The reasons why in our days it is impossible to regulate our watches with precision through radio or TV signals are described and discussed. The International Atomic Time, the leap second concept, the modern techniques used to obtain a correct speaking clock and the reasons that corrupt the delivery of the time check via digital broadcasts are briefly described, […]
In this paper we discuss molecular dynamics, a numerical technique successfully employed since thirty years in research to solve the equations of motion in many body systems. We propose using molecular dynamics as a tool in high school teaching of condensed Matter Physics. […]
We are reporting the results of a survey concerning the presence of subjects related to Modern Physics in Italian high-school textbooks. Such contents are being slowly introduced into the syllabus of schools experimenting new curricula. […]
In secondary school dynamics pupils are usually asked to solve problems that concern rigid bodies. Inspired by “cartoon behaviours”, this paper studies what happens when the end of an elastic beam receives a blow and the beam starts moving. […]
Since 1971 EEC is giving indications to the member States on the adoption of increasingly unified metric units, to which each State responded by promulgating appropriate laws. After a short history of the S.I., this article comments on the Italian laws and the public perception of the problem and gives information about the penalties and risks connected with using the improper units. […]
About one hundred physics textbooks have been examined in this article to research the answer given to a simple question of hydrostatics shown in fig. 1. The number of wrong answers turned out to be surprisingly high. […]