Table of contents

Wind energy systems deployed in the shallow but windy waters of the southern North Sea have the potential to provide more than 20% of UK electricity needs. With existing experience of windmills, and of aircraft and offshore structures, such wind energy systems could be developed within a relatively short timescale. A preliminary assessment of the economics of offshore wind energy systems is encouraging.

The importance of the structure and dynamic behaviour of domains to the physics of ferromagnetism is stressed. Magneto-optical techniques for observing domains are described briefly and simply in terms of the polarisation states of the radiation reflected from or transmitted through magnetic specimens. It is shown that such techniques combined with suitable materials can lead to simple and cheap experiments (suitable for schools) enabling observations to be made of domain behaviour as functions of both applied fields and increasing temperatures.

The authors propose a simulation (Monte Carlo) method similar to the computer oriented approach of La Fara (1973), which can be implemented by a group of students and which requires only scientific calculators and tables of random digits. Each student can then simulate the random behaviour of the component variables in the function and, by combining the group results, the outline of the sampling distribution of the function can be obtained.

Instructions are given for making a simple on-axis hologram in which a line on the object is displayed as a Fresnel grating on the hologram. The location of the reconstructed image may be calculated from measurements made on the grating and compared with the experimental value.

A method of measuring temperature differences approximately 10^-2K using a copper-constantan thermocouple, a Unilab microamplifier (list no.002.601) and a reflecting galvanometer manufactured by Walden Precision Apparatus is described.

A three-dimensional model that can be used to demonstrate the symmetry of crystal systems to physics students is described. The symmetry of the cube is taken as an example. A spherical model is constructed in which a disc of cardboard represents each of the planes of symmetry.

The balance works on the same principle as that used by astronauts in space when weightless. It can be used as an educational device for demonstrating inertial mass and for providing a means of measuring it. The balance consists of two oscillators, weakly coupled. One supports the mass holder together with the coupling to the second, which is a flat metal spring. The position of the mass holder can be adjusted so that there is complete transfer of energy between the two oscillators.

At Monash University an open-ended project has been developed in materials science for second-year students. Students are confronted with an unfamiliar and novel material in an unstructured situation. The aim of the exercise is to suggest possible applications for the material. The project therefore involves students in deciding what measurements they wish to make on the material, selecting or designing the appropriate apparatus, making the measurements and relating their results to an end use for the material. The material chosen for investigation is usually a commercial material in its development stage for which the manufacturer is still seeking a market.

The author discusses the implementation of numerical integration on an inexpensive keyboard programmable pocket calculator, and the application of the technique to rapidly generate solutions of two differential equations of widespread importance in physics education.

A short biography of Max Born, including a review of his contributions to physics, is presented.

The easiest way to solve stress problems involving beams, rods, strings and the like is to construct the Airy stress function in the air. Some simple examples are given, and the properties and derivation of Airy's function (and a vector force function, which is also useful) are expounded.