Sean Alexander, MS
Academic Tutor
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Co-authored Articles (36)
How to
Calculate Tension in Physics
In physics, tension is the force exerted by a rope, string, cable, or similar object on one or more objects. Anything pulled, hung, supported, or swung from a rope, string, cable, etc. is subject to the force of tension....
How to
Calculate Acceleration
If you’ve ever watched a bright red Ferrari fly ahead of your Honda Civic after a stoplight, you’ve experienced differing rates of acceleration firsthand. Acceleration is the rate of change in the velocity of an obje...
How to
Calculate Joules
Named for English physicist James Prescott Joule, the joule (J) is one of the cornerstone units of the International metric system. The joule is used as a unit of work, energy, and heat, and is widely used in scientific ...
How Find the Weight of an Object Using Mass and Gravity
Learn the formulas and techniques for calculating weight from mass If you’re taking a physics class, you’ll probably be asked to calculate weight from mass. But how do you do this, exactly? We’ve got you covered. ...
How to Find the Force of Gravity in Physics
Calculate gravity with the gravitational force formulaGravity is one of the fundamental forces of physics. The most important aspect of gravity is that it is universal: all objects have a gravitational force that attract...
How to
Calculate Mass
Mass is one of the fundamental properties of an object in Physics, and is a measurement of how much matter there is in something. Matter is any substance that you can touch — anything that takes up physical space and h...
How to
Do Well in Physics
For some lucky individuals, being good at physics comes naturally. For the rest of us, however, getting a good grade in physics requires a significant amount of hard work. Luckily, by learning important foundational skil...
How to
Make a Newton Disc
Isaac Newton is responsible for giving the modern world the information that we use today regarding light and the rainbow. In one experiment, he used two prisms to split a ray of white light into its colored components, ...
How to
Calculate Atomic Mass
Learn how to get atomic mass with a formula or on the periodic table'''Atomic mass''' is the sum of all the protons, neutrons, and electrons in a single atom or molecule. However, the mass of an electron is so small, it ...
Calculating Change in Momentum Using Mass & Velocity or Force & Time
Learn the change in momentum formulas, plus when and how to use them Studying for a physics test? Or just trying to wrap your brain around change in momentum? You’re definitely not alone. Momentum is a pretty weird con...
How to
Derive the Speed of Light from Maxwell's Equations
Maxwell's Equations, along with describing how the electric field \mathbf{E} and magnetic field \mathbf{B} interact, also predict the speed of light, for light is an electromagnetic wave. Thus, the end goal here is to ob...
How to
Find Electrons
All basic elements are made up of electrons, protons, and neutrons. An electron is a negatively charged particle that makes up part of an atom. A fundamental concept in chemistry is the ability to determine how many elec...
How to
Set up a Home Tutoring Business
Setting up a home tutoring business is a great way to earn some supplemental income or even make a career change if you’re successful enough. By finding your strengths as a potential tutor, determining the right fees, ...
How to
Understand
It’s a part of reality that some things are more difficult to understand than others. Tackling a subject or question that you can’t seem to wrap your mind around can be hard sometimes. Luckily, even very complex conc...
How to
Melt Ice Quickly
Whether you’re experiencing a cold, snowy winter or simply defrosting your freezer, there are lots of reasons to want to melt ice relatively quickly. Normally, rock salt or a salt-based ice melt is the first choice for...
How to
Improve Your Study Skills
Studying is a skill you can improve, just like any other. Set yourself up for success by taking notes, keeping a study schedule, and practicing growth mindset thinking. When you start studying, limit your distractions, a...
How to Find Velocity: Formulas & Units for Average, Initial, & More
Every equation for velocity that you need to knowVelocity, sometimes called celerity, is an object's speed in a particular direction. Mathematically, velocity is often described as the change in position over the change ...
How to
Determine Polarity of Magnets
You might have heard the phrase “opposites attract.” While perhaps not always the best advice for relationships, this cliché is the rule of thumb for magnet polarity. Since we inhabit a giant magnet (Earth), underst...
How to
Find Initial Velocity
Velocity is a function of time and defined by both a magnitude and a direction. Often in physics problems, you will need to calculate the initial velocity ( and direction) at which an object in question began to travel....
How to
Write a Noble Gas Configuration for Atoms of an Element
Scientists developed the noble gas configuration as a shorthand to make it easier to understand the chemistry of an element. The noble gas configuration is written as the elemental symbol of the noble gas in the period b...
