| Session: | Integrating Computers and Demonstrations/Equipment |
| Meeting: | 123rd AAPT National Meeting: Rochester, NY |
| Location: | Highland D, Convention Ctr. |
| Date: | 7/23/01 |
| Time: | 7:30 a.m. |
| Author: |
Dean A. Zollman, Kansas
State Univ. 785-532-1619, dzollman@phys.ksu.edu |
| Co-Author(s): | Kirsten Hogg |
| Abstract: | When students perform an experiment in atomic and nuclear physics, the emphasis is on understanding what is happening at an atomic or subatomic level. They cannot see what is "really happening," so we must help them build models of the events. While these models can help students understand the physics, they are somewhat abstract and can cause difficulty for students. We have been combining real experiments, virtual versions of the same experiments, and visualizations of models for the underlying physics. Several of the experiments are some of the historically important ones in 20th century physics; others include modeling of effects in light emitting devices. Experiments that have been coupled to visualizations include energy models for atomic spectra, photoelectric effect, Zeeman effect, and the behavior of a glow-in-the-dark toothbrush when dipped in liquid nitrogen. |
| Footnotes: | *Supported by NSF grants #ESI-945782 and #DUE-965288. |