Past Schedules: 2004-2005 | 2005-2006 | 2006-2007 | 2007-2008 | 2008-2009 | 2009-2010

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“Much Ado About Absolute Zero”

What is temperature, and why is there a lowest-possible temperature—absolute zero? What distinguishes solids, liquids, and gases from one another? How do the properties of materials change dramatically as the temperature is varied from very hot to very cold? Why does the quantum nature of matter cause very interesting things to happen when matter is cooled to temperatures close to absolute zero? What is a Bose-Einstein condensate? Prepare to actively participate in answering these questions, as we will use the clicker audience response system to show how we teach introductory physics at CU using the peer learning method.  

Prof. Paul Beale

Theoretical Condensed Matter

“Can Data Be 'Too Good To Be True'”?

Gregor Mendel is regarded as the founder of modern genetics. It is well known that his work was neglected until its “rediscovery” in 1900. In 1936, the great British statistician and biologist, R.A. Fisher, analyzed Mendel’s data and found that the fit to Mendel’s theoretical expectations was “too good,” the probability that the result was due to chance is 7 in 100,000. Fisher’s suggested that Mendel’s results had been falsified. Since 1964 there has been considerable controversy on this issue. I will examine the controversy and suggest a solution.

Prof. Allan Franklin

History and Philosophy of Experiments in Physics

“Physics Education Research In Action”

No one would argue against the supposition that education is one of the most significant investments a society can make. But, how do we decide what's working and not working in our classrooms? What does research-based assessment tell us about the large intro physics classes that are a fact of life at many Universities? Over the last decade, Physics Education Research has undergone tremendous growth, resulting in a solid base of research that we can apply, helping to start to answer these, and many related questions. Researchers at the CU have been leading some of the most significant transformations and studies of student learning in physics. By paying more attention to what our students are thinking, rather than what we think, the results and outcomes can be surprising! Come experience this in an interactive talk, where we'll play with some classroom innovations that have been especially productive here at CU, and think about how and why they work (when they do!).    

2 P.M.
Duane Physics G1B30

Slides from Prof. Pollock's presentation

"Physics of Musical Sound"

Almost anything makes a noise if you whack it or scrape it. But a plucked guitar string produces a musical sound. Why? What is special about a guitar string that makes it produce a distinct musical pitch? We will explore the science of musical sound and how musical instruments work. This includes the most versatile musical instrument of all, the human voice. If you play an instrument or sing, you might ask interesting questions: “How does this instrument really work?”
“How can I produce a better sound?”
“Why can’t I sing with my horn like I sing with my voice?”

Physics has answers to these questions and many others.  Sound waves that produce a distinct musical pitch have very special properties and can be carefully analyzed using everyday digital sound editing software tools. At some point, science has to give way to art, because both aesthetics and psychology ultimately affect our perception of musical sound.

Prof. Scott Parker

Theoretical Fusion and Plasma

"The Mystery of Mass"

Your mass (standing on a large object like the earth, your weight) is one of the major concerns of most Americans. Other than that dessert last night, where does your mass come from? Particle physicists will tell you mass comes from the interaction of particles (the basic building blocks of the universe and you) with the Higgs Field. And indeed the discovery of the Higgs Boson _should_ be one of the great scientific feats of the next few years. But if you could take all your particles out and weigh them (don't worry, you can't), you'd find the sum of the parts weighs much less than the whole. It turns out you're mostly energy (or glue, take your pick). To understand this, we'll have to revisit Einstein's famous equation, $E = mc2.$ In addition to the tremendous amount we've learned about these topics in the last 50 years and the strides we hope to make in the next few, some major problems where we don't have a (tested) answer will be discussed. No useful weight-loss tips will be given.