Program
8th Annual Spring
Meeting
North Carolina Section
American Association of
Physics Teachers
March 21-22, 2003
North Carolina A&T State
University
Greensboro NC 27411
Check out our Web site http://www.physics.ncsu.edu/ncsaapt/ for maps and directions.
Friday, March 21, 2003
5:00 PM
Dinner
The
Ganache, 403 North Elm Street, One Block North of the Marriott. Meet Bo Wessell or Chuck Stone at the
Marriott and walk to the Ganache where reservations have been made for 30. Call Chuck at (336)334-7646 to let him know
that you will be there. Individual
cheques.
6:30 PM
Registration McNair Hall (#59 on the NC A&T Campus Map in the Call
for Papers on the web site)
7:00 PM
Multimedia Resources to Make the Subtle and Mysterious More
Familiar and Obvious: Examples from Musical Acoustics
Dewey Tull Lawson, Adjunct Professor of Physics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Duke University, Adjunct Assistant Professor in Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Duke
Medical Center, Director and Senior Scientist, Center for Auditory Prosthesis Research,
Research Triangle Institute, dtl@rti.org
Some multimedia lecture demonstrations and modules for student exploration will be shown, taken from an extremely interdisciplinary course on "Acoustics and Music" at Duke University. Various pedagogical advantages of such materials will be discussed, in the context of a course in which almost every student could teach the class on some of the central topics, but finds other equally important topics mysterious and difficult to comprehend.
7:30 PM Visit http://www4.ncsu.edu/~rwchabay/mi/
for a
preview of their work.
Ruth Chabay & Bruce
Sherwood, Physics
Dept., Box 8202, North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC 27695-8202,
(919)513-4826 & (919)513-4827, ruth_chabay@ncsu.edu & bruce_Sherwood@ncsu.edu
8:30 PM
Take Five! (Present a quick demo, make an insightful remark, tell us about a book or
paper that we all should read, etc.) & Social Hour
9:30 PM
Two-Year College Physics Alliance After Hours Discussion at the
Marriott
Saturday, March 22, 2003
Morning Contributed Session I
McNair Hall
Presider: Bo Wessell
8:00 AM
Research and Education in AMO/Chemical Physics at NC A&T State
University
Solomon
Bililign, Department of Physics, North Carolina A&T State University
A brief history of research in chemical physics at A&T will be presented. Highlights of the main experimental and theoretical results will be presented. The impact of the research on education and training of students will be discussed. Plans and efforts for future expansion will also be outlined.
8:15 AM Sing-Along Physics
Chuck Stone, Department of Physics, North Carolina A&T State University, 1601 East Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27411, (336) 334-7646, Fax: (336) 256-0815
cstone@ncat.edu
Student feedback tells me that some of my better lectures often utilize familiar objects in a nontraditional manner. By incorporating popular music in my teaching style, I try to keep my classroom alive with exciting connections to physics. In this presentation, I will share over 60 songs that never fail to arouse student interest.
8:30 AM Anemochoric Palynomorphic Investigations of
Paleoatmospheres: Using the physics of the movement of fossil spores in wind to
study the history of the Earth's atmosphere
*Holly Woodward, *Dale Russell,
and M.A. Paesler, Center for the Exploration of the Dinosaurian World
*Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Science Department; and Physics Department,
North Carolina State University
A statistical study of the shapes and sizes of anemochoric
palynomorphs - or wind borne spores - in the fossil record make it possible to
identify trends in spore size through the history of the Earth. By
modeling the physics of spore dispersal one can draw inferences from these data
about the transport carrying ability of the atmosphere. This, in turn,
leads to an ability to model the average wind speed and atmospheric density
through time. Data suggest increased wind speed during the Carboniferous
and lend credence to recent models of a concomitant oxygen
"pulse" lasting 100 million years. Palynomorphic evidence
of a less extreme increase in atmospheric pressure agrees with the emergence of
pterodactyls in the late Jurassic.
Michael Paesler, Professor and Director of Graduate Programs, Physics
Department, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8202, USA,
Paesler@ncsu.edu 919-515-8706, FAX 919-515-3099
8:45 AM Using and Assessing Probeware in Introductory Physics Labs
Chuck Bennett and Judy Beck, Physics Dept., UNC-Asheville, Asheville, NC 28806, (828)251-6047, bennett@unca.edu
Custom laboratory curricula have been developed that integrate laboratory probeware into both calculus and algebra-based introductory physics courses. These materials have been carefully designed to emphasize conceptual understanding. Most of the materials have been class-tested, and some assessment data has been collected. For example, a laboratory focused on Newton's third law has produced gains in FCI and FMCE questions that greatly exceed past efforts. We have also developed in-house instruments designed to survey student perspectives. Laboratory materials are distributed via the Web, and seamlessly integrate data collection, data analysis, and pedagogy. A paperless submission strategy allows us to devote as much space as needed within the laboratory materials for effective pedagogy and concept reinforcement.
9:00 AM Motion Detectors, Smart Pulleys, Rotary Motion Sensors, and Clarity in Kinematics Experiments[1]
Floyd J. James, Caesar Lockhart, North Carolina A&T State University Department of Physics, 101 Marteena Hall, Greensboro, NC 27411, (336)334-7646, Fax: (336)256-0815, fjames@ncat.edu
Since a motion detector is very versatile instrument for determining motion of an object, it is widely used to generate position data in kinematics experiments. However, the flood of data, some valid and some spurious, that it provides makes it sometimes difficult for students to easily understand the motion that is being measured. If the experiment requires a string and pulley, as many kinematics experiments do, a smart pulley or a rotary motion sensor may provide data that is easier for students to interpret. A smart pulley is less expensive but can only measure motion in one direction. A rotary motion sensor costs more, but can provide clean bi-directional data.
Student problems with data collection with motion detectors will be discussed, and advantages and limitations of smart pulleys and rotary motion sensors will be illustrated.
[1] This work funded in part by U.S. Department of Education MSEIP Grant Number P120A990065-00
9:15 AM Towards A Scholarship of Teaching Physics
Willyetta A. Brown, North Carolina State University, Dept. of Physics, Box
8202, Raleigh, NC 27695, (919) 851-2564
(919) 515-3099 wabrown3@unity.ncsu.edu
This article makes contributions toward the conceptualization of the
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
The scholarship of teaching is a concept with multiple
ramifications. It is at the core of the
current transformation of physics in secondary and higher education. The scholarship of teaching challenges the
existing stratification system within the university. The scholarship of teaching and learning is a much larger
enterprise, a movement that can transform the attitude of American society
towards science. Physicists have a
vital role to play within the university and society. If physics professors take advantage of the opportunity that the
scholarship of teaching and learning offers, they can reach their potential as
science literate citizens in society.
The paper provides suggestions based on evidence of student and teacher
success and offers insights and suggestions on how to influence knowledge,
competence, and expectations of both the prospective student and teacher.
9:30 AM Interactive
Demonstrations and Exercises for a Course in Mathematical Methods
Mario Belloni and Wolfgang Christian, Davidson College, PO Box 1719, Davidson, NC 28035-6910, (704) 894-2320, FAX: (704) 894-2894, mabelloni@davidson.edu
We are developing interactive curricular material in support of a one-semester sophomore-level course in mathematical methods for scientists and engineers. This course is offered for physics majors, but chemistry and biology majors also take the course. As a consequence, students enter the course with a wide range of physics experience and interest and, in addition, a wide range of mathematical abilities. In response to these disparities, we have developed Physletฎ-based exercises to help students visualize the mathematical and physical concepts covered in the course. We will show examples of curricular material dealing with complex numbers, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, vector operations (grad, div, and curl), path integrals, and Fourier series.
Physlets are generously supported by the National Science Foundation (DUE-0126439).
http://webphysics.davidson.edu/mjb http://webphysics.davidson.edu/physletprob/
9:45
10:00 AM Break Visit our supporters
10:00
AM INVITED Matter & Interactions Classroom Experiences
Presider: Joe
Heafner
Ruth
Chabay & Bruce Sherwood, Physics Dept., Box 8202, North Carolina State
University, Raleigh NC 27695-8202, (919)513-4826 & (919)513-4827, ruth_chabay@ncsu.edu & bruce_Sherwood@ncsu.edu
Morning Contributed Session II
McNair Hall
Presider: Chuck Stone
10:30 AM The Interpretation of Quantum Tunneling
using Matlab Computer Simulation.
Jasmine Davenport, Sophomore,
Physics Major, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, 1601 E. Market St., Greensboro, NC 27411,
(336) 412-2505, Fax: (919) 477-1617, JCD2001_2@hotmail.com
A computer simulation
is created, using Matlab, where we produce a pulse signal and let it travel
through a barrier. The amount of time it takes for the pulse
signal to enter and leave the barrier is measured. The procedure is
repeated multiple times with different variations on the height, width, and
length of the barrier. We observe whether the modifications of the
barrier directly affect the time of travel of the pulse signal. The
measurement of the change in time aids in the calculation of the speed at which
the pulse signal travels. The computer simulation technique will be
helpful as further studies and experiments are currently being studied in
detecting signals traveling faster than the speed of light.
10:45 AM
Energy Challenge 2003 Design Competition
Jerry Adams, Captain, NC A&T Design Team, Undergraduate Student, North Carolina A&T State University, 1601 East Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27411, (336) 412-1567
Fax: (336) 256-0815, ja015440@ncat.edu
Last fall the U.S. Department of Energy selected North Carolina A&T State University to be one of ten colleges and universities nationwide to compete in the Energy Challenge 2003 Design Competition. Our team received a $2000 DOE grant to design, build, test, and fly a hang glider. The team was provided with a hang-glider frame; the main task has been to design a paper sail based on a modified Rogallo wing design. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers first flight at Kitty Hawk in 1903, the team will fly their design on April 5, 2003 in a gliding competition with the nine other participating colleges in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Each glider will be scored on such factors as gross weight, materials composition, glider airfoil design, volume, structural integrity, performance, aesthetics, and novelty. This presentation will discuss the competition, the teams hang-glider design, the pilot-training program, and lessons learned from this endeavor.
11:00 AM Creating a Web Image Gallery to Illustrate Optical Phenomena
Michael J. Ruiz (Department of Physics, University of North Carolina at Asheville), Asheville, NC 28804, (828)232-2281, ruiz@unca.edu
A web image gallery is being developed at UNCA to illustrate optical phenomena for PHYS 101 Light and Visual Phenomena, a general-education liberal-arts physics course. Some photos taken years ago are being digitized and a digital camera is being employed for new additions. Examples including mirrors and lenses will be shown.
11:15 AM Orbital Properties of Saturns Moons
Ji-Seon Park and Winfree Spears, Cape Fear High School, 4762 Clinton Road, Fayetteville, NC 28301, (910) 483-0191, FAX: (910) 483-1679, booms007@hotmail.com , CarolinaGurl07@aol.com
Our problem was to find a simple method to calculate the orbital properties of Saturns moons. Several years ago, our teacher developed an Excel spreadsheet that allowed students to find the period of Io using data from six images of Jupiter. Our challenge was to test the model on Saturns moons using discontinuous image data collected over a period of several nights. In preliminary tests, the model failed when applied to Rhea because it did not account for the tilt of a moons orbital plane. We developed two methods to correct for tilt. The first used mathematical equations to find pixel distance between Saturn and the projection point of the moon on Saturns extended equatorial line. In the second method, the image was rotated to make Saturns equatorial line horizontal, then distances between centers of the moon and Saturn using only their x-coordinates. The resulting orbital distances for the moon should then be the same as if the moons orbital plane were not tilted.
We hypothesized that both the mathematical and image rotation methods would correct for tilt. Further, we hypothesized that the mathematical equation method would produce more accurate results for the orbital radii and periods of Saturns brightest moons.
To test our hypothesis, we used 163 Saturn images taken over a 10-day period. Both methods gave good results for Titan, Dione, Tethys, and Rhea with periods, generally within 1% of accepted values and orbital radii within 6% of accepted values. The image rotation method proved to be the easiest to use, fastest, and gave the best results. Curve fit was also better for the image rotation method.
Our research shows that while both methods can be used to correct for a moons orbital plane tilt, the image rotation method is easier to use and gives better results. Using image rotation, students can readily calculate the orbital properties of Saturns moons and from these properties calculate the mass of Saturn.
11:30 AM ATM - Is It Just Another Physics Test with a TLA?
Aaron Titus, High Point University, 342 Haworth Hall of Science, Department of Chemistry and Physical Science, High Point University, 833 Montlieu Ave., High Point, NC 27262, Phone & FAX: (336)841-4668, titus@mailaps.org
The FCI, MBT, FMCE, TUG-K, and many other tests have been written so that physics teachers can assess students' learning of certain topics.
There is now even a web site that archives such instruments (http://www.flaguide.org/). All of these tests are paper-and-pencil tests and none explicitly cover two-dimensional motion. As a result, I set out to write an assessment instrument of two-dimensional motion using Physlets; it is called the Animated Test of Motion (ATM). I will demonstrate the test and will discuss its design. Perhaps the best thing to come out of the project was what I learned about my own teaching of two-dimensional kinematics. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 9952323.
11:45 AM World Year of Physics in 2005
Chuck Stone, Department of Physics, North Carolina A&T State University, 1601 East Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27411, (336) 334-7646, Fax: (336) 256-0815
cstone@ncat.edu
The year 2005 has been designated the World Year in Physics to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Albert Einsteins papers on quantum theory, relativity, and Brownian motion, first published in 1905. Organizations around the globe are planning a variety of programs to raise worldwide public awareness for physics in 2005. The American Physical Society (APS) will orchestrate the lead program for the United States. This presentation will discuss the APS initiatives, a nationwide mobile physics outreach program, and ways in which NCS-AAPT members can contribute locally to this endeavor.
Physics in Africa: World Year
of Physics
Abebe Kebede, Department of Physics, NC A&T State University Greensboro, NC
27411, (336)334-7646 Fax: (336)256-0815 email: gutaye@ncat.edu
During the 2002 NSBP/NCBPS conference hosted by AAMU, we conducted the first ever "Physics in Africa Session. In this talk we will present an overview of the activities after the organization of the session. We have successfully worked with APS, and the Forum for International Physics to host a similar session at the APS March 2003 Meeting in Austin Texas. A brief report will be given about these activities. In this presentation a possible collaborative scenarios will be presented on how to engage NC-AAPT as well as AAPT as Africa prepares for World Year of Physics in the Year 2005
Noon 12:15 PM Break Visit our supporters!
12:15 PM Lunch & Business Meeting
1:15 PM Two-Year College Physics Alliance Meeting
1:30 PM WORKSHOP
Splashes, Splatters, Slings, and Drips
Mary Creason, Duke University, Box 90305, Durham, NC 27708-0305
919-668-2659, mary@phy.duke.edu
Participants will evaluate stain patterns and determine the circumstances present at their creation. They will then make a set of patterns to take back to their own classrooms. Other supporting material will be provided. These activities are part of the Physics of Forensics course at Duke University.
Local Arrangements
Coffee and doughnuts will be available. Lunch is an all-you-can-eat menu ranging from simple soup, salad, and sandwiches to grilled items and dinner foods. We will meet in a cordoned-off area of the cafeteria where we will also have our business meeting, including the election.
The Two-Year College Physics Alliance will meet immediately afterwards to conduct business and elect officers.
Sponsors
There is no charge for space at the meeting. We do accept donations towards refreshments and door prizes. If you do not intend to send a representative, we are willing to display your materials. Please note that your sponsorship includes registration and all that goes with it.
Early Sponsors
American Association of Physics Teachers
Bernard O. Beck & Co.
image-ination
John
Wiley & Sons
McGraw-Hill Publishing
North
Carolina A&T State University
North Carolina State University
PASCO
Prentice-Hall
Spectrum Techniques
Tel-Atomic
Thomson Learning (Brooks/Cole (ITP), Harcourt
Brace/Saunders College Publishers)
Vernier Software
Local Committee
Chuck Stone, Abebe
Kebede, and Floyd James
Registration
8th
Annual Spring Meeting of the NCS-AAPT
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State
University
Greensboro
NC 27411
March
21-22, 2003
Name (Please clearly letter) ..
Preferred Mailing Address
(include extended ZIP Code) ..
Telephone ( ) FAX ( )
Home ( ) ...................................
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Registration Information
Member $ 15.00 (includes lunch)
Non-Member $ 20.00 .
Workshop(s) each $2.00 . . . . . ... (List in order of preference.)
Dues ($5.00 per year) ..
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Please make cheques out to "NCS-AAPT" and mail to:
John L. Hubisz, Secretary-Treasurer, NCS-AAPT, Physics Dept., Box 8202, North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC 27695-8202