a dissociated, progressive introductory physics laboratory

Department of Physics and Astronomy

A Dissociated, Progressive Introductory Physics Laboratory

Bruce Thompson 31 July 2014

AAPT Summer 2014

Physics 120 Intro Applied Physics Lab

bgt

Acknowledgements

Peter Seligmann, Ithaca College 1971-2002 Charles Spencer, Ithaca College 1973-2003

Original Inception and Implementation circa 1985:

Caretaker 2004-2010:

Michael Rogers

Caretaker 2011-Present: Bruce Thompson

Physics 120 Lab

Photo: Ithaca Physics

Philosophies

• Go on a journey.

• Dive deep.

• Look under the hood.

• Reinvent the wheel.

• No more spherical cow.

• Get your hands dirty.

• Develop a bull&%# detector.

• Grind a pound of data.

• Tell the tale of your journey.

Physics 120 Lab

Quantoons – Tomas Bunk

Course is Dissociated Physics 120 Lab

Fall First Year

• Mechanics (SCALE-UP)

• Calc 1

Spring First Year

• E&M (SCALE-UP)

• Calc 2

• “Mechanics” Lab – Ph120

Fall Second Year

• Waves, Optics, Thermo

• Calc 3

• “E&M” Lab

Spring Second Year

• Modern Physics

• CompSci 1 (Python)

• Linear Algebra or Calc 4

Course is Dissociated E&M Lab

Fall First Year

• Mechanics (SCALE-UP)

• Calc 1

Spring First Year

• E&M (SCALE-UP)

• Calc 2

• “Mechanics” Lab – Ph120

Fall Second Year

• Waves, Optics, Thermo

• Calc 3

• “E&M” Lab

Spring Second Year

• Modern Physics

• CompSci 1 (Python)

• Linear Algebra or Calc 4

Course Sequence Physics 120 Lab

What the students do:

Use the timer for measurements in 3

mechanical systems (2/3 semester)

1. Linear Accelerated Motion

2. Simple Pendulum

3. Rotational Accelerated Motion with

Rotational Inertia

Build a photogate timer

from scratch (1/3 semester)

Course is Progressive Physics 120 Lab

Logical thinking

Skills are developed and themes are

maintained throughout the semester.

Modelling

Dexterity Analysis Communication

Mechanics redux 𝑇 = 2𝜋 𝐿 𝑔

𝑇2 =4𝜋2

𝑔(𝐿) T = 2p L / g

T 2( ) =4p 2

gL( ) + 0


Logical thinking Modelling


Mechanics redux

𝑇 = 2𝜋 𝐿 𝑔

𝑇2 =4𝜋2

𝑔(𝐿)

Skills developed and themes maintained

throughout the semester

T = 2p L / g

T 2( ) =4p 2

gL( ) + 0

Logical Thinking 1

Digital circuit analysis Circuit troubleshooting

Logical Thinking 2

Raw data evaluation

Falling mass

Raw Count

21

464

348

294

263

233

215

198

190

175

171

188

195

204

217

Experimental procedure design

Student generated procedure

Logical Thinking 2

Raw data evaluation

Falling mass

Raw Count

21

464

348

294

263

233

215

198

190

175

171 (?)

188

195

204

217

Experimental procedure design

Student generated procedure

Student data choice




Mechanics redux


𝑇2 =4𝜋2

𝑔(𝐿)



T = 2p L / g

T 2( ) =4p 2

gL( ) + 0

Mechanics Redux

Pendulum simple harmonic motion

and all angle energy solution

Linear kinematics and dynamics

Rotational dynamics

Mechanics Redux

𝑭𝑖𝑖

Assessment of “ALL” the forces

F ii

å

t ii

å


Logical thinking



Modelling



𝑇2 =4𝜋2

𝑔(𝐿) T = 2p L / g

T 2( ) =4p 2

gL( ) + 0

Modeling

Linearized modeling and model verification

Linear accelerated

motion

Pendulum small angle

approximation and

Pendulum all angle

Falling mass -

rotating a pulley

𝑑2𝑦

𝑑𝑡2+

𝑔

𝐿𝑥 = 0


𝑇2 =4𝜋2

𝑔𝐿 + 0

𝑣2 = 2𝑎𝐿 + 𝑣02

𝑦 = 2𝑎 𝑥 + 0

𝑎 =𝑚𝑔

𝑚+𝐼

𝑟2

1

𝑎= 𝐴

1

𝑚+ 𝐵

a = gsinq

a( ) = g[ ] sinq( ) + 0[ ]

T = 2p L g

T 2( ) =4p 2

g

é

ëê

ù

ûú L( ) + 0[ ]

T =8L

gINT q0( )

a =mg+FD +t f r

m+I

r2

1

a

æ

èç

ö

ø÷ = A[ ]

1

m

æ

èç

ö

ø÷+ B[ ]

y = Ax+B

d 2q

dt2+g

Lq = 0

T = 2p L g

T 2( ) =4p 2

g

é

ëê

ù

ûú L( ) + 0[ ]

T =8L

gINT q0( )





𝑇2 =4𝜋2

𝑔(𝐿)



T = 2p L / g

T 2( ) =4p 2

gL( ) + 0

Dexterity

Math





𝑇2 =4𝜋2

𝑔(𝐿)



T = 2p L / g

T 2( ) =4p 2

gL( ) + 0

Analysis

From hand drawing …

To

… Spreadsheet analysis





𝑇2 =4𝜋2

𝑔(𝐿)



T = 2p L / g

T 2( ) =4p 2

gL( ) + 0

Communication

Binary reporting (“It worked!”)

Summary reports

Extensive report

Student Reaction

“I don’t like estimating.”

“I learned so much about logic circuits.”

“I’ve become better at using calculus for physics.”

“I learned how to problem-solve better than I was able to before.”

“I learned how to use physical formulas in real life.”

“I really liked how this class helps you grow as a scientist.”

“I learned to think effectively on how to assess data and models.”

“I learned methods to approach problems in a more thoughtful manner.”

Thank you for your interest

Course materials available by writing to me:

[email protected]

Instructor’s Manual

Ph120 Applied Physics Laboratory

Department of Physics and Astronomy

Ithaca College

Stop!

Questions?

Next Steps

Video tape lectures

Better notebook skill development

Our Newborn Baby MOT!

DOB 2011-09-02

a dissociated, progressive introductory physics laboratory

Documents