Search results for "PHYSICS EDUCATION"

Difficulties in learning and teaching of Quantum Physics in High School

2013

Quantum Physics is a very important part of Physics. In this paper we analyze its teaching and learning in high school and we show the students’ main difficulties, particularly the ontological and epistemological. This article presents some reasoned arguments against traditional methods to teach Quantum Physics. Finally, a new approach to quantum Physics teaching is showed.

Exploring Historical Scientific Instruments by Using Mobile Media Devices

2022

We describe an educational activity that can be completed with mobile media devices in order to understand the working principle of a pair of tuning forks, from the Historical Collection of Physics Instruments of the University of Palermo, and how they were used to explain acoustic interference and beats with the Lissajous optical method. This approach can be used with any tuning fork and it is a valuable teaching strategy that does not require specific laboratory equipment.

INQUIRY BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES ON THERMAL PHENOMENA FROM SECONDARY SCHOOL TO UNIVERSITY: MOTIVATIONAL ASPECTS, CONCEPTUAL KNOWLEDGE, AND NATURE O…

2014

Video-analysis of flight of a model aircraft

2010

In recent years, many research studies have pointed out that modelling environments, based on Information Technology, can supply effective pedagogical strategies dealing with complex real-world systems and everyday problem solutions. At the same time, physics teachers have discovered that video analysis is a relatively inexpensive and 188 worthwhile method of studying «real world» examples of phenomena. This kind of approach is often adopted to analyze sports physics. The study of physics of aircraft flight can be considered a real-world topic belonging to the everyone’s common experience. For this reason, here, we use a video-analysis software in order to measure the main dynamic variables…

A Novel Approach to Introducing Adaptive Filters Based on the LMS Algorithm and Its Variants

2004

This paper presents a new approach to introducing adaptive filters based on the least-mean-square (LMS) algorithm and its variants in an undergraduate course on digital signal processing. Unlike other filters currently taught to undergraduate students, these filters are nonlinear and time variant. This proposal introduces adaptive filtering in the context of a linear time-invariant system using a real problem. In this way, introducing adaptive filters using concepts already familiar to the students motivates their interest through practical application. The key point for this simplification is that the input to the filter is constant so that the adaptive filter becomes linear. Therefore, a …

Teaching particle physics to high school teachers

2017

In Norway, particle physics is part of the high school curriculum in physics which introduces the need for good university teaching in particle physics without the usual technical approach. Given how much conflicting information and inaccurate explanations there are on the subject; how should we teach this to people without much knowledge in mathematics? By carefully explaining the fundamental consepts of the theory it is fully possible to achieve an appreciation of particle physics without much mathematics. Through the use of analogies, such as an analogy between the freedom in choosing timezone and the freedom in choosing phase angle, one can introduce gauge theory and hence show the unde…

Pac-Man Josephson junctions: Useful trigonometric puzzles?

2020

Abstract Rather interesting trigonometric equations arise when considering a Josephson junction obtained by embedding a Pac-Man shaped superconducting island in between two superconducting electrodes. In the present work we unfold these equations, written in terms of the superconducting phase difference between the two electrodes, and find the current-phase relation and the maximum superconducting current of the Josephson junction network. The solution of the trigonometric equations defining the superconducting current state of the system can be proposed to advanced high-school students or to undergraduate students in an interdisciplinary lecture.

Measurement of the Convective Heat-Transfer Coefficient

2014

We propose an experiment for investigating how objects cool down toward the thermal equilibrium with its surrounding through convection. We describe the time dependence of the temperature difference of the cooling object and the environment with an exponential decay function. By measuring the thermal constant tau, we determine the convective heat-transfer coefficient, which is a characteristic constant of the convection system.

On students' understanding of Riemann sums of integrals of functions of two variables

2018

International audience; APOS (Action-Process-Object-Schema) Theory is used to pose and test a conjecture of mental constructions that may be used to understand the relation between integrals of two variable functions over rectangles and corresponding Riemann sums. Interviews with ten students who had just finished a multivariable calculus course showed that the conjectured mental constructions are necessary.

High-Efficiency Multi-Junction Photovoltaic Cells in School Physics Laboratory

2020

Energy consumption in the world is increasing more and more due to the huge energy request coming from emerging countries such as China, India, etc. To face the challenge of sustainability, a solution may be the use of solar energy, since it is the most abundant renewable energy source on Earth. The electromagnetic energy coming from the Sun can be converted into usable energy (electricity) by solar cells, whose conversion efficiency is continuously increasing due to scientific and technological progress. The proposed activity is thought to be carried out with secondary as well as high school students to allow teachers to discuss sustainability issues, and to provide students with an introd…