Advanced Lab Topical Conference 2009

Session III: Curricular Roles for Advanced Labs

What are we doing?What should we do?

Introduction: some historical contextElizabeth George, Wittenberg Univ.

In what year was the first paper on an “advanced lab” course published in the

American Journal of Physics?

A) 1934 (vol. 2)

B) 1944 (vol. 12)

C) 1955 (vol. 23)

D) 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 ePhotoelectric effect

Balmer series of the H atomZeeman effectRaman 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