Introduction to the concept of a dynamic system. Includes discussion of system and surroundings and system boundaries. This video is part of the Sustainability Learning Suites, made possible in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation. See 'Learn more about this resource' for Learning Objectives, Assessment, and Activities.

This video explains thermodynamic systems, open and closed systems, and the four key properties of a system. This video is part of the Sustainability Learning Suites, made possible in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation. See 'Learn more about this resource' for Learning Objectives, Assessment, and Activities.

This video looks at the cause of system behavior as being like an iceberg. This idea was proposed by Peter Senge in his book, "The Fifth Discipline" (1990), Doubleday Publishers. This video is part of the Sustainability Learning Suites, made possible in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation. See 'Learn more about this resource' for Learning Objectives, Assessment, and Activities.

This video explains Aristotle's model of causality and how it can be used to gain insight into systemic behavior. Many of the ideas presented in this video have been contributed by Roger Burton. This video is part of the Sustainability Learning Suites, made possible in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation. See 'Learn more about this resource' for Learning Objectives, Assessment, and Activities.

This video, based on ideas of Donella Meadows (Thinking in Systems: A Primer | 2008, Chelsea Green Publishing), describes different types of interventions that are possible in a system and their potential leverage. This video is part of the Sustainability Learning Suites, made possible in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation. See 'Learn more about this resource' for Learning Objectives, Assessment, and Activities.

This video clip highlights the effort on by a group of young students to ban the use of plastic shopping bags in the city of Santa Monica. The video documents the effort and provides visual testimony of the effects that trash and specifically plastic bags have on the ocean ecosystem.

This interactive visualization provides information in text, graphic, and video format about renewable energy technologies. Resource in the Student's Guide to Global Climate Change, part of EPA Climate Change Division.

This investigation uses the relationship between volume and temperature to reinforce the ideal gas law. It also uses the data collected to find absolute zero.

Students see how different levels of surface tension affect water's ability to move. Teams "race" water droplets down tracks made of different materials, making measurements, collecting data, making calculations, graphing results and comparing to their predictions and the properties of each surface, determining which surface exhibits the highest (or lowest) level of surface tension with water. They apply their results to make engineering recommendations for real-world applications.

Students measure different types of small-sized beams and calculate their respective moments of inertia. They compare the calculations to how much the beams bend when loads are placed on them, gaining insight into the ideal geometry and material for load-bearing beams.

Students conduct several simple lab activities to learn about the five fundamental load types that can act on structures: tension, compression, shear, bending, and torsion. To learn the telltale marks of failure caused by these load types, they break foam insulation blocks by applying these five load types, carefully examine each type of fracture pattern (break in the material) and make drawings of the fracture patterns.

Students construct "a tetrahedron and describe the linear, area and volume using non-traditional units of measure. Four tetrahedra are combined to form a similar tetrahedron whose linear dimensions are twice the original tetrahedron. The area and volume relationships between the first and second tetrahedra are explored, and generalizations for the relationships are developed." (from NCTM Illuminations)

This engaging video focuses on national and global wind energy potential by specifically highlighting Texas' role as wind energy leader and energy efficiency efforts in Houston, Texas.

First term of a theoretical treatment of the physics of solids. Concept of elementary excitations. Symmetry: translational, rotational, and time-reversal invariances: theory of representations. Energy bands: APW, OPW, pseudopotential and LCAO schemes. Survey of electronic structure of metals, semimetals, semiconductors, and insulators. Excitons. Critical points. Response functions. Interactions in the electron gas.

In this activity, students calculate the cost of the energy used to operate a common three-bulb light fixture, and compare the costs and amount of CO2 produced for similar incandescent and compact fluorescent light bulbs.

The activity presents a Think-Pair-Share analysis of a metal detector including a simulation.

This is a classroom lab investigation where students use the story of the three bears to discover inadequacies in the story and discover how to make them correct. Convection, conduction and radiation are involved.

This activity is a summary/assessment assignment which allows for differentiation and student choice. Students are assessed in their knowledge of the atomic model and the arrangement of elements on the periodic table.

This project is a classroom investigation where students design a chemical torpedo out of pipettes, baking soda and vinegar to travel down a rain gutter. While working on the project the students will have to analyze their design, interpret their success and failures, adapt their creation and compete against other students in distance and velocities of their launched torpedo.

Investigate how torque causes an object to rotate. Discover the relationships between angular acceleration, moment of inertia, angular momentum and torque.