Using Parallax to Determine Distances

Hopefully you have a sensor interface for your physics class to use with graphing calculators when collecting data with a light sensor. If so, read on. Use this resource for learners to predict and then test whether or not the intensity...

Physics fanatics time five cars as they pass on the highway. They use the times and a 20-yard distance to calculate velocity. They also graph distance vs. time. A page of student pre-lab questions is provided in addition to the activity...

How can you determine the distance between two objects when one is incredibly far away? Discover how early astronomers and mathematicians calculated quantities such as the distance between Earth and the Sun in an insightful video. The...

Parallax is the apparent change of an object determined by the line of sight. Sal defines the concept of parallax and applies it to how we determine the relative distance between us and near-by stars. He draws a diagram to illustrate...

Sword duels, religious unrest, war—who says science is boring? Aspiring astronomers discover fascinating facts about the famous scientists that dared challenge the accepted model of the solar system in the 13th video of a 16-part History...

How are scientists able to measure distances between stellar bodies? Turns out it's not very easy! Learners explore the process of trigonometric parallax as the method of determining these distances. They experience the same challenges...

Home is where your displacement is zero. Scholars practice solving distance versus displacement problems of increasing difficulty. They begin with two stage motion and, by the wizard level, each problem has four stage motion to consider....

Scientists don't have a ruler long enough to measure to the stars, so they rely on math. Scholars learn to calculate the distance from Earth to a star using the parallax method. They use angle measures from different perspectives to...

Let the star's color be the guide! The color of a star indicates its temperature and its mass and distance affect the gravitational force. The lesson presentations address these concepts as well as how the theory of special relativity...

Scholars become detectives and use science to solve a crime! A complete unit introduces DNA and includes hands-on activities that have learners model DNA and extract it from different food types. A culminating activity challenges...