LibGuides: Physics: Videos & Websites

Popular Physics Websites

The Astronomical Almanac Online
"The Astronomical Almanac is a joint publication of the U.S. Nautical Almanac Office, United States Naval Observatory (USNO), in the United States and Her Majesty's Nautical Almanac Office (HMNAO), United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), in the United Kingdom. The printed version contains precise ephemerides of the Sun, Moon, planets, and satellites, data for eclipses and other astronomical phenomena for a given year, and serves as a world-wide standard for such information. The online version extends the printed version by providing data best presented in machine-readable form."
Atomic Data for Astrophysicists
"The Atomic Data for Astrophysics server provides links to basic atomic data required for calculation of the ionization state of astrophysical plasmas and for quantitative spectroscopy."
Fundamental Physical Constants
A complete listing of the fundamental physical constants.
The Laws List
An impressive glossary of physics-related terms and concepts.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
The Niels Bohr Library & Archives is a repository and clearinghouse for information in the history of physics, astronomy, geophysics and allied fields.
NIST Reference on Constants, Units, and Uncertainty
This site addresses three topics: fundamental physical constants, the International System of Units (SI), which is the modern metric system, and expressing the uncertainty of measurement results. Both essential information and background information are given for each topic.
Physics Central
Website of the American Physical Society that seeks to answer your questions on how things work and keep you informed with daily updates on physics in the news. They describe the latest research and the people who are doing it and, if you want more, where to go on the web.
Physics World
Physics World helps scientists working in academic and industrial research stay up to date with the latest breakthroughs in physics and interdisciplinary science.

Evaluating Websites

The CRAAP Test, developed by Molly Beestrum, is a useful tool to help you think critically to determine if a website is credible. So the next time you want to use a website in your research, ask yourself these questions:

Currency

How recent is the information?
How recently has the website been updated?
Is it current enough for your topic?
Why might the date of publication be important?

Reliability

What kind of information is included in the resource?
Is content of the resource primarily opinion? Is is balanced?
Does the creator provide references or sources for data or quotations?

Authority

Who is the creator or author?
What are the credentials? Can you find any information about the author's background?
Who is the published or sponsor?
Are they reputable?
What is the publisher's interest (if any) in this information?
Are there advertisements on the website? If so, are they clearly marked?

Accuracy

Are the facts correct? Can you verify them with other sources?
Does the author provide sources?
Is the evidence backed up by data?

Purpose/Point of View

Is this fact or opinion? Does the author list sources or cite references?
Is it biased? Does the author seem to be trying to push an agenda or particular side?
Is the creator/author trying to sell you something? If so, is it clearly stated?

Adapted with many thanks from Molly Beestrum.

Videos

Here are just a few examples of videos that you can access in our collection. Check out your streaming video options through Films on Demand, Kanopy, Jove Applied Physics, or Science Education: Physics Series.

The Physics Behind Building Bridges

Newton's Laws in 2 and 3 Dimensions