Episodes
In this video, Legos® are used to create possible molecular level models of a buffer. This is done to better understand how a buffer works and the components a buffer must contain in order to be effective.
Published 07/07/15
This video uses a series of examples and student-active segments to investigate the concepts of torque and equilibrium.
Published 07/07/15
This video determines the units of the differential quantity dx in terms of the units of x, and explores how integration and differentiation affect units.
Published 07/07/15
This video motivates the statistical mechanics approach through material structure and behavior. Entropy is introduced as a natural variable whose derivative with respect to energy is zero when the number of microstates is maximized.
Published 07/07/15
This video leads students through describing the motion of all points on a wobbly disk as a function of time. Properties of time independent rotation matrices are explored.
Published 07/07/15
This video introduces students to stability of equilibria. A temperature example is explored using an energy argument, and then the typical linear stability analysis framework is introduced. This framework is applied in detail to analyze a pendulum.
Published 07/07/15
This video introduces the concept of the vector, explores vector properties using physical intuition based on displacements, and discusses how to recognize when a physical quantity can be represented by a vector.
Published 07/07/15
This video briefly reviews the simplifications and assumptions of the VSEPR model.
Published 07/07/15
This video takes a look at a smoke probe visualization of airflow over a model of an F16 aircraft. The visualization is created in the Wright Brothers Wind Tunnel. Prof. Dave Darmofal discusses how these visualizations are used in engineering.
Published 07/07/15
This video describes the motion of two objects observed from two frames of reference: a rotating turntable, and the relatively stationary ground frame. The centripetal and Coriolis accelerations that arise in rotating frames of reference are explored.
Published 07/07/15
In this video, students see how the components in the regenerative receiver circuit work together to dampen unwanted frequencies, while selectively amplifying and demodulating a desired AM signal.
Published 07/07/15
Published 07/07/15
This video will show students how to calculate the moments of a distribution and how moments can help us understand something about a distribution.
Published 07/07/15
This video uses robotics as a context for describing rigid body motion and equations of constraint. Illustrative video clips are drawn from the robotics competition in MIT’s 2.007 "Design and Manufacturing" course.
Published 07/07/15
This video presents students with a problem solving process that they might find useful in solving ill defined problems. Students see how this problem solving process was used by MIT graduate students to complete a class project.
Published 07/07/15
This video encourages students to access their knowledge of kinetic theory and apply it to the real world problem of light bulb blackening.
Published 07/07/15
In this video, students learn about layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolyte multilayer films. They see how the chemical structure of the macromolecules used in the films affects the function and properties of the film.
Published 07/07/15
Prof. Ben Brubaker defines and explores the properties of the linear approximation of a function at a point. The linear approximation is then applied to solve a simple differential equation encountered in chemical kinetics.
Published 07/07/15
This video explains the concept of "latent heat" and how it can dramatically reduce heating and cooling costs in homes and skyscrapers alike.
Published 07/07/15
This video describes many facets of light, introducing it as a context in which to discuss scientific modeling.
Published 07/07/15
In this video, Lego® molecules are used to visualize the ideas that reactions are reversible, reaction rates change with time, and at equilibrium, the rate of the forward reaction equals the rate of the reverse reaction.
Published 07/07/15
This video looks at the different models of gravity and describes scenarios where each model is applicable.
Published 07/07/15
This video includes a brief refresher on the method for drawing free body diagrams, along with examples of free body diagrams, common errors, an opportunity to practice, and connections between free body diagrams and the physical situations they describe.
Published 07/07/15
This video examines Gauss’ Law and area integrals in detail, focusing on extracting as many variables as possible from the integral through careful choice of a Gaussian surface.
Published 07/07/15
This video leads students through an understanding of how the gradient is used in Fick's first law to describe a relationship between the flux of particles and the concentration of particles.
Published 07/07/15