physics

James E. Faller

James E. Faller is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand James E. Faller rather than just read about it. In short: James E. Faller (January 17, 1934 – June 14, 2023) was an American physicist and inventor who specialized in the field of gravity.

Key takeaways

James E. Faller belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect James E. Faller to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of James E. Faller from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

James E. Faller (January 17, 1934 – June 14, 2023) was an American physicist and inventor who specialized in the field of gravity. He conceived the Lunar Laser Ranging Program, the goal of which, was to fire high powered laser beams at special retroreflectors placed on the Moon by Apollo program Astronauts. He invented a gravity motion sensor, called the Absolute Gravimeter, which is sensitive enough to detect changes in the local gravitational field due to a person's mass. His work was featured in many books and magazines, such as National Geographic. In 2001, his gravity detection device was featured on the Science Channel in the show Head Rush and was used to debunk anti-gravity devices that were for sale on the market. All devices tested on the show did not produce any kinds of gravitational anomalies. In that same year, he received the Joseph F. Keithley Award for Advances in Measurement Science. His research interests included geophysics, experimental relativity, fundamental constants, and precision measurement experiments designed to look for possible invalidations of accepted physical laws at extreme magnitudes. He worked for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and was working on a new measurement of G, the Newtonian constant of gravitation. Faller died on June 14, 2023, at the age of 89.

Awards and honors In 2001 James received the Joseph F. Keithley Award For Advances in Measurement Science. The citation for the award was "For the development of sensitive gravitational detectors and their successful application to the study of physics and geophysics."

Joseph F. Keithley Award, 2001; Federal Laboratory Consortium Technology Transfer Award, 1992; Department of Commerce Gold medal, 1990; NASA Group Achievement Award and also NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal, 1973; Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship, 1972–1973; National Bureau of Standards Precision Measurement Award, 1970; And Arnold O. Beckman Award of the Instrument Society of America, 1970.

Research interests Source:

Geophysics Experimental Relativity Fundamental Constants Precision measurement

References

External links JILA NOAA Award Honor Absolute Gravimeter Jim Faller's Obituary

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with James E. Faller

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what James E. Faller claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to James E. Faller before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about James E. Faller ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of James E. Faller

In research: James E. Faller appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses James E. Faller in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: James E. Faller is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1934 births, 2023 deaths, 21st-century American physicists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for James E. Faller outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “James E. Faller” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study James E. Faller in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what James E. Faller means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain James E. Faller out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is James E. Faller in simple terms?

James E. Faller (January 17, 1934 – June 14, 2023) was an American physicist and inventor who specialized in the field of gravity.

Why does James E. Faller matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study James E. Faller?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on James E. Faller.