Activities
Students act out the classic light clock scenario for deriving time dilation.
Problem
A 100W light bulb is left burning inside a Carnot refridgerator that draws 100W. Can the refridgerator cool below room temperature?
Groups are asked to analyze the following standard problem:
Two identical lumps of clay of (rest) mass m collide head on, with each moving at 3/5 the speed of light. What is the mass of the resulting lump of clay?
In this activity students work out energy level transitions in hydrogen that lead to visible light.