Here, a relatively simple laboratory experiment of a physical pendulum, suitable for students of science and engineering in the first courses of university physics, is presented to illustrate its dynamic behavior and to determine its inertia moment. To this end, a long wooden rod of length L = 99.8 cm and cross-section radius R = 1.73 cm was used…

For nearly two decades, augmented reality (AR) has found diverse applications in education, particularly in science education, where its efficacy has been supported by relevant theories and many empirical studies. However, previous studies have revealed the following research deficit: While AR technology appears to influence learning-related…

Online video experiments are a promising educational technology tool for science laboratory classes. In order to find optimal instructional designs and scenarios for using online video experiments, we need to study learners' experiences. This work describes implementation of an online interactive video experiment at the undergraduate introductory…

Background: Physics textbooks are a learning resource for students to acquire knowledge and information. The findings of previous studies on physics textbooks analysis have mostly focused on representations of gender, the nature of science, and scientific literacy. This study, therefore, extends the critical content analysis of physics textbooks…

A single-slit diffraction experiment in an introductory physics laboratory is generally comprised of a rectangular slit and a laser source. The laser beam is sent to the slit producing the well-known diffraction pattern on the screen. This paper proposes a simple modification of the single-slit diffraction experiment to increase student attention…

We propose a laboratory experiment on the quantitative study of the normal dispersion of light. A triangular isosceles prism made of flint glass TF3 is used as the object of study, and we describe a simple and affordable device for observing and photographing the dispersion spectrum on a smartphone. A possibility of the quantitative investigation…

A 2.7 m long stringless pendulum was set up to measure the coefficient of rolling friction of various balls, at higher rolling speeds than usually observed with a short stringless pendulum. The arrangement is easy to set up and makes an impressive classroom demonstration as well as an interesting laboratory experiment.

Single slit diffraction and the thermal expansion of materials are common components of an undergraduate physics course, though these topics are often taught independently in both lectures and laboratory based courses. Higher levels of cognitive domains can be achieved by building on these established topics and combining them into a single…

A popular introductory physics laboratory experiment is one focusing on Snell's law. This is straightforward to complete with lasers and prisms, but here we present an alternative version that guides the students through some of the major historical developments, recreating and analyzing significant experiments. The discovery of Snell's law has a…

Photogates play an important part of many of today's physics laboratory experiments. They signal when an infrared (IR) beam is interrupted, thus supplying the experimenter with important timing information. Currently photogates use an infrared photodiode (IR transmitter) and a phototransistor (IR receiver). User-built photogates have a weakness…

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Instructional labs: Improving traditions and new directions.] In this paper, we describe the results of a research project whose goals were to (1) develop and implement video-based experimental investigations using the Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE) approach and (2) study how…

The magnetic field of Earth, B[subscript e], is an intriguing topic in the introductory physics curriculum that engages students' curiosity and inspires numerous speculations about the nature of this phenomenon. There are several methods for measuring Earth's magnetic field. Probably, the most widespread and visual method of measuring the field in…

The Wilson cloud chamber, invented in 1911 by Scottish physicist Charles Wilson, is a remarkably simple and effective charged particle detector. Cloud chambers were used regularly in particle physics experiments for decades, until being supplanted by bubble chambers. In this article, we describe a lab activity that is suitable for…

Nowadays, students have digital skills that are much larger than any other student in the past. Traditional experiments in a real laboratory are still fundamental, however an increasing number of computers can be used to simulate experiments close to the experimental environment. This can be seen as a great advantage for science learning, as…

As quantum information science and technology (QIST) is becoming more prevalent and occurring not only in research labs but also in industry, many educators are considering how best to incorporate learning about quantum mechanics into various levels of education. Although much of the focus has been on quantum concepts in nonlab courses, current…