Constructing Physical Science

Adam Johnston

#randomactofscience

waves on a lake

On a camping trip a while ago, we had a site that overlooked a small, calm lake in the Uintas. From a perch we could toss small rocks into the lake and watch the ripples they created. Tossing two rocks at the same time made it so that we could see what happens when the two sets of waves overlap. htt…

light in gelatin

Some science investigations are especially fun to do at home. Playing with light and playing with jello are each great activities for indoors. This investigation prompt puts these two things together. Here's a video that I made at home, with no fancy lab or equipment -- the perfect setting for most …

hot chocolate effect

We often imagine that good science is the kind of thing that studies the dynamics of distant stars and a cure for disease. Sure, it does work on these big problems. But it is just as focused on and important to our everyday experiences. Here's my prime example. This is me at home, stirring some hot …

science at home: noticing and record keeping

Schooling in a collaborative environment with a collective vision is no small task in any time, and that’s probably ten times more apparent in the middle of the pandemic. The educational system we’re used to, in spite of owning its share of flaws, is a monumental invention and a well-designed piece …

forces, matter, and energy

The concepts of force, matter, and energy get mixed together and confounded. For example, it’s easy to say that forces, matter, and energy are all in the following photos. But these are all distinct from one another, even though they’re related. Where and how do you see forces, matter, and energy in…

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