Helpmyphysics

Watched live on Nasa TV the landing of the Phoenix Lander on Mars . What excitement as the lander touched down at 12.53pm last night.
It was amazing to hear the spacecaft`s velocity reducing from 21,000 kilometres per hour (13,000 mph) to touchdown on the planet`s surface after a journey of 10 months covering a distance of 680 million kilometres ( 423 million miles).
Perhaps one day we will be witnessing the landing of humans on the surface. In the meantime it is up to robot like craft to explore the surface.
Phoenix will not rove about the Martian surface rather it will dig holes into the Northern landscape peeling away layers of soil down to the frozen layer where instruments will check for water and habitable conditions…maybe life itself.
Good luck Phoenix.
If you want to see how it landed click here

In this show Mr Mallon tells the story of the atom from Democritus right the way up to Neils Bohr. Great revision for your Higher Physics.
Granny Physics hands over to Cassie McDonald and Chloe Selkirk where they review a cracking good science book.
And finally Mr Mallon poses the question of UFOs and visiting aliens.

Listen to show here

Links in the show:
George`s secret key to the universe.
Music from the show:
Theme tune from Fireball XL5 by Don Spencer.
UFO tv series
The movie The Day the Earth Stood Still

Listen to the show here

In this show Mr Mallon takes a look at how vital it is to reduce speed on the roads, it is pure physics and saves lives.
Mars is being invaded as we speak… by us! In the spacezone we look at the mission to mars which is looking for water.

A surprise guest makes a comeback! Yes she is back: the one and only Granny Physics.

Music in the show:

• Drive by Jimmie Bratcher
• The War of the Worlds Trailer

Links to items in the show:

• The Phoenix Mission to Mars
• Stopping distances simulator
• Road safety
  

Ever wanted to fly through the universe? Well this is one exciting free, yes free program that you can download.

The program is called Celestia. Even if you only download it to see the Earth you will be so impressed.

Let your teacher know about it so that he/she can set it up using a projector. Turn off your lab lights, draw the curtains and you`ll be flying through deepest space.

Enjoy!

Celestia download here.

Listen to show here

In this show Mr Mallon gives advice on what to do with the grades you have achieved in your physics exams.
In the SpaceZone look out for the King of the Planets and a shower from space this August.
Mr Mallon talks about the physics books he has read this summer.

Links in the show:

The Cloud appreciation society
Russell Stannard Books
Music in the show: Physics for Two by Drew Vicks

Heather Reid has been honoured with an O.B.E. for her contribution to physics.
This is fantastic news for the physics community. Heather herself dedicated her honour to all hard working physics teachers.
Congratulations from Mr. Mallon’s website.

This is the second news item about females who have contributed to physics lets hope Heather`s award will spur on more girls to take up the study of this wonderful subject.

• Heather Reid
• Met Office

Science should be so exciting! There should be at least one experiment or teacher demonstration each week that would make you want to try science at home with your parents.

Here is something from The Telegraph newspaper about great experiments.
Kindly ask your teacher to give a demonstration of these experiments in the last two weeks of the school session.

You will find a link to the article here

A Scottish schoolgirl has won a prestigious physics competition at an international science festival.

Congratulations from Mr Mallon.

Read about her success here.

It is a great thing to read. So if you are interested in physics then checkout this article about the great Albert Einstein. If you’ve ever wondered who that chap in the big poster is with his tongue out then click this article from the The NewYork Times.

Einstein’s Story

With my first look at the multiple choice part I think it was a very fair set of questions. If you are interested in the answers then they are given below. I’ll take a look at the other exams later. Anyway here are the mc answers….

1D 2C 3B 4D 5A 6C 7A 8E 9A 10A 11E 12C 13D 14A 15E 16C 17E 18D 19B 20B

All the best!