Phys 104 Applets

Airplane lift is as subtle and complicated as the text describes: here are problems with 3 simple pictures often presented in popular discussions:

Longer path or equal transit theory

Skipping stone theory

Venturi theory

More useful discussions:

What is lift?

What is drag?

Bernoulli's equation

Lift is generated by turning a moving fluid

Reynolds and Mach numbers

Computes final velocity based on initial and payload masses and on propellant exhaust speed and includes link to derivation of the rocket equation (which is well beyond the level of PHYS 104)

Multistage rockets as spring-loaded

Details on mass fraction for rockets

How rocket engines work (from How Stuff Works)

Chap. 6:

Discussion of heat transfer (somewhat more technical than class)

Primer tutorial on electromagnetic waves (nicely captures the essence; if you are unfamiliar with waves, study this site!)

Tutorial on waves (if you want more information; following links takes you astray)

Black-body radiation applet (shows power as well as intensity vs. wavelength)

Black-body radiation applet (very nice, flexible, convenient)

Black-body radiation applet (plots log (intensity) vs. wavelength; input T or wavelength of max intensity)

Succinct discussion of black-body radiation (with some formalism and quantum concepts you can skip over)

Radiation discussion, including links to astronomy data, graph, link

Black-body radiation applet (cludgy but potentially useful for extracting numbers)

Excellent general description of light bulbs without equations or charts

GE glossary of terms (Note esp. lumens/watt)

Watts and lumens: definitions and clarification of essentials

Light voltage regulator (scroll down for great table showing sensitivity of lifetime and lumens to voltage)

Simulation illustrating the 2nd law of thermodynamics, with lots of accompanying discussion; also shows energy conversion to thermal energy for a bouncing ball

Brief discussion of entropy

Extensive but non-technical discussion of entropy

Extensive discussion of entropy clarifying misconceptions

"All about entropy" with lots of links, likely more than you want to know!

Second law of thermo and Heat engine [ideal] and real, nice web introduction

Entropy and biology descriptive

Entropy illustrated with poker and with a box of air

How refrigerators work (Follow first few links; from HowStuffWorks)

Parts of a refrigerator

Refrigeration cycle

How an airconditioner works (from HowStuffWorks)

Carnot cycle and the efficiency of engines (& 2-stroke)

Gasoline engine: Otto cycle simulation (4-stroke: induction, compression, power, exhaust)

Chap. 8:

Electrostatics (P. Falstad)

Electrostatics (P. Falstad, 2D)

Electric field lines from 2 charges

Chap. 9:

Induced current by distorting coil

How Power Distribution Grids Work (from How Stuff Works)

How Tape Recorders Work (from How Stuff Works)

Chap. 11:

RLC Resonance Circuit, I vs. f

Simple AC circuits, R, L, C (Fendt)

Electromagnetic spectrum, elementary treatment

Electromagnetic spectrum, inc. jpeg, from NCSA, U of Illinois

Electromagnetic spectrum, succinct table

"The Nature of Light", succinct summary

Assignment in USA of all frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum (pdf)

Applet showing amplitude modulation (Note that "mod index" is the amplitude of the modulator. Ignore the lower set of green spikes.)

Applet showing frequency modulation (Similar to the preceding. To see anything, "mod index" must be at least half way up. Ignore the lower set of black spikes.)

How Radio Works (from How Stuff Works)

How Television Works (from How Stuff Works)

Charged Particles Moving in a Magnetic Field

Simple applet on additive color mixing with R, G, B slide bars (alternative site) (similar idea)

Succinct discussion of additive (RGB) color addition

Color mixing (additive) [Hwang]

Video recorders, types

VCR tips

"Dilletante's dictionary" of audio terminology

Maarten Rutgers' web site (then click on Fun, then Microwaves)

Parts of a microwave oven

Bloomfield microwave-oven FAQs (and not-so-frequently asked questions)

How Microwave Ovens Work (from How Stuff Works)

Chladni Figures and Vibrating Plates

Microwave-oven experiments: an extensive, wonderful set

Extensive set of Q&As by Bloomfield on microwave ovens

Radiation From A Quarter Wave Antenna: Figs. 68 & 69 at end

Antennas: descriptions of various kinds, inc. quarter-wave

Chap. 12:

Refraction (moving wavefronts)

Reflection/Refraction (beams)

Refraction/reflection (single wavefront to "antennas" on interface--Huygens)

Light Dispersion through a Glass Prism

Nice, clear discussion of rainbows

Physics of rainbows (more than you probably want!)

Several pages on rainbows and why they arise

Extensive information about rainbows, not just physics

Constructive and destructive interference (static)

Adding pair of sinusoidal waves (static)--shows nodes and antinodes well

Superposition of wave forms traveling in opposite directions

Superposition of sinusoidal wave pulses traveling in opposite directions

Superposition of user-modified sinusoidal wave pulses traveling in opposite directions

Superposition of extended waves traveling in opposite directions (from NTNU)

Thin-film applet

Polarizing filter (nice applet)

Polarization of plane wave

FAQs re Gas Discharge Lamps, Ballasts, and Fixtures (more technical than PHYS104!)

Absorption and emission of radiation by an atom

Beginning of fluorescent bulbs sites (How Stuff Works)

Emission of photon from atom due to collision

Essence of fluorescent lamps -- READ THIS!!

Difference between current flow in conductors and plasmas

Starting the lamp--traditional method

Starting the lamp--modern rapid method

Role of ballast in smoothing current

Succinct popular-level blurb on compact fluorescent bulbs (by a physicist at Iowa State)

Excellent discussion of incandescent and fluorescent bulbs (inc. failure of fluorescents)

The Laser (excellent and widely linked)

WWSR Laser tutorial (first of 5 excellent linked pages)

Operation of a Laser System - Interactive Applets

"Laser Adventure " by Rami Ariel, Kansas State U, much at PHYS104 level, sometimes too detailed and mathy

Stimulated Emission

Properties of Laser Radiation-concise summary

Figure re electron population in thermal equilibrium

Normal/Inversion Population Applet (more cute than useful?)

Article on lunar laser ranging (research rather popular, so just read the abstract, and perhaps look at the figures)

Chap. 13:

Image Formation by a Converging Lens (Kiselev)

Thin lens demo (Fu-Kwun Hwang), several sites: utb, nau, colorado

Magnification applet

Pinhole photography homepage with lots of links (and ads)

Compendium of lens calculator sites

Lens info

Glossary of Photographic Terms

Photography basics (9 pages)

Depth of Field Explained

Discussion of depth of field