PHS 594: Modeling Workshop in Mechanical Waves

syllabus, daily calendar

Summer 2009 at ASU

 

Prerequisites: In-service teacher of physics or mathematics, or instructor approval.
PHY 480 (PHS 530) or equivalent, or instructor approval.

Workshop objectives.

The main objective of the mechanics modeling workshop was to acquaint teachers with all aspects of the modeling method and develop some skill in implementing it. To that end, you were provided with a fairly complete set of written curriculum materials to support instruction organized into coherent modeling cycles (as described in Wells et. al. (1995)). The physical materials and experiments in the curriculum are simple and quite standard, already available in any reasonably equipped physics classroom.

In the modeling workshop on waves and sound, teachers will use the same process but will develop skills in materials usually covered after mechanics. You will use materials developed by modeling teachers from around the nation. Their work has been arranged into units with a coherent story line and field tested at ASU in previous summers since 2001.

 

Preparation and plans for the summer course.

      On the first day of the workshop, we will discuss the experiences of participants who have taught mechanics by the modeling method. This "post-use analysis" has the purpose of allowing novice modeling teachers a chance to discuss any concerns that have arisen as they taught.

      We believe that to develop familiarity with materials necessary to fully implement them in your classroom, you must work through the activities, discussions and worksheets, alternating between student and teacher modes, as you did in the 1st Modeling Workshop in Mechanics.

If you wish to review the Mechanical Waves materials before taking the course, go to the Modeling Instruction in High School Physics page, click on [Curriculum materials] link, then on [Participant resources]. ... Scroll down to 2nd semester materials, then [Read Me First] link to get an overview of how the materials are organized, then on any of the links to 2nd semester topics. There you will find stuffed (Mac) or zipped (PC) archives of the materials to expedite download. If you are unable to obtain the materials this way, please e-mail Jane.Jackson@asu.edu and give her your full mailing address so that she can mail you a CD-ROM.

Special attention has been paid to the development of coherent teacher’s notes. Review of these should give you the best idea of what the development team has decided was a logical development of the key features of the underlying models.

 

Description of the Modeling Workshop in Mechanical Waves & Sound

      Unit 1: The Oscillating Particle. In this unit we develop the model of an oscillating particle, its causal force model, the restoring force, along with its kinematical model, simple harmonic motion. We will develop graphical and mathematical representations by experimentally studying the motion of masses oscillating vertically on springs. Energy considerations are also studied.

      Unit 2: Mechanical Waves in 1-Dimension. We connect a string of particles together with springs to help develop the model of a wave being a disturbance propagated through the connected particles as they oscillate. We move on to study the behavior of transverse and longitudinal pulses as they move and reflect. After establishing pulse behavior we use standing waves on a string to experimentally develop the wave velocity equation relating frequency and wavelength. We finish by experimentally developing the relationship of the velocity of waves on a string and the linear density of the string along with the relationship of the velocity and the tension in the string.

      Unit 3: Sound. The model of sound being a pressure wave caused by longitudinally oscillating particles is developed. We study the concept of resonance and factors necessary for it in tubes, on strings and on rods. We use MBL microphones to study beats, harmonics, pitch and loudness. We finish the unit with the Doppler effect.

      Unit 4: Mechanical Waves in 2-Dimensions. We study reflection, refraction, diffraction and two-slit interference. This unit makes use of ripple tanks to develop two dimensional behaviors. To be honest, the oscillating particle model is not taught as a factor in these behaviors. Due to the difficulty of studying these behaviors fully using coupled particles, we will use light.

      In each unit we will use Java applets, practicums, MBL probes, many demonstrations and deployment activities. Participants will leave with a set of singing rods with rosin, and a Chladi plate.

PHS 594: Modeling Workshop in Mechanical Waves & Sound

Daily calendar

 

Day 1

·     Introduce leaders and participants.

·     Take Waves pre-test (available from Michael Crofton) and fill in “comfort” sheet

·     Formulate a list of questions on Modeling teaching you want answered during the course

§    Pace, whiteboarding, what worked, what didn’t, anything else

·     Take MBT and Experiences (implementation) Survey

·     Lay out plan for the course

·     Discuss expectations (students’ and teacher’s)

·     Discuss lab reports

·     Discuss relationships

·     Paradigm Lab: Begin oscillating particle model, perform and analyze spring/mass lab

§     Take data

§     Process data

§     Whiteboard Lab

HW – Relationship Worksheet

–Work on notebook and lab report for Unit 1 paradigm lab

Reading: Hestenes: “Who Needs Physics Education Research?!” (on modeling website)

 

Day 2

·     Whiteboard relationship worksheet

·     Do worksheets 1 and 1B of Unit 1 and whiteboard

·     Activity 1, Analysis of force, acceleration, velocity and position for oscillating particle

·     New worksheet: Quantified kinematics relationships for oscillations

·     Activity 2, Energy changes for an oscillating particle (modeling horizontal oscillation)

·     Do worksheet 2 and whiteboard

·     Activity 2b, Energy changes for an oscillating particle with GPE

·     Do worksheet 3 and whiteboard

·     Predict and investigate relationship of EK and position, EE and position, E and position

HW – Work on notebook and lab report for Unit 1 paradigm lab

 

Day 3

·     Activity 3, relationship of period and frequency

·     Do worksheet 4 and whiteboard

·     Unit 1 practicum

·     Unit 1: Activity 4, Extension of OP model to transverse displacement (Show equipment and discuss)

·     Do quiz 1 and whiteboard

·     Wrap up unit 1

·     Begin Unit 2: Demonstration of Coupled Oscillating particles

·     Activity 1: Pulses on springs- Wave race

·     Do worksheet 1 of Unit 2 and whiteboard

HW – Read Unit 1 teacher notes and write reflections on unit 1, Take Unit 1 test (New)

 

 

 

Day 4

·     Correct Unit 1 test

·     Activity – Fixed and free end reflection, waves at a boundary of two media

·     Do worksheet 2 of Unit 2 and whiteboard

·     Activity and discussion: wave superposition

·     Do worksheet 3 of Unit 2

·     Develop behavior and reasoning for standing waves Flipbook

·      Paradigm Lab 2: Determine the relationship of the wavelength and the frequency of a wave and the relationship of the frequency and number of antinodes on a string

·    Whiteboard lab, make v vs. f graph

·     Do worksheet 5 of Unit 2 and whiteboard

·     Paradigm Lab 3: Relationship of velocity of waves on a string and the tension in the string, velocity of waves on a string and the linear density of the string

·     Finish up and whiteboard lab

·     Do worksheet 6 of Unit 2 and whiteboard

HW – Read and summarize important points in Causal Particle-Spring model

–    Work on paradigm lab 2 write-up

 

Day 5

·    Discuss Causal Particle-Spring model reading

·    Discuss low tech version of paradigm labs

·     Unit 2 practicum

·     Begin sound (Unit 3)

§    Longitudinal pulses, waves, standing waves

·     Speed of sound in air lab and discussion

·     Longitudinal applet and candle clip

·     Introduce the concept of resonance

§    Play with singing rods, Chladni plates

§    Tacoma Narrows video

·     Worksheet 1 of Unit 3

·     Trip to Physics Dept lobby (Pendulum and wine glass demo)

HW – Read teacher notes for Unit 2 and write reflections on Unit 2, Problem set 1

Turn in one or two formal labs

 

Day 6

·     Mechanical Universe: Waves

·     Determine the relationship of the tube length and the resonant frequency

·     Demo/Discussion: Resonance and standing waves in tubes

·     Big open tube demo

·     Worksheet 2 of Unit 3

·     Lab/Practicum

·     Sound Activity (pitch, beats, harmonics, loudness)

·     Deployment activities for beats and other sound phenomena

·     Doppler effect demonstrations and derivation of equation

·     Unit 3, Worksheet 3

HW – Longitudinal reading and reflection

–Take Mechanical Waves diagnostic test

**Turn in notebook


 

 

Day 7

·     Discuss questions on diagnostic test

·     Wave and Sound tests on Units 2 and 3 (Take conceptual and correct)

·     Reflection in wave tank

·     2D representations

·     Reflection “pin” lab and “red” activity

·     Do Unit 4 worksheet 1 and whiteboard

·     Introduce refraction

§     Laser into aquarium

§     Refraction in ripple tank

·     Unit 4 worksheet 2 (qualitative refraction)

·     “Could be paradigm lab”: Relationship of incident and refracted semicord.

§     Derive Snell’s Law from lab

HW – Reading on sound (Not much to reflect on, just summarize key points)

– Michael Wittmann reading #1 and reflection

 

Day 8

·     Refraction ray tracing

·     Critical angle discussion and demos

§     Frosted plastic

§     Pop bottle

·     Do unit 4 worksheet 3 (quantitative refraction) Whiteboard worksheet 3

·     1 or 2 refraction practicums

·     Paradigm Lab 4: Determine the relationship of the image distance minus the focal length and the object distance minus the focal length. Also determine the relationship of the ratio of the image distance to the object distance and the ratio of the image height to the object height.

·     Whiteboard Lab and discuss relationships

HW – Read teacher notes for Unit 3 and write reflections

– Write up lens lab

 

 

 

Day 9

·     Discuss reading

·     Do Unit 4 worksheet 4 (qualitative lens worksheet)

·     Do Unit 4 worksheet 5 (quantitative lens worksheet)

·     Do focal length of concave lens

·     Lens practicum

·     Wave Tank Activity: Diffraction

·     Wave Tank Activity: Interference Waves Unit 4 Worksheet 6: Interference (qualitative)

·     Develop Young’s Equation

·     Part 1 of Interference Lab: Calibrate diffraction grating

·     Part 2 of Interference Lab: Check spectra of Mercury

·     Part 3 of Interference Lab: Get unknown spectral line

HW – Work on problem set

**Turn in notebook

 

Day 10

·     Unit 4 Worksheet 7: Interference (quantitative)

·     Interference Practicum

·     Unit 4 Conceptual Test

·     Check out ranking tasks CD

·     Go through applets. Identify on your sheet those useful in your class. Search for new applets

·    Waves Post-test, course evaluation, final paperwork

·    Distribute CDs and discuss contents, how to navigate website

HW – Have a safe trip home

If going for A, turn in A grade assignments