Physlet Physics: Interactive Illustrations, Explorations and Problems for Introductory Physics - Softcover

Christian, Wolfgang; Belloni, Mario

9780131019690: Physlet Physics: Interactive Illustrations, Explorations and Problems for Introductory Physics

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0131019694 ISBN 13: 9780131019690

Publisher: Addison-Wesley, 2003

For courses in Introductory Physics. This book and CD package furnishes students with a host of interactive, computer-based exercises and study resources that span the entire introductory physics curriculum. Using a practical yet engaging structure, Physlet(R) Physics presents a wide spectrum of "media-focused" critical thinking and problem-solving exercises, and provides students with an interactive visual representation of the physical phenomena they see in introductory physics textbooks.

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By now it is hard to imagine an instructor who has not heard the call to "teach with technology," as it has resounded through educational institutions and government agencies alike over the past several years. However, teaching with technology has often resulted in the use of technology for technology's sake and also often resulted in the development of tools that are not pedagogically sound. For example, consider PowerPoint lectures, which are a popular response to the "teach with technology" push. While PowerPoint lectures are more colorful, they are generally no more interactive than chalkboard lectures. The physics community has, to its credit, worked to use technology in a variety of highly interactive and effective ways including wireless classroom response systems that allow for in-class quizzing of students and MBLs (microcomputer-based laboratories) that free students from the drudgery of data collection so that they can spend more time understanding the underlying physical concepts. Into this we offer Physlet Physics, a collection of ready-to-run interactive computer simulations designed with a sound use of pedagogy in mind. The aim of Physlet Physics is to provide a resource for teaching that enhances student learning and interactive engagement. At the same time, Physlet Physics is a resource flexible enough to be adapted to a variety of pedagogical strategies and local environments.

Content

Physlet Physics contains a collection of exercises spanning the introductory physics sequence. These exercises use computer animations generated in Java applets to show physics content. We call these Java applets Physlets (Physics content simulated with Java applets). Every chapter of Physlet Physics contains three quite different Physlet-based exercises: Illustrations, Explorations, and Problems.

Illustrations are designed to demonstrate physical concepts. Students need to interact with the Physlet, but the answers to the questions posed in the Illustration are given or are easily determined from interacting with it. Many Illustrations provide examples of physics applications. Other Illustrations are designed to introduce a particular concept or analytical tool. Typical uses of Illustrations would include "reading" assignments prior to class and classroom demonstrations.

Explorations are tutorial in nature. They provide some hints or suggest problem-solving strategies to students in working problems or understanding concepts. Some Explorations ask students to make a prediction and then check their predictions, explaining any differences between predictions and observations. Other Explorations require students to change parameters and observe the effect, asking students to develop, for themselves, certain physics relationships (equations). Typical uses of Explorations would be in group problem-solving and homework or pre-laboratory assignments. Explorations are also often useful as Just-In-Time Teaching exercises. To aid in the assignment of the Explorations, Exploration Worksheets are included on the Physlet Physics CD. The Worksheets provide students with extra structure to aid in the completion of the Exploration and provide instructors with an easy way to assign Explorations.

Problems are interactive versions of the kind of exercises typically assigned for homework. They require the students to demonstrate their understanding without as much guidance as is given in the Explorations. They vary widely in difficulty, from exercises appropriate for high school physics students to exercises appropriate for calculus-based university physics students. Some Problems ask conceptual questions, while others require detailed calculations. Typical uses for the Problems would be for homework assignments, in-class concept questions, and group problem-solving sessions.

Conditions of Use

Instructors may not post the exercises from Physlet Physics on the Web without express written permission from the Publisher for the English language and from Wolfgang Christian and Mario Belloni for all other languages. As stated on the Physlets website, Physlets (that is, the applets themselves) are free for noncommercial use. Instructors are encouraged to author and post their own Physlet-based exercises. In doing so, the text and script of Physlets-based exercises must be placed in the public domain for noncommercial use. Please share your work!

Authors who have written Physlet exercises and posted them on the Internet are encouraged to send us a short e-mail with a link to their exercises. Links will be posted on the Physlets page: http://webphysics.davidson.edu/applets/Applets.html .

More details can be found on the Conditions of Use page on the CD.

Web Resources

In addition to the interactive curricular material in this book and CD, instructors may also wish to view the Physlet Physics Instructor's Guide by Anne J. Cox and Melissa H. Dancy. The Physlet Physics Instructor's Guide as well as the Exploration Worksheets by Thomas M. Colbert are available for download from Prentice Hall's Teaching Innovations in Physics, TiP, website.

Instructors can access the official Prentice Hall Web page for Physlet Physics by visiting the TiP website at http://www.prenhall.com/tiponline , then click on the Physlet Physics link.

Before You Start

Assigning Physlet Physics material without properly preparing the class can lead to frustration. Although Physlet problems often appear to be simple, they are usually more challenging than traditional problems because novice solution strategies are often ineffective. In addition, small technical problems are bound to occur without testing. We use Physlets extensively in our introductory courses at Davidson College, but we always start the semester with a short laboratory whose sole purpose is to solve a Physlet problem in the way a physicist solves a problem; that is, to consider the problem conceptually, to decide what method is required and what data to collect, and finally to solve the problem. As a follow-up, we then assign a simple Physlet-based exercise that must be completed in one of the College's public computer clusters. This minimal preparation allows us to identify potential problems before Physlet-based material is assigned on a regular basis.

In response to these possible difficulties, we have written Chapter 1Introduction to Physlets. This chapter provides students and instructors with a guided tutorial through the basic functionality of Physlets. After completing the exercises in Chapter 1, students and instructors alike should be in a position to complete the exercises in the rest of the book.

Before you begin, or assign material to students, you should also read the section on Browser Tests and System Requirements.

Review:

"Looking for a visual, interactive, and technological way to teach about physics that will make it easier for students to understand even the most complicated concepts? Physlets is a powerful collection of Java applets that create simulations for most topics in physics. Envelope-pushing programming, giving these applets unparalleled breadth and flexibility, makes Physlets a truly unique and engaging tool." — Excerpt from the 2002 MERLOT Award for Exemplary Online Learning Resources

"Physlets present virtual experiments, like shooting a ball across a room, that are very much like what you do in a physical lab. Physlets permit students to take measurements of the variables like time and distance, and see how changes in variables produce different results. They challenge students to figure out what we mean by terms like 'velocity' rather than just calculating it from a formula. As students succeed with the exercises, they internalize the concepts much more deeply." — Patricia E. Allen, Appalachian State University

"Physlets can be used to support almost the entire undergraduate physics curriculum, as well as many graduate topics. Their flexibility is one of their most important and unique strengths." — Bruce Mason, University of Oklahoma, Editor of MERLOT/Physics, and Director of the Physical Sciences Resource Center

"Physlets represent an additional tool available for training students in using the scientific method through quantitative reasoning, analytical thinking, problem solving, and arguing from evidence. They emphasize the imparting of skills aver the delivery of knowledge. They are definitely at the appropriate level for both our algebra and calculus-based courses. I believe Physlets have the potential to become a most helpful tool in the coming years." — Cornelius Bennhold, George Washington University

"I think that Physlet Physics will have broad applicability at many levels of introductory courses and across many textbooks. I predict it will be a 'hit'!" — Steve Mellema, Gustavus Adolphus College

"Physlet Physics and the accompanying CD-ROM provide an extremely effective vehicle to deliver Physlet 'virtual laboratories' in both hard-copy and relatively trouble-free 'media' modes thus eliminating some of the difficulties using entirely 'wired' (web) deliveries. This makes it easier for professors and students to let Physlets do what they do best-aid in solidification of the qualitative and quantitative conceptual relationships that the known physical laws and mathematics have with the inner workings of the universe we live in arid explore." — Edward F. Deveney, Bridgewater State College

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