Re: On electronics (was Computer Skills)

["Dr. William Newbolt" <NewboltW@madison.acad.wlu.edu>]

> Date:          Thu, 17 Sep 1998 22:51:05 +0100
> Reply-to:      phys-l@mailer.uwf.edu
> From:          "Ludwik Kowalski" <KowalskiL@Mail.Montclair.edu>
> To:            phys-l@atlantis.uwf.edu
> Subject:       Re: On electronics (was Computer Skills)

> I may add that one does not learn the laws of nature while
> examining a complex integrated circuit. The law of nature
> are certainly involved but the behavior of a system is
> governed by the laws imposed by inventors (do this when
> that happens, etc.)  The system is so complex that laws of
> nature are overshadowed by the "man-made" laws. A computer
> is an example of a modern electronic gadget.
>
> One may argue that the same is true for a vacuum tube, a
> relay or a transistor. But these "man-made" devices are
> simple enough and their understanding is DIRECTLY based on
> the understanding of laws of nature. A system with too
> many simple components, even a heterodyne receiver build
> with tubes, is no longer appropriate for learning physics.
> Complex electronics is a child of physics but that child
> is so far away from parents that the genealogy is not at
> all obvious. A clear distinction between the electronics
> of components and electronics of complex systems may be
> useful. Learning the first (Bob was saying "basic
> electronics") helps to learn physics, learning the second
> may not be so useful, unless one wants to become an
> electronics expert (a valuable skill).
>
> I suspect that electronic engineering today is very very
> different from what it was fifty years ago. What
> percentage of learning time do they devote to physics in
> teaching electronics today? Do we have some electronics
> experts on phys-L?
>
> > As for electronics I am no longer sure it is as
> > important today as it was when I learned it, also in the
> > 50's. In those days electronics was really applied
> > physics. Today electronics means many things to many
> > people. To some it means what it used to be but most
> > often it is defined (implicitly) as a skill of
> > connecting (or replacing) black boxes, such as
> > operational amplifiers, etc. The components, usually
> > hidden, are too small to investigate.
> >                                                        L
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> > Bob Sciamanda wrote:
> >
> > > Since I began teaching (in the 50's) I have argued for
> > >  basic electronics as a necessary ingredient of the
> > > physics curriculum, citing its ubiquity in the
> > > implementation of almost any modern experimental
> > > procedure.
I agree with most of the above, but I need to point out 
that even the nuts and bolts of hooking together various 
complex electronic gadgets--computers, a to d converters, 
and transducers of various kinds--can be useful when it 
comes time to do a measurement.  Experiments are more and 
more automated today which is both a blessing and a curse.  
Instruments can record data for long periods of time with 
little problems,  but the data-recording and 
instrument-managing instruments must be maintained.   And 
it is important for the experimenter to know what the 
instruments are doing for him!
	
Doing experiments today is almost as complex as being an 
efficient home owner!  Modern homes have a lot of 
electronic gadgets too!
WBN
Barlow Newbolt
Department of Physics and Engineering
Washington and Lee University
Lexington, VA 24450
Telephone and Phone Mail:  540-463-8881
Fax: 540-463-8884
e-mail: NewboltW@madison.acad.wlu.edu

"Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future."
                                          
                                          Neils Bohr