List

Physics

This collection of STEM resources is based on the physical world.  Resources are listed in order of stage.

Advanced \STEM
page

Advanced STEM

This collection of resources is designed for developing STEM at Post-16.
Core Scientific Mathematics
page

Core Scientific Mathematics

This is the area of the advanced stemNRICH site devoted to the core applied mathematics underlying the sciences.
\chemNRICH
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chemNRICH

chemNRICH is the area of the stemNRICH site devoted to the mathematics underlying the study of chemistry, designed to help develop the mathematics required to get the most from your study of chemistry at A-level and university.
\physNRICH
page

physNRICH

PhysNRICH is the area of the StemNRICH site devoted to the mathematics underlying the study of physics
\engNRICH
page

engNRICH

engNRICH is the area of the stemNRICH Advanced site devoted to the mathematics underlying the study of engineering
Emmy Noether
article

Emmy Noether

Find out about Emmy Noether, whose ideas linked physics and algebra, and whom Einstein described as a 'creative mathematical genius'.
\stemNRICH - Technology
list

stemNRICH - Technology

Age
11 to 16
Challenge level
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This is the technology section of stemNRICH - Core.
Pinhole Camera
problem

Pinhole Camera

Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
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Make your own pinhole camera for safe observation of the sun, and find out how it works.
Constantly changing
problem

Constantly changing

Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
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Many physical constants are only known to a certain accuracy. Explore the numerical error bounds in the mass of water and its constituents.
Bigger or smaller?
problem

Bigger or smaller?

Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
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When you change the units, do the numbers get bigger or smaller?
Perfect Eclipse
problem

Perfect Eclipse

Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
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Use trigonometry to determine whether solar eclipses on earth can be perfect.
Guessing the graph
problem

Guessing the graph

Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
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Can you suggest a curve to fit some experimental data? Can you work out where the data might have come from?
Construct the solar system
problem

Construct the solar system

Age
14 to 18
Challenge level
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Make an accurate diagram of the solar system and explore the concept of a grand conjunction.
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problem

The amazing properties of water

Age
14 to 18
Challenge level
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Find out why water is one of the most amazing compounds in the universe and why it is essential for life. - UNDER DEVELOPMENT

Alternative Record Book
problem

Alternative Record Book

Age
14 to 18
Challenge level
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In which Olympic event does a human travel fastest? Decide which events to include in your Alternative Record Book.
Electric Kettle
problem

Electric Kettle

Age
14 to 16
Challenge level
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Explore the relationship between resistance and temperature
Motorbike Momentum
problem

Motorbike Momentum

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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A think about the physics of a motorbike riding upside down
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problem

Ramping it up

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Look at the calculus behind the simple act of a car going over a step.
Electromagnetism
article

Electromagnetism

Read all about electromagnetism in our interactive article.
Cannon Balls
problem
Favourite

Cannon Balls

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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How high will a ball taking a million seconds to fall travel?
Striking gold
problem

Striking gold

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Investigate some of the issues raised by Geiger and Marsden's famous scattering experiment in which they fired alpha particles at a sheet of gold.
Pack Man
problem

Pack Man

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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A look at different crystal lattice structures, and how they relate to structural properties
Maths in the Undergraduate Physical Sciences
article

Maths in the Undergraduate Physical Sciences

An article about the kind of maths a first year undergraduate in physics, engineering and other physical sciences courses might encounter. The aim is to highlight the link between particular maths topics (e.g. complex numbers) and their applications.
The ultra particle
problem

The ultra particle

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Explore the energy of this incredibly energetic particle which struck Earth on October 15th 1991
Cobalt decay
problem

Cobalt decay

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Investigate the effects of the half-lifes of the isotopes of cobalt on the mass of a mystery lump of the element.
Battery modelling
problem

Battery modelling

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Find out how to model a battery mathematically
New units for old
problem

New units for old

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Can you match up the entries from this table of units?
Hold still please
problem

Hold still please

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Can you arrange a set of charged particles so that none of them start to move when released from rest?
The not-so-simple pendulum 1
problem
Favourite

The not-so-simple pendulum 1

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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See how the motion of the simple pendulum is not-so-simple after all.
The Lorentz Force law
problem

The Lorentz Force law

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Explore the Lorentz force law for charges moving in different ways.
Powerfully fast
problem

Powerfully fast

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Explore the power of aeroplanes, spaceships and horses.
The real hydrogen atom
problem

The real hydrogen atom

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Dip your toe into the world of quantum mechanics by looking at the Schrodinger equation for hydrogen atoms
Go spaceship go
problem
Favourite

Go spaceship go

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Show that even a very powerful spaceship would eventually run out of overtaking power
Ideal axes
problem

Ideal axes

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Explore how can changing the axes for a plot of an equation can lead to different shaped graphs emerging
Ideal gases
problem

Ideal gases

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Problems which make you think about the kinetic ideas underlying the ideal gas laws.
Eudiometry
problem

Eudiometry

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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When a mixture of gases burn, will the volume change?
Reaction types
problem

Reaction types

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Explore the rates of growth of the sorts of simple polynomials often used in mathematical modelling.
Placeholder: several colourful numbers
problem

Levels of Bohr

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Look at the units in the expression for the energy levels of the electrons in a hydrogen atom according to the Bohr model.
Drug stabiliser
problem

Drug stabiliser

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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How does the half-life of a drug affect the build up of medication in the body over time?
Sweeping Satellite
problem

Sweeping Satellite

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Derive an equation which describes satellite dynamics.
Lunar Leaper
problem
Favourite

Lunar Leaper

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Gravity on the Moon is about 1/6th that on the Earth. A pole-vaulter 2 metres tall can clear a 5 metres pole on the Earth. How high a pole could he clear on the Moon?
The not-so-simple pendulum 2
problem
Favourite

The not-so-simple pendulum 2

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Things are roughened up and friction is now added to the approximate simple pendulum
Keep your momentum going
problem

Keep your momentum going

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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A look at a fluid mechanics technique called the Steady Flow Momentum Equation.
Whoosh
problem
Favourite

Whoosh

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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A ball whooshes down a slide and hits another ball which flies off the slide horizontally as a projectile. How far does it go?
Gravity paths
problem
Favourite

Gravity paths

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Where will the spaceman go when he falls through these strange planetary systems?
Pumping the Power
problem

Pumping the Power

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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What is an AC voltage? How much power does an AC power source supply?
Placeholder: several colourful numbers
problem

Resistance

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Find the equation from which to calculate the resistance of an infinite network of resistances.
Mach Attack
problem

Mach Attack

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Have you got the Mach knack? Discover the mathematics behind exceeding the sound barrier.
Diamonds aren't forever
problem

Diamonds aren't forever

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Ever wondered what it would be like to vaporise a diamond? Find out inside...
Placeholder: several colourful numbers
article

Neural nets

Find out some of the mathematics behind neural networks.
Earth orbit
problem

Earth orbit

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Follow in the steps of Newton and find the path that the earth follows around the sun.
Lennard Jones potential
problem

Lennard Jones potential

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Investigate why the Lennard-Jones potential gives a good approximate explanation for the behaviour of atoms at close ranges
Moving Stonehenge
problem

Moving Stonehenge

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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A look at the fluid mechanics questions that are raised by the Stonehenge 'bluestones'.
Modelling Assumptions in mechanics
article

Modelling Assumptions in mechanics

An article demonstrating mathematically how various physical modelling assumptions affect the solution to the seemingly simple problem of the projectile.
Escape from planet Earth
problem
Favourite

Escape from planet Earth

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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How fast would you have to throw a ball upwards so that it would never land?
Poiseuille's equation
problem

Poiseuille's equation

Age
16 to 18
Challenge level
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Look at the flow of fluids down circular pipes.