Department of Physics at the U of I

Links for Teachers

Ask the Van

Submit your question online for an age-appropriate answer by our talented undergraduates, or check out some of the more than 3000 questions we've answered so far. Request a Van show for your school or watch a webstreamed Van show.

Baseball Physics

Professor Al Nathan has created a great website devoted to the physics of America's greatest game.

Lecture Demonstration Database

The Department of Physics has in stock thousands of physics demonstrations.

Physics Education Research at Illinois

The Physics Education Research Group conducts ongoing research in how students learn physics. Highlights include:

• Completed and ongoing research projects.
• Register to use Physics Illinois course materials.
• Practice on our interactive examples.

Explore Understand Succeed—PHYSICS

Produced by the American Physical Society, this engaging brochure, aimed at middle-school and high school students, introduces ten minority physicists, including Illinois' own Nadya Mason. Students learn why studying physics is important and how they can prepare to be successful physicists. Order copies for your school by writing to Celia Elliott.

Other Great Physical Science Resources

• Physics Central, an award-winning site sponsored by the American Physical Society
• Physical Sciences Resource Center, sponsored by the AAPT
• Little Shop of Physics, award-winning outreach program from Colorado State University
• Physics Question-of-the-Week, from the University of Maryland
• The Virtual Laboratory (More than 140 on-line physics Java applets and VRML resources)
• PhysLink, physics and astronomy online since 1995
• Ask a Physicist
• How Stuff Works
• How Everything Works
• Fear of Physics Fear not! Physics. Explained. Finally. Homework help, too!
• The Why Files, the science behind the news
• MadSci Network, the laboratory that never sleeps (but probably should)
• Contemporary Physics Education Project, charts, posters, web features, plus more
• Exploratorium and Science Snacks
• Office for Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education University of Illinois
• Playground Physics
• Amusement Park Physics, where you can design your own roller coaster
• Forum on Physics and Society Sponsored by the American Physical Society
• Twitter page for the Large Hadron Collider
• Space Science Education and Public Outreach at Sonoma State University