July 2015 – Little Shop of Physics

Flash Science: Bubble Trumpet

A bubble on a stadium horn… Will it pop when the horn is played?

The Little Shop of Physics took part in the American Association of Physics Teachers Annual Summer Meeting in College Park, MD, from July 23-29, 2015. We presented a workshop titled Activities for Learning About Climate and Climate Change, and were able to collaborate and interact with physics educators from all over the world.

Flash Science: Bubbles Squared

A plastic frame can be used to create square—and other unusual shape—bubbles.

Flash Science: Arc of the Air

A stream of air is used to levitate a small ball—and also a light bulb.

Two people standing outside use thermal radiation sensors (IR thermometers) to measure the temperature of a distant object. The person in the foreground is wearing a Little Shop of Physics tie-dye t-shirt. The person situated behind her is wearing a purple shirt and a raincoat. They are both looking at the distant object.

Weather and Climate Teacher Course

For the 9th consecutive year, the Little Shop of Physics partnered with CMMAP to lead a series of professional development courses for science teachers. The first of 3 courses, titled The Science of Weather and Climate took place on July 6-8, 2015 at Colorado State University. The 20 teachers enrolled in the course engaged in a mix of activities and discussion to explore essential science principles that explain the Earth’s weather and climate: energy, motion, forces, radiation, light and color, states of matter.