Physics 20 IB Class Recreates Historical Experiment with International Students
The year 2005 marks the centennial of Albert Einstein’s “miraculous year.” In 1905, Einstein published three papers describing fundamental ideas that affected the world of modern physics. It is the hope of the scientific community that 2005 will commemorate his ingenious way of thinking and his tremendous influence on life in the 21st century. The World Year of Physics (WYP 2005) is a worldwide celebration of physics and its importance in our everyday lives. Physics not only plays an important role in the development of science and technology but also has a tremendous impact on our society. Through a collaboration of scientific societies worldwide, The World Year of Physics will not only bring the excitement of this fascinating subject to the world communities, but also hopes to inspire a new generation of physicists.
Just last week on Monday, April 11, 2005, the physics 20IB class had the opportunity to take part in the re-creation of a momentous experiment in the history of science first carried out by an ingenious scientist by the name of Eratosthenes. More than 2000 years ago, Eratosthenes was the first person to have measured the Earth’s circumference with a brilliant experiment that only required a stick, a shadow when the sun was highest in the sky, a little mathematics, and a whole lot of brain power. Students from separate high schools all over the world came together to recreate this experiment on the largest scale ever attempted.
During the re-creation of this experiment, Holy Trinity’s physics 20IB class collaborated with physics classes from Henderson, Nevada and Calexico, California. All three classes figured out the time in which the sun was highest in the sky on April 11 and measured the shadow of a wooden dowel. With the measurements of both the dowel and the shadow, the angle at which the sun was shining was calculated. The classes from Henderson and Calexico shared their results with Holy Trinity. Our physics 20IB class calculations combined with calculations from all participating schools will be used to determine the Earth's circumference.
With this experiment being executed by schools around the world, the World Year of Physics has indeed been able to bring the world together in celebration of physics. Eratosthenes, however long ago he lived, has still been able to affect young physicists to this day. With his many outstanding accomplishments, Eratosthenes has sparked interest in many principles of the present, and has opened doors to new discoveries of our world. Timeless as his presence is, it would be appropriate to say that Eratosthenes will continue to contribute to the unending task of unfolding the mysteries of physics behind our world.
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The year 2005 marks the centennial of Albert Einstein’s “miraculous year.” In 1905, Einstein published three papers describing fundamental ideas that affected the world of modern physics. It is the hope of the scientific community that 2005 will commemorate his ingenious way of thinking and his tremendous influence on life in the 21st century. The World Year of Physics (WYP 2005) is a worldwide celebration of physics and its importance in our everyday lives. Physics not only plays an important role in the development of science and technology but also has a tremendous impact on our society. Through a collaboration of scientific societies worldwide, The World Year of Physics will not only bring the excitement of this fascinating subject to the world communities, but also hopes to inspire a new generation of physicists.
Just last week on Monday, April 11, 2005, the physics 20IB class had the opportunity to take part in the re-creation of a momentous experiment in the history of science first carried out by an ingenious scientist by the name of Eratosthenes. More than 2000 years ago, Eratosthenes was the first person to have measured the Earth’s circumference with a brilliant experiment that only required a stick, a shadow when the sun was highest in the sky, a little mathematics, and a whole lot of brain power. Students from separate high schools all over the world came together to recreate this experiment on the largest scale ever attempted.