We designed a physics laboratory exercise around pulse oximetry, a noninvasive medical technique used to assess a patient's blood oxygen saturation. An alternative to a traditional optics and light lab, this exercise teaches the principles of light absorption, spectroscopy, and the properties of light, while simultaneously studying a common…

Describes four science experiments relating to energy developed for interdisciplinary general science courses. (SL)

Describes problems that are presented in the form of experiments. The philosophy, method of solution, and several examples of mechanics experiment problems are described. (LZ)

Describes a computer-based prelaboratory lecture to replace traditional lecture. Discusses how the CUPLE method was developed, the course structure, and a typical course day. (MVL)

Describes a community-college curriculum that incorporates Socratic Dialogue Inducing (SDI) laboratories into a new calculus-based preengineering physics sequence. SDI allows for group discussion labs that emphasize the concepts being taught in the lectures. (ZWH)

Results of a questionnaire survey of 455 two- and four-year institutions on the status on noncalculus physics courses are presented. Responses from 265 questionnaires focus on enrollment, textbooks, reasons for textbook changes, laboratory manuals, and nationally standardized set of laboratory experiments. Selected comments from individual…

Presents two methods for measuring the index of refraction of glass or lucite. These two methods, used in the freshman laboratory, are based on the fact that a ray of light inside a block will be refracted parallel to the surface. (HM)

Discusses a high school advanced placement physics course cooperating with neighboring college. Describes the background, titles of experiments, report format, and discussion. (YP)

Presents eight examples from two elementary school science textbook series of misleading suggestions related to what students should observe during science lessons. Levels and page numbers are given for each example. Questions whether textbook authors have tried and analyzed the experiments they describe. (Author/SK)

Reports experiences during a two-year period in introducing the computer to the laboratory and students to the computer as a laboratory instrument. Describes a working philosophy, data acquisition system, and experiments. Summarizes the laboratory procedures of nine experiments, covering mechanics, heat, electromagnetism, and optics. (YP)

A phenomenological explanation of this effect is provided. Suggestions for the inclusion of pyroelectric effects into a unit on electrostatics are given. (CW)

Discusses the use of microcomputers as a universal instrument to replace more expensive instrumentation in many traditional labs. Describes the availability of microcomputers as inexpensive educational tools which can be used successfully in labs with minimal requirements on the computer. (SK)

Describes a first-year laboratory course designed to fulfill laboratory objectives of reinforcing lecture material, teaching experimental methodology, developing hands-on skills, and imparting a sense of error. The course's six segments examine: digital electronics with students building a photogate timer; error analysis; linear accelerated…