1995 Lecture on Maxwell's Equations
More History of Physics...
Using History to Teach Science:
Virginia Beach presentation, January 11, 2000
Physics Using Excel
Physics 581 for High School Teachers, taught in the Summer of 1998, gave detailed instructions for constructing Excel spreadsheets to analyze a wide variety of dynamical phenomena, including projectiles with air resistance, and planetary orbits. You can also download the spreadsheets and play with them yourself -- this is a great way to teach and learn dynamics!
I've also written notes on how to use it to solve a differential equation, Schrödinger's equation, in two of my Physics 252 homework assignments, here and here.
Some Math
Proof of Heron's Formula for the area of a triangle.
Applets!
Physics 621
: Curriculum Enhancement for Physics Teachers, 1997