Gordon Aubrecht

107 Journal Topics and Homework

Journals are due Friday by midnight unless specifically told otherwise. Email journals to aubrecht@mps.ohio-state.edu

Please put your name, group, AND preferred email address at the top of each email journal entry, as you may send it from a machine that automatically puts another return address on the file. No handwritten or typed journals can be accepted. Remember to put your personal email address, to which I should send the reply, at the top of your journal entry!

Please do not submit the journal the week before it is due even if the journal topic has been made public. Please wait until the end of that week.

Please remember to check the homework for the week after class Wednesday for any changes that might be made.
Homeworks are due Fridays by the start of class unless you are specifically told otherwise.

Week 2
Journal Entry 1

Hi, we’re glad you signed up for Physics by Inquiry. We would like to get acquainted. For your first journal entry we’d like to know:

Before beginning this course, what did you believe it meant to be a “teacher”? How does a teacher act? Lecture? Demonstrate? Whatever, not listed here? Explain your reasons for thinking as you did about teaching.
What is your major? Or what major would you like to be in the future? Why did you choose that major?
In your opinion, is learning science important? How will a knowledge of science concepts related to your future occupation? To the rest of your life?
Why are you taking this course? Had you heard about this course (tell us what, either good or bad)? Did your advisor suggest you take it? Do you expect to get something from the course that you can use in the future?
How would you describe your attitude toward physics?
This week in Physics 107 you learned about short circuits. How did you learn it? What techniques for teaching/learning helped you learn? Why/how do you believe what you learned is the correct description of the way nature works? (be specific) How could you use these techniques in your own teaching (assume you are or will be a teacher for purposes of your answer)?

Homework 1: Supplementary Problems 1.1 and 1.4, p. 494 and 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3, pp. 495-496. (We expect you to speak with your group members, but remember, you must write up your answers yourself!)

due 4 April 2008

Week 3
Journal Entry 2

This course is different in many ways from other courses, and we’d like to take this opportunity to ask you how the course is going for you so far.
Group Work: Have you had any experience in working in groups in your other classes? Is the group work in this class any different from the group work in other classes? Does your group help you to learn, or not? What do you like best about your group? What would you change about the group work? Given a choice, would you rather work with your present group, a different group, a smaller group, or alone? Feel free to write what you think. Have you talked about this with your group?
Predicting: In this class, you’re often asked to make predictions before actually doing an experiment. Why do you think you’re asked to predict things? Do you think it’s useful? Why or why not? What is the role you see for predictions in this class?
This week in Physics 107 you learned about how bulb brightness changes in circuits that are in parallel when one bulb is unscrewed. How did you learn it? What techniques for teaching/learning helped you learn? Why/how do you believe what you learned is the correct description of the way nature works? (be specific) How could you use these techniques in your own teaching (assume you are or will be a teacher for purposes of your answer)?

Homework 2: Problems 3.2, 3.3, and 3.5, pp. 497-498 and 4.4, page 500.

due 11 April 2008

Week 4
Journal Entry 3

By the end of this last week, you will have finished three weeks of Physics by Inquiry. We’d like to get an idea of what you’ve learned so far, and how you’ve learned it.

In section 5.1 you learned a very important concept of the connection between wire length and current in the wire.
Explain how you learned this concept. What did you do first to understand the concept? How did discussing the question with your group change your understanding? Of the things you did to understand the concept, such as drawing a diagram, experimenting with the bulbs, thinking about the question of the current supplied by the battery, which approaches were helpful? Were any not helpful?
Can you think of an example from everyday life that uses the concept you discussed above?
We are interested in how you use the textbook in this course. Is it the same way as you use your books in other courses? Do you prefer this sort of course textbook to the more “usual” kind, or is the other sort more comfortable?
Quiz: The first quiz may have been very different from the types of quizzes that you have taken before. What was different about it? Why do you think we request you explain things in words? Why do you think the course and the quiz are put together as they are?
What did you learn in Physics 107 this week? How did you learn it? What techniques for teaching/learning helped you learn? Why/how do you believe what you learned is the correct description of the way nature works? (be specific) How could you use these techniques in your own teaching (assume you are or will be a teacher for purposes of your answer)?

Suppose you were the teacher for Physics 107 and you wanted to put a particular, specific question on the next quiz that would make sure that your students really understood the experiences they’d had and could reason from them. For example, you might write down a diagram with three identical bulbs that are not in standard form, but have bulb A in parallel with bulbs B and C in series and then say “Draw the standard circuit diagram for the circuit shown. Accompany the drawing with a full explanation for your choices.”
Make up such a specific question yourself in the detail as exemplified above and explain how it can help you decide whether your students understood the concept (for example, what mistakes in answering you think they might make).

Homework 4: Problems Problems 4.6, 4.7, and 5.1, pp. 500-502, and A, B, and C, below:

A. Consider two circuits made with identical bulbs. Circuit #1 has three bulbs, Z, Y, and X connected in series across a battery. Circuit #2 has one side of bulb Z connected to the positive terminal of the battery and the other side connected to bulb Y; then the other side of bulb Y is connected to the junction on one side of bulbs V and W in parallel, then the other junction of the parallel is connected to bulb X, the other side of which is then is connected to the negative terminal of the battery.
a. How do the currents in bulbs X, Y, and Z compare to the current through the battery in circuit #1? Explain your reasoning.
b. How do the currents in bulbs V, W, X, Y, and Z compare to the current through the battery in circuit #2? Explain your reasoning.
c. How does the current through the battery in circuit #1 compare to that through the battery in circuit #2 if both were hooked to identical batteries? Explain your reasoning.

B. For the circuits of Problem A, how does the current through the battery change in the following situations? Compare in each situation to the original current in that circuit. Explain your reasoning.
a. Circuit #1, if the bulbs are unscrewed in sequence (and rescrewed in before the next bulb is unscrewed).
b. Circuit #2, if the bulbs are unscrewed in sequence (and rescrewed in before the next bulb is unscrewed).
c. Circuit #1, if the bulbs are shorted out one at a time, one by one, and unshorted before the next bulb in the sequence is shorted.
d. Circuit #2, if the bulbs are shorted out one at a time, one by one, and unshorted before the next bulb in the sequence is shorted.
e. Both circuits, if all the bulbs together are shorted out at the same time.

C. Draw a circuit in standard form of the “truck” circuit shown in the picture.

due 18 April 2008

Week 5

Journal Entry 4

Sometimes you’re asked to come up with your own experiments for testing an idea. Why do you think you’re asked to do that? Do you think designing your own experiments is useful? Why or why not?

In this class, various methods are used to get input and feedback from you. Some of them, such as homework, quizzes and exams, are used in many courses. Others, such as diagnostics and journals, are less frequently used. We find information from all of these useful for improving the course. However, we would like to know if these help you to learn better in any way. We would appreciate your sharing your opinions with us.

Consider homework, quizzes, exams, diagnostics, and journals. Which of these help you to understand physics concepts better? Has the journal played any role in helping you with this class? How about the diagnostics? Do you see any advantage of having diagnostics at the start of every section? You have a quiz or exam every other week, in addition to your diagnostics. Do you think there are too many tests, too few tests, or just the right number? Please tell us why.

This week in Physics 107 you learned how to define and measure resistance in terms of a circuit using nichrome wire. How did you learn it? What techniques for teaching/learning helped you learn? Why/how do you believe what you learned is the correct description of the way nature works? (be specific) How could you use these techniques in your own teaching (assume you are or will be a teacher for purposes of your answer)?

If you’ve taken Physics 106, or 108, we’d appreciate it if you could compare your experience from last quarter (or whenever) and this quarter.

Suppose again that you were the teacher for Physics 107 and you wanted to put a particular, specific question on the next quiz that would make sure that your students really understood the experiences (see example in Week 4). Make up such a specific question yourself in the detail as exemplified above and explain how it can help you decide whether your students understood the concept (for example, what mistakes in answering you think they might make).

Homework 4: Problems 5.1, 5.4, and 5.6, pp. 502-503 and 6.2 and 6.3, p. 504-505

due 25 April 2008

Week 6

Journal Entry 5

One of our goals is to give you the tools and confidence needed to teach some physics. To do this you’ll not only have to learn the content, but also think about how to adapt what we’re doing to a different situation. If you plan to teach at the elementary or middle school level, for example, there will probably be one teacher to 30 students, as opposed to the teacher to student ratio in our class. What else would be different?

For the following questions, imagine you are an elementary or middle school teacher.

What physics concepts taught so far in this class could be taught in your classroom? Would you teach the concepts the same way you learned them or modify their presentation depending on the age of the students? If you modify, how would you do that?
How would you adapt the structure of the material to work in a time period of about 45 minutes each day?
Would you use the same inquiry method of teaching as the instructors are doing right now? Why or why not? Would it be necessary to modify the teaching method also?
How would you keep elementary or middle school students on track in a group effort? How would you determine whether the group is functioning, and how strict you should be with students who are disrupting the group and/or falling behind?

In Physics 107 this week you learned about the difference between the resistances of voltmeters and ammeters. How did you learn it? What techniques for teaching/learning helped you learn? Why/how do you believe what you learned is the correct description of the way nature works? (be specific) How could you use these techniques in your own teaching (assume you are or will be a teacher for purposes of your answer)?

Homework 5: Problems 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, p. 505-507 and J and K, below.

J. In the circuit shown, the resistors are lengths of nichrome wire.

a. Explain what would happen if x were made shorter.
b. How does the reading on A₄ change as x changes? On A₁? On A₃? On V₅?
c. How does the reading on V₄ change as x changes? On V₁? On V₂? On V₃?
d. Assume that A₁ reads 100 mA, x is 10 cm. Could ammeter A₃ read 200 mA? Explain. If it did, what are the readings on A₂ and A₄?
e. Assume that A₁ reads 100 mA, x is 10 cm. Could ammeter A₂ read 200 mA? Explain. If it did, what are the readings on A₃ and A₄? What are the readings on the voltmeters?
f. Assume that A₁ reads 100 mA, x is 50 cm. Could ammeter A₂ read 200 mA? Explain. If it did, what are the readings on A₃ and A₄? What are the readings on the voltmeters?
g. Assume that A₁ reads 100 mA, x is 5.0 cm. Could ammeter A₂ read 200 mA? Explain. If it did, what are the readings on A₃ and A₄? What are the readings on the voltmeters?
h. Suppose the switch is opened (x = 45 cm). What happens to the readings on all the meters?

K. Order the circuits (call them 1, top left, through 4, bottom right) by amount of current flowing through the battery, from greatest to least.

due 2 May 2008--Sorry I forgot to put this up on the website!!!! These are now due by Wednesday, 7 May. Of course, journals may be done any time up to midnight, even Monday or tuesday, should you wish to.

Week 7

Journal Entry 6

In the process of studying Physics by Inquiry, some of you have tried experiments that weren’t in the manual. If you have tried an experiment that wasn’t in the manual, describe the experiment and discuss the results. If you haven’t tried an experiment that wasn’t in the manual, discuss an experiment you would like to try, or discuss the results of an experiment in the manual that surprised you.

Imagine that you were explaining to your friend Diana, a student just like you (with the same ability and intelligence) who is thinking of taking Physics 107, exactly what was expected and how to understand what is happening in class. She wants you to tell her what to do and how to study for the class in order to be able to learn best. Diana really wants to understand physics and does not care about her grade (as long as she can pass).

Suppose again that you were the teacher for Physics 107 and you wanted to put a particular, specific question on the next quiz that would make sure that your students really understood the experiences (see example in Week 4). Make up such a specific question yourself in the detail as exemplified above (that means I need what resistors you plan to use, etc.) and explain how it can help you decide whether your students understood the concept (for example, what mistakes in answering you think they might make).

In Physics 107 this week, you learned about the voltage across an open switch. Why does the open switch have a voltage across it while a closed switch does not? How did you learn about this? What techniques for teaching/learning helped you learn? Why/how do you believe what you learned is the correct description of the way nature works? (be specific) How could you use these techniques in your own teaching (assume you are or will be a teacher for purposes of your answer)?

Homework 6: Problems 8.2, p. 507, and AD and AE, below.

AD. You should know by now that connecting two batteries that have identical voltages positive to positive or negative to negative produces a net voltage of zero.
a. What would be the net voltage from 20 1.50 V batteries connected in series with positive to negative terminals connected? What would the net voltage be if immediately next to this set of batteries is another set of twenty batteries also connected in series with positive to negative terminals but with the positive terminal of one“tower of batteries” is directly connected to the positive terminal of the other “tower of batteries”?
b. Now suppose one “tower of batteries” has twenty batteries, but the other “tower of batteries” has only 15. What would the net voltage be then? Explain your reasoning.

AE. The circuit shown consists of a battery and four identical bulbs. We know that V₁ reads 3.00 V.
a. What is the voltage is across bulbs 1, 2, 3, and 4 and the reading you predict for voltmeter V₂? (Assume ideal wires here.) Explain your answers.
b. Suppose you insert a 1.5 V battery between bulbs 2 and 3 positive end downward. What possible voltages could you find for the bulbs now?
c. Suppose you insert a 1.5 V battery between bulbs 2 and 3 positive end upward. What possible voltages could you find for the bulbs now?
d. Insert a 1.5 V battery connecting the upper and lower wires in parallel to bulb 1. What will be the bulb voltages if the positive end of the battery points upward? What if the positive end points downward?

due 9 May 2008

Week 8

Journal Entry 7

This week’s journal is an open topic journal. You may write on any topic you wish.

In Physics 107 this week you learned about how to work with several current loops. How did you learn about it? What techniques for teaching/learning helped you learn? Why/how do you believe what you learned is the correct description of the way nature works? (be specific) How could you use these techniques in your own teaching (assume you are or will be a teacher for purposes of your answer)?

Suppose you were the teacher for Physics 107 and you wanted to put a particular, specific question on the next quiz that would make sure that your students really understood the experiences they’d had and could reason from them. For example, you might write down a diagram with three identical bulbs that are not in standard form, but have bulb A in parallel with bulbs B and C in series and then say “Draw the standard circuit diagram for the circuit shown. Accompany the drawing with a full explanation for your choices.” Make up such a specific question yourself and explain how it can help you decide whether your students understood the concept.

Now, having answered the question above giving advice to Diana about the course as fully as you could, consider a separate question. If you were to say something to Diana about formulas as used in class, which of the following would you choose--and why?

a. Since formulas are not really what’s tested, they’re not very important, worth under 5% of his study time.
b. Formulas are a little important, but not nearly as important as certain other things such as the problem-solving techniques or the qualitative concepts. They are worth between 5% and 10% of his study time.
c. Being very familiar with the formulas is fairly important, worth 10% to 20% of his study time.
d. Being very familiar with the formulas is quite important, worth 20% to 30% of his study time.
e. Being very familiar with the formulas is very important, worth 30% to 40% of his study time.
f. Being very familiar with the formulas is essential, worth over 40% of his study time.

Homework 7: (tentative) 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, and 8.6, p. 507-508.

due 16 May 2008

Week 9

Journal Entry 8

In Physics by Inquiry, the midterms and quizzes are probably different from those in your other courses. How do you find them different, if they are? What changes would you make in the quizzes and midterms if you were in charge? Explain.

In Physics by Inquiry, the instructor behaved differently and interacted with you differently from those in your other courses. What do you think about the checkpoints? How do you find the differences useful, if they are? What changes would you make if you were in charge? Explain.

Has a question on a midterm or test been unfair, and why? If you thought all of them were fair, what would make a question unfair, and why?

What has surprised you most about how you personally have reacted to this course? Were there any surprises about other aspects of the course, such as

interactions with others (groupmates, teachers, other Physics 107 students)?
the experiments you did?
the ways of understanding demanded in this course as contrasted to those in the other courses you take?

In this class, input and feedback are obtained from you through diagnostics, journal entries, homework, questions of the day, quizzes, and exams. On a scale from 0 (least useful) to 6 (most useful), please rate each of these.
diagnostics
journal entries
homework
questions of the day
quizzes
exams

Do you have any examples from this course (or any other course) to support your opinion?

How is your group functioning now as compared to the beginning of the quarter?

In Physics 107 this week you learned about how to redraw circuit diagrams to make them clearer and to see how currents flow and voltages across elements behaves in series and in parallel. How did you learn about it? What techniques for teaching/learning helped you learn? Why/how do you believe what you learned is the correct description of the way nature works? (be specific) How could you use these techniques in your own teaching (assume you are or will be a teacher for purposes of your answer)?

Homework 8: (tentative) Problems 9.3, 9.4, 9.6, 9.7, and 9.8, pp. 509-510.

due 23 May 2008

Week 10

Please note that you will be doing Ex. 10.5 through 10.14 at home between Wednesday and Friday in communication with groupmates. You will skip forward from Sec. 9 Wednesday after finishing all of 8 and doing the Sec. 9 diagnostic until after you get checkpointed on Sec. 10.4. (You have already done the part of Sec. 9 in earlier sections that can probably get you through the diagnostic even if you haven’t been totally checkpointed for Sec., 9.) Please bring in your notes for each of the Exercises to hand in on Friday when you are checkpointed for these exercises. You will receive up to 15 points of homework credit for turning in a good faith effort to answer each of these exercises (these are the “missing” homework points). As a result of this assignment, after you are checkpointed in class for Ex. 10.4 you will return to Secs. 8a and 9 and do those experiments.

Journal Entry 9

This is the last journal entry. Double check our records of the journal entries you turned in. Please make sure all your journal entries have been received on our computers (that means you should have received responses to each--you’ve no response, I’ve not got it). If not, send the missing files as soon as possible! Now for the questions:

How would you describe inquiry-based instruction?
How would you compare your attitude toward physics before and after this class?
If attendance didn’t count toward the grade, would you still have come to class regularly? Why, or why not?
Over the entire quarter, what one topic was most interesting to you? Why?
Name one physics idea that you initially had trouble with, but that you understood after struggling with it.
a.What did you need to do to learn and understand this idea?
b. Please describe your feelings after you had learned it. Did you feel a sense of accomplishment because of this effort, or did you feel despondent because other students understood it much more quickly than you did?
What is your general opinion of the course? Would you recommend that others take it? If you had known at the beginning what this course was really like, would you have taken it yourself?
Could you teach this course to other college students such as yourself? Would you like to teach this course in the future, particularly if you were to receive education or science credit for doing so?
Is there anything else you would like to mention?

Homework 9: (tentative) 10.1, 10.6, 10.8, 11.1, and 12.1, p. 511, 513-515.

due 30 May 2008

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Created by: aubrecht@mps.ohio-state.edu [revised 19 May 2008]