Re: [Phys-L] solar constant

[Bernard Cleyet <bernardcleyet@redshift.com>]

On 2014, May 21, , at 11:47, John Denker <jsd@av8n.com> wrote:

> It's hard for me to imagine anything much better, at the
> high-school level.  Even if you are not particularly interested 
> in solar power, I recommend taking a look at this experiment.
> There is a lesson here in what physics is, and how physics is 
> done.  I'm talking about using symmetry in particular and 
> cleverness in general to make the experiment easy to carry 
> out and easy to interpret.  This is what makes physics powerful 
> ... and also what makes it elegant.


It’s what I call a null experiment.  I’m more familiar with v. similar using a thermistor to measure microwave power.  
Again no calibration necessary.  

bc