Relevant material from MIT's introductory courses to support students as they study and educators as they teach the AP Physics curriculum.
Artificial satellites are the backbone of modern communication systems.
As part of this activity, students learn about geologic processes on Earth in order to interpret surface features recently seen on Europa by NASA's Galileo spacecraft. Materials presented here include a vocabulary list, geology jigsaw puzzle, review questions, and links to related sites.
The basic principles of Einstein's general theory of relativity. Differential geometry. Experimental tests of general relativity. Black holes. Cosmology.
Watch science come alive in demonstrations of magnetic levitation techniques, ways to rig a sailboat, and much more. See video on: Atomic Physics & Quantum Effects; Circular Motion & Rotation; Conductors, Capacitors, Dielectrics; Electric Circuits; Electromagnetism; Electrostatics; Fluid Mechanics; Geometric Optics; Kinematics; Kinetic Theory & Thermodynamics; Magnetic Fields; Newton's Laws of Motion; Oscillations & Gravitation; Physical Optics; Systems of particles, Linear Momentum; Temperature & Heat; Waves; Work, Energy, Power.
Readers can learn about the latest advancements in X-ray astronomy, and how the newest generation of instruments are making observations of the behavior of light, matter, and space-time in the vicinity of black holes. These observations are then compared to results predicted by Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. Links to a glossary are embedded in the text of the article.
This course will survey physics concepts and their respective applications; it is intended as a basic introduction to the current physical understanding of our universe. In this course, the student will study physics from the ground up, learning the basic principles of physical law, their application to the behavior of objects, and the use of the scientific method in driving advances in this knowledge. This course focuses on Newtonian mechanics--how objects move and interact--rather than Electromagnetism or Quantum Mechanics. While mathematics is the language of physics, the student need only be familiar with high school-level algebra, geometry, and trigonometry; the small amount of additional math needed will be developed during the course. (Physics 101; See also: Biology 109, Chemistry 001, Mechanical Engineering 005)
This site displays a brief animation of a supernova explosion and presents an explanation of the types and causes of supernovae. Links to a glossary are embedded in the text.
