Creative Computation Assignment: Measures of Heaven and Earth
Continuing the topic discussed in class, research the determination of
the physical constant or quantity assigned to you, and be prepared to
present your results to the class.
Include the accuracy of the values obtained.
As usual, prepare a report to hand in.
If you do not understand a method you find mentioned, do additional
research until you do understand the details. You should be able to
describe to the class, in broad outline, what tools or devices are needed to
make the measurements, and, for original measurements,
how these tools could be constructed.
- First determination of the speed of light.
- Modern determination of the speed of light.
- First determination of Avogadros number.
- Modern determination of Avogadro's number.
- First determination of size of Earth.
- Modern determination of size of Earth.
- First (scientifically reasonable) determination of age of Earth.
- Modern determination of age of Earth.
- First determination of distance to Moon.
- Modern determination of distance to Moon.
- First determination of distance to Sun.
- Modern determination of distance to Sun.
- First determination of gravitational constant G.
- Modern determination of gravitational constant G.
- First determination of the distance to a star (other than the sun).
- First determination of the distance to a galaxy (outside our own).
- First determination of the wavelength of light.
- First determination of the size of an atom.
- First determination of the size of an atomic nucleus.
- First (scientifically reasonable) determination of the
age of the universe.
- Modern determination of the age of the universe.
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