Computational physics with Python: tool setup
Imagine you want to learn computational physics and Python as an advanced high-school student or undergraduate. Where to start? Assuming no prior programmi...
Physics
Finding a fisherman’s fastest path from shore to boat
When tutoring high-school students in maths and physics, I sometimes stumble across interesting problems. In this scenario, a fisherman seeks to determine t...
An unhinged carriage problem
As part of tutoring high school students in maths and physics, I sometimes run across problems that I find interesting. Here’s a deep dive into one involvin...
Action of a simple harmonic oscillator
What’s the action of a simple harmonic oscillator? And how does this change depending upon the path? Some mates of mine and I worked through this recently....
Towards an intuition for the simple harmonic oscillator solution
The solution of the differential equation describing simple harmonic motion is often presented as-is, or “handed down from above”. Usually, there is no atte...
Of sines, cosines, and phase shifts
An alternative form for the solution of a simple harmonic oscillator caused some short-lived confusion and consternation. Resolving the conflict turned out ...
The Enterprise amusement park ride
As part of tutoring physics and maths to high school students, I sometimes write up deep-dive explanations of questions arising during lessons. Below I disc...
Car crash calculation counsel
A trip to the library ended up being more eventful and instructive than planned. This is the story of how a bit of physics led me to look deeper into a car ...
Evaporating a pot of water
As part of tutoring physics and maths to high school students, I sometimes write up deep-dive explanations of questions arising during lessons. The question...
Sailplane glide distance
As part of tutoring physics and maths to high school students, I sometimes write up deep-dive explanations of questions arising during lessons. The question...