Re: physics programs for kids

In sci.physics, srp
<srp2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote
on Fri, 20 Oct 2006 16:47:12 GMT
<4538FE79.7020502@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
The Ghost In The Machine a écrit :
In sci.physics, srp
<srp2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote
on Fri, 20 Oct 2006 02:51:22 GMT
<45383987.60302@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
norman_conway@xxxxxxxxx a écrit :
Sorcerer wrote:

If he understands GR at his age he's way ahead of you. I suspect
pride in your offspring rather than honesty on your part.
He doesn't understand GR but he does get the concept of a reference
frame--both inertial and non-inertial-- as he has spent many a late
night thinking about this. Last year we spent hours arguing that one
could use principles of SR to determine an absolute velocity; an
intellectual journey that allowed him to really understand some very
basic principles of modern physics. Although SR and especially GR are
fully accessible only if one is fluent in the relevant mathematics,
their core premises are really simple to a young, thoughful and
non-prejudiced mind. Now quantum mechanics w/o math is a little
harder...

One of the things that always loved about physics is that one really
does not have to know very much to understand some very basic things
about our world. (I used to joke that I can write down everything I
need to know about physics on one side of an index card; an
exaggeration, I know, but not much of one.)

If you want to foster his love of physics then yes, do math, but
remember math is ART. This is MATH:
http://www.dynamical-systems.org/threebody/index.html
When he can do that he'll be well on his way.
Well, that's a great help: give a 12 year old with a passion for
physics an unsolved problem just to make him understand he's not as
tough as he might think he is.

Any other suggestions?
Einstein's dad gave him a compass for him to wonder at why the
needle always pointed to the north.

Why not give him a pair of circular magnets (loudspeaker magnets)
and let him wonder.

André Michaud

Einstein was born 1879-03-14. It is highly unlikely
loudspeakers of any sort were in existence back then;
the vacuum tube/thermionic valve kenotron (later known as
the diode) was not invented until 1904, by John Ambrose
Fleming. The triode, a precursor to anything resembling an
electrically-driven or electronic amplifier, was invented
about 2 years later. This is about the same time (1905)
Einstein advanced his theory of Special Relativity, as it
turns out -- well after his formative years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermionic_valves

Circular magnets may have been available prior to then but
they would have been more for electric motors and/or
solenoids.

What are you talking about!

Circular magnets exist "now". The OP was asking for other
suggestions and he obviously is entirely capable of
deciding whether or not he thinks the idea has merit.

André Michaud

Ah...a misread on my part; my apologies as I thought the
poster was referring to Einstein, not a contemporary child.
In any event, I'd suggest a toy with a dowel and several
magnets with holes in them; if I'm not totally mistaken
these are available at many science shops. There are
issues if he's younger than three, as he might ingest the
magnets; while not all that dangerous (unless one's dumb
enough to buy rare earth magnets for such a child which
attract so strongly they might break or crush fingers)
it might be uncomfortable.

There might be a toy consisting of a bunch of iron filings
in a flat sealed plastic container as well, though I'm
not sure how long that will hold a child's curiosity.

There are a few toys which consist of a platform
and several magnets on a pivot; these might be mildly
entertaining but the effect is more reminiscent of artwork
than something the child can really interact with ("get
his or her hands on", so to speak).

It is sad, though. Back in the start of the 20th century
one might have had wooden toy train sets. Today we have
Transformers, "less than meets the eye", as they not only
flip and click into preset configurations they also come
with a lot of backstory, sapping imagination in my opinion.
But apparently they do sell.

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