Overview
Students taking UPI for honors credit must do a class project that will count as 10% of their class score. The project will have three pieces: (1) proposal, (2) finished project, and (3) brief talk. The project may either be a paper on some aspect of physics related to the content of University Physics I or the construction of a piece of scientific equipment or scientific demonstration (related to the course). An honors student who does not turn in the honors project cannot get honors credit, which means he or she cannot pass the course.
Where Can I Locate the Assignment?
See the Syllabus Addendum for Honors Section in Blackboard for all of the details of this project, including due dates and grading key.
References and Citations
The proposal must contain a list of a minimum of five sources and at least three of the sources must be a non-Internet source. The Internet sources must include a working link to the sites.
The paper should reference both Internet and traditional sources with most references from traditional sources.
Important: Journal articles obtained electronically through the Libraries' databases are considered traditional sources. Within this guide, any internet sources are marked as "Internet Resource".
Proposals and papers are required to be cited properly. Please visit the Reference and Citation Help within this guide to get started.
Need a little help with your paper? Visit with Writing Support (formerly known as the Quality Writing Center), a part of Class+.
Some past examples of UP I Honors project topics include:
|
Bernoulli's Principle |
Bungee jumping |
|
Gymnastics |
Cavendish experiment |
|
Supersonic nosecones |
Pitch bending |
|
Chladni plate |
Swimming |
|
Waves and diffraction |
Gyroscope |
|
Rocketry |
Toppling waves |
| Friction |
Wave speed in liquids |
| Roller coasters |
This Research Guide has been set up to help guide you through your project. The subjects, articles, and books in the links above on the left are just a sampling of what is available to you. Also check out the tabs in this box for the list of books on reserve and a list of books to aid you in writing.
Use this guide as a starting point and remember there is more out there!
These books are available on reserve in the Physics Library for two-day checkout.
Click on the book to learn more or check availability.
The Art of the Catapult by
Whether playing at defending their own castle or simply chucking pumpkins over a fence, wannabe marauders and tinkerers will become fast acquainted with Ludgar, the War Wolf, Ill Neighbor, Cabulus, and the Wild Donkey—ancient artillery devices known commonly as catapults. Building these simple yet sophisticated machines introduces fundamentals of math and physics using levers, force, torsion, tension, and traction. Instructions and diagrams illustrate how to build seven authentic working model catapults, including an early Greek ballista, a Roman onager, and the apex of catapult technology, the English trebuchet. Additional projects include learning how to lash and make rope and how to construct and use a hand sling and a staff sling. The colorful history of siege warfare is explored through the stories of Alexander the Great and his battle of Tyre; Saladin, Richard the Lionheart, and the Third Crusade; pirate-turned-soldier John Crabbe and his ship-mounted catapults; and Edward I of England and his battle against the Scots at Stirling Castle.
Backyard Ballistics by
This bestselling DIY handbook now features new and expanded projects, enabling ordinary folks to construct 16 awesome ballistic devices in their garage or basement workshops using inexpensive household or hardware store materials and this step-by-step guide. Clear instructions, diagrams, and photographs show how to build projects ranging from the simple match-powered rocket to the more complex tabletop catapult and the offbeat Cincinnati fire kite. The classic potato cannon has a new evil twin—the piezo-electric spud gun and the electromagnetic pipe gun has joined the company of such favorites as the tennis ball mortar. With a strong emphasis on safety, the book also gives tips on troubleshooting, explains the physics behind the projects, and profiles scientists and extraordinary experimenters such as Alfred Nobel, Robert Goddard, and Isaac Newton. This book will be indispensable for the legions of backyard toy-rocket launchers and fireworks fanatics who wish every day was the fourth of July.
The Big Book of Catapult and Trebuchet Plans! by
This book is a compilation of step-by-step instructions for how to build nine different types of catapults and trebuchets, including plans for: A PVC Pipe Trebuchet, A Tabletop Trebuchet, The World Famous Floating Arm Trebuchet, The Historical WarWolf Trebuchet, A Rat-Trap Catapult, The Mangonel (or Onager), The Greek Ballista, a Petraria Arcatinus And the Scorpion II. Each set of instructions include dimensional drawings of all wooden parts, lists of required hardware and sources, an abundance of photos, diagrams and detailed descriptions of the assembly process. Additional sections include historical notes for the different types of machines, warnings and safety suggestions, tuning tips, notes on scaling, tools and techniques and additional notes on even more kinds of catapults.
The Flying Circus of Physics by
Witness astounding feats of physics Hurry! Hurry! Come one, come all. Meet a man who can pull two railroad passenger cars with his teeth and a real-life human cannon ball. Come face to face with a dead rattlesnake that still bites. And unlock the secrets to the magician's bodiless head. Welcome to Jearl Walker's Flying Circus of Physics, 2nd Edition, where death-defying stunts, high-flying acrobatics, strange curiosities, and mind-bending illusions are all part of everyday life. You don't need a ticket; you only need to look to the world around you to uncover these fascinating feats of physics. Completely updated and expanded, this Second Edition of Jearl Walker's best-selling book features more than 700 thoroughly intriguing questions about relevant, fun, and completely real physical phenomena. Detailed explanations and references to outside sources guide your way through the problems. You'll discover answers to such questions as: * Can you start a fire with ice? * Why does the sky turn green just before a tornado? * Why do wintergreen LifeSavers glow in the dark when you bite them? * If you are falling in an elevator, should you try to jump up at the last second or lay flat against the floor? * How do electric eels produce their electric field? * Why is wet sand darker than dry sand? * What causes an oasis mirage? * Why do stars twinkle? * Could you drive a car on a ceiling?
Gold Medal Physics by 
Gonzo Gizmos by
Step-by-step instructions to building more than 30 fascinating devices are included in this book for workbench warriors and grown-up geeks. Detailed illustrations and diagrams explain how to construct a simple radio with a soldering iron, a few basic circuits, and three shiny pennies. Instructions are included for a rotary steam engine that requires a candle, a soda can, a length of copper tubing, and just 15 minutes. To use optics to roast a hot dog, no electricity or stove is required, just a flexible plastic mirror, a wooden box, a little algebra, and a sunny day. Also included are experiments most science teachers probably never demonstrated, such as magnets that levitate in midair, metals that melt in hot water, a Van de Graaff generator made from a pair of empty soda cans, and lasers that transmit radio signals. Every experiment is followed by an explanation of the applicable physics or chemistry.
How Everything Works by
A user's manual for our everyday world! "Whether a curious layperson, a trained physicist, or a beginning physics student, most everyone will find this book an interesting and enlightening read and will go away comforted in that the world is not so strange and inexplicable after all." --From the Foreword by Carl Wieman, Nobel Laureate in Physics 2001, and CASE/Carnegie US University Professor of the Year 2004 If you didn't know better, you might think the world was filled with magic--from the household appliances that make our lives easier to the CDs and DVDs that fill our world with sounds and images. Even a simple light bulb can seem mysterious when you stop to think about it. Now in How Everything Works, Louis Bloomfield explains the physics behind the ordinary objects and natural phenomena all around us, and unravels the mysteries of how things work. Inside, you'll find easy-to-understand answers to scores of fascinating questions, including: * How do microwave ovens cook food, and why does metal sometimes cause sparks in a microwave? * How does an iPod use numbers to represent music? * How do CDs and DVDs use light to convey information, and why are they so colorful? * How can a CT or MRI image show a cross-sectional view of a person without actually entering the body? * Why do golf balls have dimples? * How does a pitcher make a curveball curve and knuckleball jitter about in an erratic manner? * Why is the sun red at sunrise and sunset? * How does a fluorescent lamp produce visible light? You don't need a science or engineering background to understand How Everything Works, all you need is an active curiosity about the extraordinary world all around you.
How Things Work (2013) by 
The Lloyd William Taylor manual of advanced undergraduate experiments in physics by 
Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction by
PopularMechanics.com selection for one of The Best DIY and Home Improvement Books of 2009nbsp; nbsp; We’ve come a long way from the Peashooter Era: with the advent of modern household products and office supplies#151;binder clips, clothespins, rubber bands, ballpoint pens, toothpicks, paper clips, plastic utensils, and (of course) matches and barbeque lighters#151;troublemakers of all stripes have the components needed to build an impressive, if somewhat miniaturized, arsenal. nbsp; Toy designer John Austin provides detailed, step-by-step instructions for each project, including materials and ammo lists, clear diagrams, and construction tips, for mayhem-loving MacGyvers. The 35 devices include catapults, slingshots, minibombs, darts, and combustion shooters. Build a tiny trebuchet from paper clips and a D-cell battery. Wrap a penny in a string of paper caps to create a surprisingly impressive #147;bomb.” Several of the projects even include variations where combatants mount laser pointer sights to their shooters to increase their accuracy. nbsp; Finally, once you’ve built your armory, the author provides plans for a Top Secret Concealing Book to hide your stash, as well as targets for shooting practice. Never let your personal space go undefended again!
Physics - A Student Companion by 
Physics Demonstrations by 
Projectile Dynamics in Sport by 
Return of Gonzo Gizmos by
This fresh collection of more than 20 science projects—from hydrogen fuel cells to computer-controlled radio transmitters—is perfect for the tireless tinkerer. Innovative activities include taking detailed plant cell photographs through a microscope using a disposable camera; building a rocket engine out of aluminum foil, paper clips, and kitchen matches; and constructing a geodesic dome out of gumdrops and barbecue skewers. Organized by scientific topic, each chapter includes explanations of the physics, chemistry, biology, or mathematics behind the projects. Most of the devices can be built using common household products or components available at hardware or electronic stores, and each experiment contains illustrated step-by-step instructions with photographs and diagrams that make construction easy. No workbench warrior, science teacher, or grown-up geek should be without this idea-filled resource.
Click on the book to learn more or check availability.
Scientists Must Write by
Good writing and communication skills are essential in many areas of science and engineering, to help observation, thinking and remembering, to organize work and to avoid stress. Written by a scientist for scientists, this book is much more than a textbook of English grammar - it is a valuable source of information for all aspects of writing in scientific and technical situations. The only book focusing on the ways in which writing is important to the scientific community, this book assists readers on: * how to write and choice of words * using numbers and illustrations * writing project reports, theses and papers for publication * giving a short talk or presentation. The new edition of Scientists Must Write has been fully revised and updated to take account of the changes in information and communications technology including word processing and information storage and retrieval; new appendices on punctuation, spelling and computers; and useful exercises to improve writing. This popular guide will be of great use to undergraduates, postgraduates, professional scientists and engineers.
Writing Science by
As a scientist, you are a professional writer: your career is built on successful proposals and papers. Success isn't defined by getting papers into print, but by getting them into the reader's consciousness. Writing Science is built upon the idea that successful science writing tells a story. It uses that insight to discuss how to write more effectively. Integrating lessons from other genres of writing with those from the author's years of experience as author, reviewer, and editor, the book shows scientists and students how to present their research in a way that is clear and that will maximize reader comprehension. The book takes an integrated approach, using the principles of story structure to discuss every aspect of successful science writing, from the overall structure of a paper or proposal to individual sections, paragraphs, sentences, and words. It begins by building core arguments, analyzing why some stories are engaging and memorable while others are quickly forgotten, and proceeds to the elements of story structure, showing how the structures scientists and researchers use in papers and proposals fit into classical models. The book targets the internal structure of a paper, explaining how to write clear and professional sections, paragraphs, and sentences in a way that is clear and compelling. The ideas within a paper should flow seamlessly, drawing readers along. The final section of the book deals with special challenges, such as how to discuss research limitations and how to write for the public. Writing Science is a much-needed guide to succeeding in modern science. Its insights and strategies will equip science students, scientists, and professionals across a wide range of scientific and technical fields with the tools needed to communicate effectively.
Scientists Must Speak by
Having the ability to speak confidently; engage the audience; make a clear, well-argued case; and handle any tricky situations, is rarely a natural talent, but it can be learned through application and practice. Scientists Must Speak, Second Edition, helps readers do just that. At some point in their careers, the majority of scientists have to stand up in front of an inquisitive audience or board and present information. This can be a stressful experience for many. For scientists, the experience may be further complicated by the specialist nature of the data and the fact that most self-help books are aimed at business or social situations. Scientists Must Speak includes sections on: * targeting your talk - knowing your audience and how to pitch to them * organizing your presentation - aligning your points logically around a central key theme * using visual aids effectively - how to avoid a random slide show *'practice, practice, practice' - it's a rare orator that does not need to practice * taking control - preparing the room, using eye contact, and checking the audience is with you * voice and language - developing a good speaking style, and help for those for whom English is a second language * body language - the messages your posture, mannerisms and facial expressions convey to the audience * handling question and answer sessions - taking the fear out of these * expecting the unexpected - how to cope with unforeseen mishaps * adapting material for different situations - how to avoid reinventing the wheel * organizing a session with several speakers - how to organize or chair sessions Written by authors with many years' experience of teaching presentation techniques, this engaging text will help readers make the best of their presentations and remove some of the fear that makes them a daunting prospect.
