Introductory Physics Laboratotries for Nonphysics Students

Cuny Hunter College, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

Physics (13) The laboratory part of an introductory physics class can help the students gain a better understanding of basic physical concepts and how these concepts are described mathematically. This project is revising the laboratories for the first- semester course for students who do not plan on going into the physical sciences or engineering to better accomplish these goals. It is adapting major parts of the Real Time Physics laboratories for students at the College. In these laboratories the data are displayed graphically on a computer while they are being taken, and this allows the students to make a mental connection between what is going on in the experiment and its mathematical description. This makes the course a more enjoyable and profitable one for the students and leads to lower attrition rates. While the Real Time Physics laboratories are very good, there is still room for improvement. The project is introducing topics which are not covered in these laboratories, such as elementary error analysis, and additional exercises which enable the students to better understand the physics of the experiment. The project is based on success with these improvements in another physics class which is taught at Hunter College.