This video clip from WALL-E shows everybody’s favorite trash compactor robot flying through space in an escape capsule and engaging in a fire-extinguisher powered dance with his robot girlfriend. Watch the video and pay attention to the physics of the animation. In terms of Newton’s three laws, the animators got some things right and some

There are many techniques to use to solve physics problems. One of my favorites is drawing flow-chart-like diagrams showing paths to solutions.  The resulting “maps” are great visual summaries of the mental thought processes that went into solving the problems. Below is an example. At first glance it may seem overwhelming and confusing. Take some

In this guided practice, I work through a projectile motion problem involving the level horizontal flight of a water balloon. I end up deriving an expression relating the range, launch angle, and initial speed of a projectile undergoing level horizontal flight. Level horizontal flight is the situation where a projectile takes off and lands at