PHY 21430: Frontiers in Astronomy

Delve into Newton's third law of motion and explore how the choice of the 'system of interest' influences whether force pairs cancel each other out.

Join us as we unravel the incredible journey of a shearwater seabird in an astonishing experiment. This remarkable bird was taken from its nest, flown 5150 kilometers away, and then successfully found its way back home 13.5 days later. We explore the concept of average velocity for both the return flight and the entire episode, shedding light on the bird's navigation prowess. Discover the fascinating world of animal navigation and physics in this captivating video.

Join us in a lunar leap! We estimate how gravity affects jumping distance on the Moon compared to Earth, with the same takeoff speed and angle. Explore the moon's reduced gravity and its impact on human capabilities.

Join us as we explore the dynamic world of gymnastics and the forces at play. In this video, we analyze a gymnast's routine on the rings, calculating the forces involved. Learn how the gymnast's body interacts with the rings and the floor, and discover how changes in arm angles affect the forces. Dive into the physics of human movement and gymnastics.

Discover the incredible tale of David Purley's survival in a high-speed car crash! In this video, we calculate the magnitude of the acceleration he experienced during the rapid deceleration from 173 km/h to zero. Learn how to express it in units of gravity and explore the limits of human endurance.

Dive into the world of aviation as we calculate the thrust required for a medium-sized jet to maintain a cruising speed of 230 m/s at a specific altitude. Explore the impact of air density and drag coefficients on aircraft performance.