V=⅓πd³ Tutor in Physics & Math

Today I’m thinking about a simple question: Which “modern physics achievements” are actually in massive everyday demand—yet are still only lightly covered in algebra-based General Physics?

If we want General Physics to feel connected to the real world (and real jobs), we should stop treating modern technology as an occasional “application” and instead add short, targeted modern inserts that connect directly to the classical topics we already teach.

Here are the biggest gaps that students encounter immediately in life and in industry:

✅ Semiconductors & devices (diodes, LEDs, solar cells, transistors) — the physics of how electronics truly work
✅ Power electronics & electrification (chargers, inverters, EV powertrains, grid issues) — the “electricity of civilization”
✅ Wireless/RF basics (antennas, propagation, interference, noise/SNR) — why Wi-Fi works… and why it fails
✅ Photonics & lasers (sources, detectors, fiber optics) — the backbone of telecom, imaging, and sensing
✅ Sensors everywhere (MEMS, inertial sensing, calibration, drift, noise, sampling) — turning the world into data
✅ Medical physics as systems (CT/MRI/ultrasound tradeoffs: resolution, dose, time, safety)
✅ Quantum technologies (lite but real) — qubits as fragile systems, decoherence, sensing, and what “quantum advantage” really means
✅ Physics of computation/AI — heat, energy limits, and why data centers are becoming an infrastructure story

The best part: these don’t require a new course. Many can be taught as 20–40 minute inserts exactly where they belong (after Gauss’s law → MOS/ESD; after EM waves → antennas & link budget; after optics → lasers & fiber; after energy/thermo → computing heat & efficiency).

If you teach General Physics: Which one “modern insert” would you add first—and where in the syllabus would you place it?

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vT8f3XYMUm9eA7LHPmvUtG5tNOxoKkKQ9tJEHMZTSYKMYAWlf07k5X_2bFBvnZhGqhoddt930ZQFkBj/pub

Physics Survey/Quiz Part 1. Formulate physics problems suitable for a general college-level Physics I course based on algebra, in which two different parameters, a and b, of different physical types, but describing the same object, process, or phenomenon, are given. The solutions to your problems should be the followin...

Invitation to Participate in the Survey: Algebra-Based General Physics 1: Physical Contextualization of Mathematical Formulas

Dear student, educator, scientist, or engeneer,

I would like to invite you to participate in a study that aims to explore the connection between mathematical formulas and their physical context in the course of Algebra-Based General Physics 1: Kinematics, Mechanics, Mechanical Waves, Thermodynamics. This test-survey will focus on understanding how students and specialists conceptualize and interpret mathematical expressions in physical terms.

Your insights will contribute to enhancing teaching strategies and bridging the gap between abstract mathematical operations and physical phenomena. This initiative is an essential step in fostering a deeper understanding of physics concepts through a more intuitive approach to learning.

The test-survey can be accessed through the following link:
https://forms.gle/Wb1NpJmndyWMzfyN7

Your participation is highly valued. Your responses will remain confidential and will be used solely for educational purposes.

Thank you for your time and support in helping improve our approach to teaching physics.

Best regards,
Vasiliy Znamenskiy
Ph.D. in Physics and Math Sciences
[email protected]

Algebra-Based General Physics 1: Physical Contextualization of Mathematical Formulas Kinematic s, Mechanics, Mechanical Waves, Thermodynamics

Instantaneous velocity: when limits lose their meaning

The textbook definition of instantaneous velocity as a time derivative—the limit of Δr/Δt as Δt → 0—is plainly non-physical if taken literally. A derivative assumes smooth trajectories, whereas in the real world, as we shrink the scale without bound, we run into the granularity of matter (voids between atoms, collisions, etc.). In gases, if we mindlessly drive Δr and Δt to zero, instead of a meaningful “flow velocity” we just see the chaotic thermal speed of molecules. In computer modeling the situation is similar due to discrete time in numerical schemes and the discreteness of numbers in machine arithmetic.

So how should we define instantaneous velocity in a way that has a literal physical meaning?

Question to colleagues:
How do you formulate “instantaneous velocity” in your courses to avoid the traditional but non-physical Δt→0? What windows/“plateau” criteria do you use? Examples from your lab or numerical work are very welcome!

📌 New resource I’m excited to share →
https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSs_PHn-e0S5tOkyz0p0qcvyMH7XJmRXLIvZ78YwbqAAzzzwGqVa0FBLZfm6elIG7G_2jXmCrWYHtMN/pub

If you find it helpful, please share or drop your thoughts in the comments.

Algebra-Based General Physics 1 Formula Set https://docs.google.com/document/d/12znxPMGG2LHnT5rKoGlrc7dG6L4NFHoSlgt7o-zmf_Y/edit?usp=sharing https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSs_PHn-e0S5tOkyz0p0qcvyMH7XJmRXLIvZ78YwbqAAzzzwGqVa0FBLZfm6elIG7G_2jXmCrWYHtMN/pub

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.12133.67049
https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.12133.67049
It’s a physics puzzle about F = m a.
Two separate masses each experience the same unknown net force F.
Their accelerations are known:
a₁ for the small mass and
a₂ for the big one
(masses themselves are unknown).
Question:
If you couple the two masses together and apply the same force F to the pair, what acceleration will the pair have?
Idea:
From F = m a:
m₁ = F/a₁,
m₂ = F/a₂
Combined mass: m₁ + m₂ = F(1/a₁ + 1/a₂)

(PDF) F=ma 01 PDF | It’s a physics puzzle about F = m a. Two separate masses each experience the same unknown net force F. Their accelerations are known: a₁ for the... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

Measurements Lab Quiz – Exported as Brightspace Package This Brightspace-ready quiz assesses foundational measurement skills in physics laboratory settings. It includes 16 questions covering key concepts such as random and systematic errors, least counts of measurement tools (micrometer, Vernier caliper, meter stick, graduated cylinder, and triple-beam b...

Problem. A boat is drifting in still water and gradually slowing down due to a drag force proportional to its speed. At times t₁ and t₂, measured from the start of drifting, the boat’s speeds are v₁ and v₂, respectively. What is its speed at the moment exactly halfway between t₁ and t₂?

📘 Essential Physics Formulas for Students!
Here’s a compact formula sheet for Algebra-Based College Physics I, perfect for quick reference or exam review. It includes key equations in kinematics, dynamics, energy, momentum, rotation, fluids, thermodynamics, and waves—with conditions and variables clearly listed.

Ideal for students, tutors, and instructors alike!

🧠 Know someone who could use this? Share it!
🔍 If you have questions on how to apply any of these formulas, drop a comment!

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Znamenskiy, V. (2025, April 20). Pattern Discovery Exercises: Fill-in-the-Blank Sequence Tasks. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15252816