The longitude problem from the 1700s to today: An international and general education physics course

Bensky, Thomas J.

doi:10.1119/1.3225922

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Jefferson explained that he came to this invention thanks to his efforts to find a simple method to determine the longitude of Monticello. At that time, the longitude problem, both at land and at sea, was a challenging problem worldwide, as was well described by Bensky (2010). Bensky also proposed a longitude-based international and general education physics course.…”

Section: Mapping Of the Earth's Daily Rotation Onto A Dingmentioning

confidence: 97%

Visualization on the Day Night Year Globe

et al. 2016

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The story about a properly oriented outdoor globe in the hands and minds of Eratosthenes, Jefferson, Milanković and science educators is presented. Having the same orientation in space as the Earth, the Day Night Year Globe (DING) shows in real time the pattern of illumination of the Earth’s surface and its diurnal and seasonal variations. It is an ideal object for the visualization of knowledge and increase in knowledge about: the form of the Earth, Earth’s rotation, Earth’s revolution around the Sun, the length of seasons, solstices, equinoxes, the longitude problem, the distribution of the Sun’s radiation over the Earth, the impact of this radiation on Earth’s climate, and how to use it efficiently. By attaching a movable vane to the poles, or adding pins around the equator to read time, DING becomes a spherical/globe-shaped sundial. So, the DING is simultaneously useful for teaching physics, geophysics, astronomy, use of solar energy and promoting an inquiry-based learning environment for students and the public.

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Section: Mapping Of the Earth's Daily Rotation Onto A Dingmentioning

confidence: 97%

Visualization on the Day Night Year Globe

et al. 2016

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“…It has been shown that general studies courses can be quite effective in increasing science literacy [1,2]. This paper describes a laboratory based, general education course, developed by the Physics Program at Stockton University.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘The Science of Ice Cream,’ an undergraduate, interdisciplinary, general education course taught in the physics program

Trout¹,

Jacobsen²

2019

Phys. Educ.

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In our technology driven world today, it is extremely important to increase the science literacy of our non-science majors. At Stockton University, this goal is attempted to be accomplished through our General Studies courses. This paper describes a lab-based course in the General Studies curriculum, ‘The Science of Ice Cream’. At Stockton University, General Studies courses are interdisciplinary courses, designed for all students in four areas of study: general arts and humanities (GAH), general interdisciplinary skills and topics (GEN), general integration and synthesis (GIS), general natural sciences and mathematics (GNM), and general social and behavioral sciences (GSS). The GNM courses are designed to meet four main goals: to examine the broad concerns of science, to explore the nature of scientific process and practice, to provide students with an understanding of mathematics and the natural sciences, to acquire appreciation for how scientific knowledge of the physical and natural world is attained and evaluated. The topic of ice cream was chosen because it provides a rich environment, full of practical applications of thermodynamics and fluid dynamics, as well as general concepts in physics, biology, food science, and chemistry. Since this course is designed for both science and non-science majors, it provides a platform to discuss applications of concepts learned in introductory physics. It is sometimes difficult to get non-science majors excited about science, but the laboratory exercises, where the students use the concepts learned in lecture to make ice cream, provide the students with interesting and approachable examples of the physical concepts.

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“…The Google Earth program (previously discussed in this journal [1][2][3][4] and elsewhere [5]) and the related database accessed via web browser, Google Maps, provides high resolution aerial imagery of the Earth, which can be used to investigate multiple physical phenomena of interest. While most of the activities we discuss could be performed locally without aerial imagery, the software and website allow students to explore clear-cut examples of the concepts mentioned without the need to travel or to avoid inclement weather or darkness.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Google Earth science

Baird¹,

Padgett²,

Secrest³

2015

Phys. Educ.

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Google Earth has made a wealth of aerial imagery available online at no cost to users. We examine some of the potential uses of that data in illustrating basic physics and astronomy, such as finding the local magnetic declination, using landmarks such as the Washington Monument and Luxor Obelisk as gnomons, and showing how airport runways get their numbers. Close inspection of the images provided by Google Earth reveals that most of them are actually obtained via camera-equipped planes rather than satellites.

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The longitude problem from the 1700s to today: An international and general education physics course

Cited by 5 publications

References 12 publications

Visualization on the Day Night Year Globe

Visualization on the Day Night Year Globe

‘The Science of Ice Cream,’ an undergraduate, interdisciplinary, general education course taught in the physics program

Google Earth science

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