Physics Experiments To Inspire Undergraduates? 249
PShardlow writes "I have recently been asked to propose two projects for a 1st year undergraduate teaching laboratory in the summer term this year. These are projects that a pair of students will spend 36 hours working on, and as such can be quite in-depth. A good project would include something they can build, something they can measure, and something they can calculate. Previous projects have included cloud chambers, a Jacobs ladder, a laser Doppler speed camera, laser sound detection, smoke rings, and physical random number generators. This is an opportunity to really inspire students into the joy that can be experimental physics — but it only works if we demonstrators propose interesting projects. So I ask the Slashdot community for suggestions of fascinating projects to do, things that are relevant to today's physics problems but could feasibly be completed by a pair of first-year undergraduates in 72 man hours."
Experiments vs. Replicating Cool Projects (Score:5, Insightful)
I've always found it frustrating that so many projects described as "experiments" aren't experiments - they're (optionally cool) projects replicating somebody else's work, but you're not learning anything new, you're just validating what somebody else already learned. That can still be fun - hands-on experience is different than book learning for most people, and blowing things up is always a good time - but it's not an experiment.
I've seen lots of freshman engineering / design projects that are at least not just replication - building bridges with toothpicks, making eggs survive dropping from high windows, etc., but even those are often not done with actual science in the process, just empirical engineering.
Some of the typical blowing-things-up projects can also be experimental - make your potato cannon, figure out something about the amount of energy you're getting from the fuel and how far the potato goes and therefore conclude something about your gun's efficiency. (You already knew you needed to point it at a 45 degree angle for maximum distance, and probably even why...) Can you find other ways to learn something new from your projects, even if it's less interesting that the fun of doing the project?
I taught first year physics lab classes... (Score:3, Insightful)
Forget about all these complicated electrical experiments that the students will feel like they only vaguely understand. First years have no idea what Maxwell's equations are and are probably still very shaky on Kirchhoff. Anything else in Modern Physics, forget it. Many will be overwhelmed because they have no possible way of understanding all the assumptions that went into setting up the experiment. (And you really don't want people questioning whether a meaningful solution can actually be attained).
Have them do something with mechanics. There are plenty of really neat demos that can be done in mechanics that can also be explained to a very high degree without calculus. Something along the lines of the ventomobil, for example. This is cutting edge engineering rather than cutting edge physics, but this is the type of thing that they can understand just by looking at it, and they will have fun pondering questions like: "can it go directly into the wind?" and "can it ever exceed the wind speed?". When you have an intrinsic idea of how things work, exploring the details of something neat will be much more interesting.
The biggest factors here are your enthusiasm, and how well you identify the needs of each student. Physics is a touchy subject for many, and if they get started off on the wrong foot, forget it. They will stop trying. Take your time (really take your time) at the beginning so that no one gets lost, and your students will have lots of fun.
Re:Frickin' Lasers (Score:3, Insightful)
Well anyway, I have a dim view of the sort of example physics experiments you described (other than the cloud chamber). We did much tougher experiments in high school.
That's so very nice for you, but it doesn't change the fact that's an elitist, arrogant answer. I'm glad YOU did tougher experiments in high school, but I (and many others) never had the chance because we didn't do such things in our schools.
Re:Frickin' Lasers (Score:4, Insightful)
Perhaps what you have a point. I lamented the sorry state of science education today, apparently the George Bush era happened to it, and all the money got sucked out of basics like science education and instead, is spent on foolish crap like standardized testing. I don't see the point of testing all students if they don't spend money on TEACHING them stuff first.
But you overstate your point. Yeah, I went to a well-supplied school public school that was brand new, I was in the second graduating class. We had:
1) One laser that cost a few hundred bucks.
2) One used oscilloscope that cost about $750 when new
3) One rusty military surplus magnet that weighed about 100 pounds, and a few other magnets under 5 pounds.
4) Two little tiny microwave emitters that cost about $5, they looked like little metal capacitor cans about 1 inch in diameter.
5) A microscope borrowed from the biology class, a bunch of used electronics parts we cannibalized from old TVs and breadboarded together to make a basic electric field generator, and an atomizer from an old perfume bottle, to perform the Millikan Oil Drop experiment.
Perhaps it is just the passing of time and memory since your high school physics classes, but I have a hard time believing that the Millikan Oil Drop Experiment wasn't covered, at least in the text book. That's how the electrical charge on the electron was measured. It's pretty basic.
But I think you've hit the nail on the head. It's about priorities. We both had highly educated, committed teachers just short of PhDs. But my school district is in a university town and is committed (even today) to education. Apparently your town is committed to producing dumb jocks that will become truck drivers and fast food workers. That's just sad.
But more to the point.. Even with a reduction in funding for high schools, the equipment that I described is easily within reach of a freshman college course (which is what the OP was about). Or rather, if your college does NOT have access to an oscilloscope and other basic equipment, just drop out and go to some other university because you deserve a real education.