For high school teachers of physics, chemistry, and physical science:
PHS 560: Light and Matter
July 1 - Aug. 2, 2002
2:30 - 4:30 PM, MTWTh
Arizona State University, Physical Sciences Center, room H-358
line # 87375
Instructors: Richard Clawson,
in consultation with Prof. José Menéndez
Teaching Associate: Larry Dukerich
We expect to offer stipends, free housing, and some free tuition for this
and other courses (visit modeling.asu.edu). Reply to Jane.Jackson@asu.edu
if interested.
GOALS:
This course has three primary goals:
1. To develop classical and quantum models of the interaction of matter and
light, and explore how they can be used to understand a variety of
phenomena.
2. To stimulate the development of materials and approaches that help high
school teachers in their efforts to bring these topics into their
classrooms.
3. To experience the beauty of physics and mathematics.
BASIC PHILOSOPHY:
The fundamental physics experience is not the memorization of facts
such as the number of quarks in a proton but the consistent modeling of
reality based on a few basic laws. Unfortunately, serious modeling at the
frontiers of physics requires a level of mathematical and physical
sophistication that even graduate students of physics find extremely hard
to achieve. Consequently, teachers at the university or high school level
must switch at some point from a modeling to a descriptive approach. The
pressure to do so is probably stronger at the high school level, where
students presumably prefer to discuss neutrinos and black holes rather than
Atwood machines or free fall.
The frontier between the modeling and the descriptive approach is
not fixed, but can be shifted in favor of the modeling approach with the
help of pedagogical innovations. This course will attempt to stimulate such
innovations in the field of light and matter interactions.
The classical models will be developed at what the instructors
consider to be the minimum level required for complete quantitative
modeling. The quantum models will be developed at a level appropriate for
some quantitative and some qualitative modeling. In both cases, this will
often be a higher level than that of a standard high school class.
Therefore, the challenge for the participant teachers will be to ascertain
to what extent the materials can be further developed and adapted so that
serious modeling on light and matter can take place in their classrooms.
PROGRAM:
The course will begin by reviewing and/or introducing-during the
first week-basic mathematical and physical concepts, such as the use of
derivatives, the physics of the harmonic oscillator, and complex numbers.
Two weeks will be devoted to exploring light and matter interactions from
the perspective of the classical theory of electromagnetic fields and
simple models of matter.
Next the limitations and contradictions of the classical approach
will be discussed, and the subject will be presented from the perspective
of quantum mechanics for the last two weeks. Possible topics for
application of quantum models include LEDs and transistors, lasers,
superconductors, and astronomy.
PREREQUISITES:
Algebra-level knowledge of Newtonian mechanics, electricity and
magnetism will be assumed. Some calculus (primarily derivatives and partial
derivatives) and vectors will be used. These will be developed in class,
but students will benefit greatly if they have a chance to review them on
their own ahead of time. The mathematical level will be somewhere between
standard ASU algebra-level and calculus-level courses.
LECTURE STYLE:
There will be little lecturing in the traditional sense. At the
beginning of each session the students will receive a handout with a guided
list of activities. Depending on the activities, the students will perform
experiments, run computer simulations, or work in groups at a whiteboard.
Often students will be divided into groups to work on different problems
and report their results later to the entire class.
If the particular session requires working as separate groups, the
entire class will sit together to draw conclusions at the end of the
session.
Where appropriate, at the end of a session the group will discuss
the possible uses of the topic in a high school context.
Jane Jackson, Co-Director, Modeling Instruction Program
Box 871504, Dept.of Physics & Astronomy,ASU,Tempe,AZ 85287
480-965-8438/fax:965-7331 <http://modeling.asu.edu>
Wisdom is applying knowledge to human needs.