Redesign of the General Physics Laboratory Utilizing Computer Technology

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The Grinnell College Physics Department is redesigning the introductory physics laboratory in order to incorporate new teaching methods and new technology. The most conspicuous change is the introduction of microcomputers for data acquisition and analysis. The computers are equipped with versatile data acquisition hardware and software, as well as with graphing software, to permit the same instrumental configuration to be easily adapted to a wide variety of experimental situations with minimal software development effort. The computers perform the more repetitive and non- educational tasks, leaving the decisionmaking and intellectual processing to the students. The use of computers in the lab has several educational benefits: 1) experiments for which data must be taken rapidly become possible; 2) experiments which involve a great deal of repetitive analysis require less time between performing the experiment and seeing the result, increasing the impact on the student; 3) students are able to see both their own results and the class average, allowing them to see the effects of experimental uncertainties; 4) experiments can be designed to be more flexible, allowing greater accommodation to the different abilities and interests of the students; 5) new or revised experiments can be made available more easily; and 6) students are gaining some experience with the use of computers for data acquisition and analysis. These changes result in a laboratory experience which is better suited to the needs of our students, who are then able to concentrate more on understanding the physics and less on the mechanical handling of the data.