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Resonance

June 2004
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Classroom

In this section of Resonance, we invite readers to pose questions likely to be raised in a classroom situation. We may suggest strategies for dealing with them, or invite responses, or both. “Classroom” is equally a forum for raising broader issues and sharing personal experiences and viewpoints on matters related to teaching and learning science.

 A clear comprehension of the Newtonian notion of force remains elusive to  many students due to lack of experience with observations in a non-inertial frame of  reference. In this article is described a software that can be easily run on a   desktop computer and which acquaints the stu- dent-user with the Newtonian notion of force. Fundamental principles of causality and determinism in Newtonian mechanics are elucidated.

This article describes an experiment in chemical kinetics that is suitable for an undergraduate laboratory course in general chemistry. Four different undergraduate student teams  investigated the relation between the HCl concentration and the flow rate of CO2 which is formed from the reaction of MgCO3(s)+ HCl(aq).  About 70% of them indicated that the experimental and theoretical results were in good agreement. By plotting the experimental data, the activation energy of the reaction was found to be 26.50 kJ/mole.

In fluid mechanics, control volume analysis has the same importance and usefulness as analysis based on free-body diagram in the rigid body mechanics. This note will enable one to develop a feel for the main principles. CV is an imaginary volume that has to be carefully selected. In general, fluid can flow in and out the surface (the control surface) of the CV.

Related article: Propulsion of the Putt-Putt Boat – I, Sharadha and Arakeri, Resonance, June 2004, p66-73

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