NJAAPT upcoming events

Circular Motion Apparatus Make and Take (14 Nov 2026)

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Classic Circular Motion Apparatus Workshop

Time 9:00-12:00 - Breakfast will be provided

Join fellow New Jersey physics teachers for a hands-on workshop, where physics teachers will construct 10 complete Classic Circular Motion Apparatus devices for use in the classroom. Participants will build two devices for each of five different masses, creating five matched pairs that can be used by student laboratory groups. Grant support will cover most of the cost of the equipment, so the teacher contribution will be small. Space is limited.

The Classic Circular Motion Apparatus is designed to allow students to experimentally investigate the relationships among force, mass, radius, and velocity in uniform circular motion. The apparatus uses a rubber stopper, spring scale, string, and measuring equipment to provide a simple, durable, and highly visual way for students to explore centripetal force and develop the mathematical model for uniform circular motion.

Workshop Activities

Participants will:

Construct 10 Classic Circular Motion Apparatus devices.
Prepare five different masses, with two identical devices at each mass.
Assemble and secure the string, mass, and spring-scale components.
Measure and document the mass of each apparatus.
Check the apparatus for consistent operation and appropriate balance.
Test each device.
Label and organize the completed apparatus for immediate classroom use.

Classroom Application

The completed equipment will support investigations of:

Centripetal Force vs. Speed
Radius vs. Speed
Mass vs. Speed

The original laboratory has students vary force while maintaining radius, vary radius while maintaining force, and compare different masses to investigate their effects on circular motion. The students then linearize their data to develop the centripetal force equation.

Creating two devices for each of five masses allows teachers to provide students with devices so that each lab group is able to collect data without waiting for others to finish with an aparatus.

By the end of the workshop, each participant will walk away witha complete classroom set consisting of:

10 Classic Circular Motion Apparatus devices
2 devices × 5 different masses

The finished apparatus will be tested, labeled, and ready for use in a physics laboratory exploring uniform circular motion, centripetal force, mass, radius, and velocity.

November Round Table (18 Nov 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

As our first marking period is ending, come share the lessons you learned and what you are looking forward to in the next marking period.

Join Zoom Meeting:

Join Link

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87975767617?pwd=MXhlaGlES0NFZUhxTzE5ZkhsVVFaZz09

Meeting ID: 879 7576 7617

Passcode: 408968

AP Physics New FRQ Question Writing (05 Dec 2026)

Sat, 05 Dec 2026 13:00:00 GMT

This workshop will focus on learning to write (and writing) new-style FRQs by modifying "old" (pre-2025) AP Physics FRQ questions into one of the 4 current FRQ types, providing teachers with more resources for both assessments and assessment prep. ALL AP Physics courses will be addressed and supported and a wealth of resources will be provided to attendees. Attendees are encouraged to bring laptops to the event.

2027 NJ Physics Olympics --- North/Central Jersey (23 Jan 2027)

Sat, 23 Jan 2027 13:00:00 GMT

We look forward to your school's participation at this event. The competition is a lot of fun and your students will meet, share experiences, and compete with other students from other high schools in New Jersey.

This is for the NJ Olympics North/Central Jersey at Madison High School (Morris County)

Light morning refreshments will be provided.

This year's events are:

FERMI QUESTIONS: Estimate the order of magnitude of a quantity that is difficult or impossible to measure.
SPAGHETTI MASKING TAPE TOWER: Construct the tallest tower that will support a load of at least 200 grams.
RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE: Design and build a Rube Goldberg Machine that produces mechanical energy changes in the greatest number of unique objects.
GREATEST ACCELERATION VEHICLE: Construct a four-wheeled vehicle, propelled using only the energy supplied by mouse trap(s), with the greatest average acceleration.
BERNOULLI BALL: Guide a ping-pong ball through loops using a hair dryer in the least amount of time.
LASER TARGET SHOOT - REFRACTION AND REFLECTION: Predict the correct placement of a triangular prism so that it refracts a laser beam off of a mirror and onto a target.

Detailed rules can be found on the website under the "Events / Physics Olympics 2027" section. Link here.

To ask questions about the rules, go to the "Forum" section of the website (Top menu/Forum). Link here.

To receive replies via email from the forum, you must “subscribe” to the forum.

It is the team’s responsibility to periodically check in or inquire about changes and clarifications to the rules.

Note – the deadline for submitting questions about individual events is mid-December (12/15). After that date, questions cannot be addressed due to committee meeting dates/holidays.

Please print Media Release forms for students/parents to sign and bring signed forms to the competition. Winning teams are photographed. Students with release forms will be included in the photographs of winning teams. Forms can be printed out here.

Registration info:

The teacher signing up must be a NJAAPT member. (Go to njaapt.org to join or renew membership).

If you are interested in spectating without bringing students, you can register yourself, with no teams (you must be a NJAAPT member to register).

Each team that you bring must be registered as a Guest--do not forget to register your teams !! (2 teams = 2 guests; a team = 1-6 students).

Early Registration: $35 per team (on or before November 30th).

Regular Registration: $45 per team (after November 30th)

Final registration deadline: January 8th

All teams must be registered and paid in advance.

There will be no on-site registration.

Each registered teacher will receive an email in January asking them to fill out a form with the names of their students in each of their teams. Minor adjustments to the teams must be reported during the morning registration at the competition.

Each team member will receive a wristband according to their team number. Each school may bring up to one non-participating, visiting student per team. Visiting students will receive a 'visitor wrist band'. Students must leave their wristbands on at all times.

Our event is made possible through the dedication of teacher volunteers. We are truly grateful for your time, effort, and commitment. Registered teachers and their co-teachers attending the competition will be asked to judge an event at the competition. There will be a judges' meeting in the week before the competition, via Zoom.

2027 NJ Physics Olympics --- South Jersey (23 Jan 2027)