Can science be taught without a hands-on or experimental component? During this unfortunate pandemic, science educators have faced this unique challenge and schools and colleges around the world scrambled to try and correct this gap in training: such as Simulations, home experiments, experimental kits. To make matters worse, a one-size-fits-all approach may not be feasible… Continue reading Kit Experiments: Overview
Series: Home kit-based college physics experiments
This series is on the documentation of our experience with managing the experimental aspect of teaching physics at college level during the pandemic disruption.
Kit Experiments in Mechanics
The Course Mechanics being a first course in physics training, a balance of theory and hands-on activities gets the student ready to undertake a systematic study of other areas of physics. Accordingly they go hand-in-hand in our undergraduate first course taught at our University. On the theoretical side, a basic introduction to standard topics in… Continue reading Kit Experiments in Mechanics
Kit experiments in Waves
The Course What is usually done in labs on campus. Rationale for doing certain things. The Kit Materials sent to each of the 20 students in the course in Jan 2021:2 hacksaw blades1 slinky2 rubber bands6m string3 springs Home kit-based experiments The kit sent was very simple. However, students were able to do expts on… Continue reading Kit experiments in Waves
Kit experiments in Thermal Physics
The Course A "proper" course in Thermal physics should ideally include labs based on (a) measurement of quantities ( eg: pressure, temperature, heat), (b) verification of physical laws (gas laws, isothermal and adiabatic processes) and (c)observation of new and interesting phenomena (Boltzmann distribution, Phase transitions). In the online version, we put together a kit with… Continue reading Kit experiments in Thermal Physics
Kit Experiments in Electricity and Magnetism
The Course The electromagnetic force unifying electrical and magnetic forces, is one of the four fundamental forces. With gravitation, it is one of the two manifesting at a macroscopic level. A course on electricity and magnetism finds a place after an introduction to Newtonian mechanics. This course starts with techniques for computing electric and magnetic… Continue reading Kit Experiments in Electricity and Magnetism