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AAPT


Physics Instructional Resource Association
Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder


PIRA, through the tireless effort of the DCS Committee, has developed a demonstration classifying system, allowing members to organize and acquire reference material for physics demos. Each demo is assigned a specific number and is placed into the area where they are most used.

These areas include Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics, Oscillations and Waves, Thermodynamics, Electricity and Magnetism, Optics, Modern Physics, Astronomy and Equipment. Topics in each area are listed below.

A complete web listing, with references and search engine for the DCS, is housed at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Excel versions of the DCS are also available:

The structure of the classification system is as follows:

Example: 1D60.10 howitzer and tunnel
1 Area (mechanics)
D Topic (motion in two dimensions)
60 Concept (projectile motion)
.10 Demonstration (howitzer and tunnel)

The topic and concept divisions of the structure loosely follow the standard textbook organization of chapter and section, although they were created to organize existing demonstrations, not cover the entirety of elementary physics, and therefore skip some areas of the curriculum covered by standard textbooks. The standard curriculum has changed over the years and categories have been created to contain the many demonstrations rendered obsolete by modern textbooks. Some single concept films, videos, and computer programs are sometimes included but such resources have not been systematically identified.


1. Mechanics
1A- Measurement
1C- Motion in One Dimension
1D. Motion in Two Dimensions
1E- Relative Motion
1F- Newton's First Law
1G- Newton's Second Law
1H- Newton's Third Law
1J- Statics of Rigid Bodies
1K- Applications of Newton's Laws
1L- Gravity
1M- Work and Energy
1N- Linear Momentum
1Q- Rotational Dynamics
1R- Properties of Matter

2. Fluid Mechanics
2A- Surface Tension
2B- Statics of Fluids
2C- Dynamics of Fluids

3. Oscillations and Waves
3A- Oscillations
3B- Wave Motion
3C- Acoustics
3D- Instruments
3E- Sound Reproduction

4. Thermodynamics
4A- Thermal Properties of Matter
4B- Heat and the First Law
4C- Change of State
4D- Kinetic Theory
4E- Gas Law
4F- Entropy and the Second Law

5. Electricity and Magnetism
5A- Electrostatics
5B- Electric Fields and Potential
5C- Capacitance
5D- Resistance
5E- Electromotive Force and Current
5F- DC Circuits
5G- Magnetic Materials
5H- Magnetic Fields and Forces
5J- Inductance
5K- Electromagnetic Induction
5M- Semiconductors and Tubes
5N- Electromagnetic Radiation

5G- Magnetic Materials
5H- Magnetic Fields and Forces
5J- Inductance
5K- Electromagnetic Induction
5M- Semiconductors and Tubes
5N- Electromagnetic Radiation

5. Electricity and Magnetism
5A- Electrostatics
5B- Electric Fields and Potential
5C- Capacitance
5D- Resistance
5E- Electromotive Force and Current
5F- DC Circuits
5G- Magnetic Materials
5H- Magnetic Fields and Forces
5J- Inductance
5K- Electromagnetic Induction
5M- Semiconductors and Tubes
5N- Electromagnetic Radiation

6. Optics
6A- Geometrical Optics
6B- Photometry
6C- Diffraction
6D- Interference
6E- Interference
6F- Color
6H- Polarization
6J- The Eye
6Q- Modern Optics

7. Modern Physics
7A- Quantum Effects
7B- Atomic Physics
7D- Nuclear Physics
7E- Elementary Particles
7F- Relativity

8. Astronomy
8A- Planetary Astronomy
8B- Stellar Astronomy
8C- Cosmology

9. Equipment
9A- Support Systems
9B- Electronic
9C- Mechanical