Computer Data Acquisition, Data Analysis, and Experimental Simulation in the General Physics Laboratory

物理系学生对传统实验的兴趣正在下降，而传统实验一直是高校普通物理实验室的主要内容。他们经常使用过时的实验技术，学生们认为这些技术枯燥乏味，尽管所考虑的定律和思想仍然与现代世界息息相关。俄亥俄卫斯理大学的物理系正在通过在实验课程中引入创新实验来解决这个问题，这些实验广泛使用现代传感器，并在数据收集过程中使用计算机控制科学设备。计算机也被用来减轻学生手工分析和数据图形表示的繁琐任务。此外，正在使用微型计算机电子表格技术来模拟复杂的物理问题，或不容易通过直接实验获得的物理领域的问题。其目标是以一种令人兴奋的方式向学生展示，他们正在学习的原理是普遍适用的，并且超越了一般物理教科书中人为设计的问题。虽然本项目的重点是一般物理课程，但所购买的微型计算机和接口设备也被高年级工程预科和物理专业的学生用于复杂的数据分析技术和特殊项目。这所大学将给予同等数额的奖金。

Physics students have a declining interest in the traditional experiments which have been the mainstay of college general physics laboratory. All too often they involve use of outdated experimental techniques which students consider mundane and boring, even though the laws and ideas being considered are still quite relevant to the modern world. The physics department at Ohio Wesleyan is addressing this problem by introducing innovative experiments into the laboratory curriculum which make extensive use of modern sensors, and involve computer control of scientific equipment in the data gathering process. The computer is also being used to relieve the student of the tedious tasks of manual analysis and graphical presentation of the data. Additionally, microcomputer spreadsheet techniques are being used to simulate complex physical problems, or problems in areas of physics which are not easily accessible by direct experimentation. The goal is to show students in an exciting way that the principles they are studying are universally applicable and transcend the artificially contrived problems of general physics texts. While the emphasis in this project is on the general physics courses, the microcomputers and interfacing equipment purchased are also being used by upperclass pre- engineering and physics majors for sophisticated data analysis techniques and for special projects. The university will match the award with an equal amount.