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Handout
University of Colorado

University of Colorado: Physics 2000: Speed of Light

For Students 3rd - 8th
Using an interesting and intriguing format, this page discusses the question of "How does one measure the speed of light." Explanation focuses on Galileo's and Roemer's efforts to obtain a reasonable value. Also discusses Heinrich...
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Unit Plan
University of New South Wales (Australia)

University of New South Wales: Einstein Light

For Students 9th - 10th
Einstein Light highlights the Theory of Special Relativity and related topics. Learn how Galileo, Maxwell, and Einstein contributed to our knowledge of relativity, electricity, magnetism, and time by watching fun, interactive modules.
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Activity
PBS

Pbs: Nova: Time Travel: Think Like Einstein

For Students 9th - 10th
Addressed with questions about relative speed and the speed of light, students begin to "think like Einstein" while exploring the science behind the mystery of time travel.
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: The Quantum Mechanical Model

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] In the following online tutorial students will calculate the wavelength, frequency, and energy of light using Planck's constant and the speed of light. They will...
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Website
Stanford University

Stanford University: Conventionality of Simultaneity

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from Stanford University is on the topic of simultaneity in relativity.
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eBook
Libre Text

Libre Texts: Physics: Distortion of Space and Time

For Students 11th - 12th
If the speed of light remains a constant then time and distance change. Oh, it can be confusing! This text will help clear up the confusion. Discussion questions should serve to reinforce comprehension.and exercises
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Activity
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Space Math Scale of the Solar System

For Students 6th - 8th
Practice Space Math! Math is the cornerstone of space travel. Familiarize yourself with all the ways math can help you study the solar system. Practice math problems in areas such as speed of light, the distance of planets to the sun,...
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Article
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Einstein: How Smart Was He?

For Students 9th - 10th
This essay from the NOVA Web site explores the impact Einstein made on physics and most everything we know about the cosmos.
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Wave Speed Calculations

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Students investigate and analyze characteristics of waves, including velocity, and calculate the relationship between wave speed, frequency, and wavelength.
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Handout
Fourmilab Switzerland

John Walker: C Ship: The Dilation of Time

For Students 9th - 10th
A good mathematical account of what happens to time as you approach c: the speed of light. Also provides a rather a fascinating video (fly through the Lattice) - don't miss it. Take some time and explore this site.
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Website
NASA

Rxte Learning Center: Frequency, Wave Length, and Energy Activity

For Students 9th - 10th
Resource focuses on the relationship between the frequency, wavelength and speed of light. Has a link to an interactive activity relating frequency, wavelength, and energy.
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Handout
Wolfram Research

Wolfram Science World: Maxwell, James

For Students 9th - 10th
This ScienceWorld site describes the Scottish mathematician and physicist James Maxwell (1831-1879) who published physical and mathematical theories of the electromagnetic field.
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Website
University of Minnesota

University of Minnesota: Refraction of Light

For Students 9th - 10th
This page is a continuation of a tutorial about light reflection and refraction. It contains a diagram and suggestions on how to derive Snell's Law, which governs the refraction of light in a medium. For background to this derivation,...
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How Simple Ideas Lead to Scientific Discoveries

For Students 9th - 10th
Educator, Adam Savage, shares two astounding examples of profound scientific discoveries that came from simple, creative procedures: Eratosthenes' calculation of the Earth's circumference and Hippolyte Fizeau's measurement of the speed...
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Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: The Black Hole

For Students 9th - 10th
This site examines the black hole as an object in astrophysics. Delve into this comprehensive resource that covers this concept from its history, to qualitative physics, the reality of black holes, mathematical physics and more.
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Article
Society for Science and the Public

Science News for Students: Breaking the Universal Speed Limit

For Students 9th - 10th
Describes research into whether neutrinos travel faster than the speed of light.
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Article
Society for Science and the Public

Science News for Students: Neutrinos Not So Fast

For Students 9th - 10th
Discusses the validity of research showing that neutrinos travel faster than the speed of light.
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Sunlight Is Way Older Than You Think

For Students 9th - 10th
It takes light a zippy eight minutes to reach Earth from the surface of the Sun. But how long does it take that same light to travel from the Sun's core to its surface? Oddly enough, the answer is many thousands of years. Sten Odenwald...
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Fundamentals of Space Time: Part 2

For Students 9th - 10th
In this second installment of a three-part series on space-time, CERN scientists Andrew Pontzen and Tom Whyntie use a space-time diagram to analyze the sometimes confounding motion of light. [4:50]
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Article
Open Curriculum

Open Curriculum: Electromagnetism

For Students 9th - 10th
This article helps explain the concept of electromagnetism as well as magnetic fields and the properties of the speed of light.
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Handout
Symmetry Magazine

Symmetry Magazine: Explain It in 60 Seconds: Cherenkov Light

For Students 9th - 10th
Cherenkov light is explained here as the light emitted when a charged particle travels through matter faster than light would be able to. This would be slower, however, than the maximum speed of light, which occurs in a vacuum. "Explain...
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Website
Other

Uc Riverside: Usenet Relativity Faq

For Students 9th - 10th
A physics usenet listing of frequently asked questions relating to relativity, answered by a number of scientists. Administrivia and Reference, Speed of Light, Special Relativity, General Relativity and Cosmology, Black Holes. Loads of...
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Website
Other

Is the Speed of Light Constant?

For Students 9th - 10th
Using a question and answer format, this page discusses the question: "Is the Speed of Light Constant?" Discusses some of the history and experiments performed with light and the conclusions drawn from those findings.
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Graphic
NASA

Nasa: Astronomy Picture of the Day: Jupiter

For Students 9th - 10th
A triple eclipse crossing the face of Jupiter on 2 Feb 98. This set of five images captures the passage of the shadows of Io, Callisto, and Ganymede across the face of Jupiter.