Category Archives: Class

Newton’s Law of Gravitation and General Relativity

Posted on February 10, 2019 by richardficek

Isaac Newton’s law of universal gravitation first appeared in the Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica in July 1687. It describes why that apple fell on Newton’s head (as some stories would have it), why we stay rooted to the ground (without drifting off into space), and why the Earth is locked in orbit around the Sun (among … Continue reading Newton’s Law of Gravitation and General Relativity → Continue reading →

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Blog #2: Special Relativity

Posted on February 10, 2019 by Katie

Albert Einstein was one of the most influential thinkers regarding the fabric of the universe. Einstein’s major contribution to modern physics was his theory of relativity. The first part of this revolutionary idea was his special theory of relativity. Published in 1905, it established two major points: the laws of physics are the same in … Continue reading Blog #2: Special Relativity → Continue reading →

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Tidal Forces and Black Holes

Posted on February 10, 2019 by Campbell Flower

Tidal forces on Earth are caused by the uneven gravitational pull from the moon (and less from the sun) on opposite sides of the planet. But what are tidal forces like for objects near a black hole, a celestial object we are unable to see or explore? The information scientists have collected on black holes … Continue reading Tidal Forces and Black Holes → Continue reading →

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Gravity’s Effect On Everything

Posted on February 10, 2019 by calebglotta

Gravity has an affect on nearly everything in the entire universe. From galaxies, to solar systems, to planets and their moons, and even on the planets themselves (like the tides), if there are objects with mass then gravity is present. Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation explains the effect of gravity between objects. Newton’s Law says … Continue reading Gravity’s Effect On Everything → Continue reading →

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Light is Everything

Posted on February 10, 2019 by Harrison Chen

I watched a Crash Course video on light that proved to be really helpful and informative. After watching this video, I realized the importance of spectroscopy and understood what light actually is. The scientific term for light is actually electromagnetic radiation, and even humans emit them. Once again, the video touched upon the wavelength spectrum. … Continue reading Light is Everything → Continue reading →

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Thom & Stone Circles

Posted on February 10, 2019 by jordyn27

Alexander Thom was a Scottish engineer who, later in his life, became curious about megalithic monuments, specifically the stone circles of the British Isles and France. He was interested in the prehistoric peoples that built them, and any astronomical meaning behind their construction.  His first interpretation of the sites suggested that megalithic yards were used … Continue reading Thom & Stone Circles → Continue reading →

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Apparent Retrograde Motion: what it is, and what it isn’t

Posted on February 10, 2019 by luanaisaac1125

One thing that must be said right away: retrograde motion is not the same thing as apparent retrograde motion. Retrograde motion generally denotes ‘backwards’ motion, and the specifics depend on how the term is being used. A retrograde orbit refers to an object orbiting in the opposite direction that the thing it orbits around is … Continue reading Apparent Retrograde Motion: what it is, and what it isn’t → Continue reading →

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Blog 2: When is the Best Time to Surf?

Posted on February 10, 2019 by kylebward

When’s the right time grab your surfboard and hit the beach? High tides cause closeouts, which blocks a surfer’s path, and low tides cause slow-rolling waves, which are low frequency and high amplitude waves. Ideally, you want to surf during mid tide conditions. But first, what causes these changes in tide? Tides are caused by … Continue reading Blog 2: When is the Best Time to Surf? → Continue reading →

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The Universal Law of Gravitation

Posted on February 10, 2019 by anna_h

  Newton’s universal law of gravitation is a fundamental aspect of modern science. The law states that every mass is attracted to every other mass through a force known as gravity. The strength of the gravitational force between any two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses, which means that increasing the … Continue reading The Universal Law of Gravitation Continue reading →

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Ancient Achievements

Posted on February 10, 2019 by reallyroyalqueen

In other religions, there was no need for astronomy except for the creation of the calendar. Ancient Pagans used Stonehenge to determine their calendar. In Early Judaism, they created their calendar. For Christianity, although it helped dictate holidays, it had pushback from philosophy and scientific observations. Astronomy played a major role in early Islam. Besides … Continue reading Ancient Achievements → Continue reading →

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