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This session discusses the evolution of advanced laboratory courses in physics, tracing historical publications from the American Journal of Physics. Highlighting early influential works from 1934 to 1965, we explore how lab courses have been designed to establish fundamental principles in physics. Key goals include reigniting interest in lab work, fostering connections between faculty and students, and equipping students with modern experimental techniques. The session aims to review current practices and recommend future improvements in advanced lab education.
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Advanced Lab Topical Conference 2009 Session III: Curricular Roles for Advanced Labs What are we doing? What should we do? Introduction: some historical context Elizabeth George, Wittenberg Univ.
In what year was the first paper on an “advanced lab” course published in the American Journal of Physics? • 1934 (vol. 2) • 1944 (vol. 12) • 1955 (vol. 23) • 1962 (vol. 30)
A Laboratory Course in Atomic PhysicsO. Oldenberg, FF Rieke, Harvard AJP* 2, 163 (1934) “theoretical ideas are most satisfactorily established only when the student… succeeds in deriving the fundamental atomic constants by various independent methods” Including Ratio of specific heats cp/cv Millikan oil drop determination of e Photoelectric effect Balmer series of the H atom Zeeman effect Raman effect *actually The American Physics Teacher
Other early “advanced lab course” AJP articles (1) • “Laboratory course for seniors in physics,” KE Fitzsimmons (Wash. St.), AJP 23, 169 (1955) • Millikan oil-drop, Thermionic emission, Franck-Hertz, Alpha particle range, Construction of rf oscillators, … • students also “invited to make original contributions in connection with research projects … in the department” • Goals: re-establish interest in lab work, establish “inspirational contact” between staff and student, train in lab techniques and instrumentation
Other early “advanced lab course” AJP articles (2) • “The Senior Physics Lab Course at Dartmouth College,” WP Davis, Jr, AJP 30, 565 (1962) • Magnetized top, Color centers, Driven pendulum, Mass spectrometer, NMR, Millikan oil-drop, Zeeman effect, Gamma-ray interactions, Optical pumping, Exploding water jet, … • Goals: Pick up modern experimental techniques; stimulate interest in research
Other early “advanced lab course” AJP articles (3) • “Advanced Physics Lab Course at Cornell,” PL Hartman, AJP 33, 776 (1965) • Photoelectric effect, Electron lens, RF transmission line, Optical pyrometry, Muon lifetime, Thick lens, Michelson interferometer, Optical activity, Zeeman effect, Thermoluminescence, Polarization of x-rays, Ultrasonics, Millikan oil-drop,… • Goals: bridge between introductory labs and research; learn experimental techniques; do classic experiments; become acquainted with recent discoveries