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• About Physics Front

The Physics Front is a free service provided by the AAPT in partnership with the NSF/NSDL.

Physics First Topics and Units

• Measurement and the Language of Physics
  • Physics Terminology
  • Units of Measure
  • Applying Measurement in Physics
  • For the New Teacher
  • Teaching Tools
  • Dimensional Analysis
  • Scale, Order of Magnitude, and Estimation
  • Assessments
• Kinematics: The Physics of Motion
  • Graphing
  • Vectors
  • Motion in One Dimension
  • Motion in More Than One Dimension
  • Circular Motion
  • Planetary Motion
  • Special Collections
  • Velocity and Acceleration
  • Assessments
  • Modeling Motion
  • The Case of Roller Coasters
• Dynamics: Forces and Motion
  • Newton's First Law & Inertia
  • Newton's Second Law & Net Force
  • Newton's Third Law
  • Applications of Newton's Laws
  • The Universal Law of Gravitation
  • Frictional Forces
  • Force Diagrams
  • Rotational Dynamics
  • Benchmarks and Standards
• Impulse and Momentum
  • Teaching about Impulse and Momentum
  • Practical Examples for Impulse and Momentum
  • Collisions
• Conservation of Energy
  • Teaching About Energy
  • What is Energy?
  • Energy Forms and Sources
  • Conservation of Energy
  • Energy Transformation
  • Global Issues Related to Energy Resources
  • Renewable Energy Sources
  • Special Collections on Energy Education
  • Teaching Energy in the Elementary Grades
• Periodic and Simple Harmonic Motion
  • Simple Harmonic Motion
  • Conservation of Energy and Forces on a Spring
• Heat and Temperature
  • The Relationship Between Heat and Temperature
  • Teaching about Heat and Thermal Energy
  • Environmental Concerns: Global Climate and Greenhouse Effect
  • Understanding Temperature and Heat for Teachers of the Early Grades
• Wave Energy
  • Teaching About Waves and Wave Energy
  • Types of Mechanical Waves
  • Wave Properties: Frequency, Amplitude, Period, Phase
  • How Waves Move and Interact: Reflection, Refraction, Interference
  • Standing Waves and Resonance
  • The Physics of Sound
• "Static" Electricity
  • Teaching About Electrostatics
  • Electric Field
  • Electric Force
  • Capacitors and their Effect on Electricity
  • Charge Interaction
  • Franklin and Electrostatics
  • Static Electricity for the Early Grades
  • Electrostatic Induction
• Electricity and Electrical Energy
  • A Model for Electricity
  • Electrical Charge
  • Moving Charges and Electric Circuits
  • Resistance and Ohm's Law
  • Applying Concepts of Electricity
  • Electricity: A Historical Perspective
• Magnetism and Magnetic Force
  • What is Magnetism?
  • What Materials are Magnetic?
  • The Earth as a Magnet
  • Magnetic Fields
• Electromagnetism and Electromagnets
  • Teaching About Electromagnetism
  • Electromagnetic Induction
  • Electromagnetic Fields
  • Electromagnetic Radiation and the Spectrum
• Nature and Behavior of Light
  • Behavior of Light
  • Ray Optics -- Reflection and Refraction of Light
  • Microscopy and Optical Devices
  • The Wave Nature of Light
  • Electromagnetic Radiation and the Spectrum
  • Visible Light and Color
  • The Eye
• Particles and Interactions and the Standard Model
  • Matter and Interactions
  • The Standard Model
  • History and Discovery
  • Teaching Nanoscale Science
  • Properties of Matter
  • Elements and the Periodic Table
  • Molecular Structures and Bonding
  • Nuclear Processes
  • Microscopy: Observing at the Nanoscale
• Astronomy
  • Astronomy Resources For the High School Classroom
  • Astronomy Activities
  • Astronomy: An Historical Perspective
  • Astronomy: Special K-12 Collections
  • Astronomy Resources for the K-8 Classroom
• Digital Collections: Physics and Physical Science
  • Physics Textbooks
  • Online Resource Collections
  • The Scientific Process
• History and Philosophy of Physics
  • Pioneers and Innovators
  • The Scientific Process
• Best Practices and Standard Assessments
  • Collections and Resources for Teachers
  • Best Practices for Physics Teachers
  • Benchmarks and Standards