Development of a Microcomputer Based Laboratory for Introductory Physics

一个以微机为基础的物理学入门实验室 班级已经建立。 除了电脑， 适当的接口和软件实验室设备， 用于各种基于计算机的实验， 学期的课程已经购买。 该项目 是围绕Macintosh电脑网络设计的。 的 物理研讨会开发的通用实验室界面 项目和科学思维工具项目正在 与适当的传感器配合使用，从气轨输入数据 和旋转力学装置。 该项目旨在 向这些课程的学生介绍 科学数据采集与分析的主要方法 今天工作。 此外，以前的几个实验 我们的节目中没有介绍过。 高年级 物理专业的学生在评估设备方面起着重要的作用， 和实验的可能性。 我们计划 继续让他们参与实验室的开发。 最终 该项目将发展到计算机将 几乎每个实验室都有使用 互动 模拟软件可供学生使用， 模型实验和研究影响，如空气阻力， 通常不占。 这些设备被用于 主要是由学生在入门实验室，但当不被 在这种能力中使用，计算机可用于 高年级的学生可以使用。

A microcomputer-based laboratory for the introductory physics classes has been established. In addition to computers, appropriate interfaces and software lab apparatus that can be used for a variety of computer-based experiments in the first semester of the courses have been purchased. The project has been designed around a network of Macintosh computers. The universal lab interface developed by the Workshop Physics project and the Tools for Scientific Thinking project are being used with appropriate transducers to input data from air track and rotational mechanics apparatus. This project serves to introduce the students in these courses to what has become the main method for data acquisition and analysis in scientific work today. In addition several experiments that previously were not in our program have been introduced. Upperclass physics majors have been instrumental in evaluating equipment and experiment possibilities for these labs. We plan to continue to involve them in the lab development. Eventually the project will evolve to the point that computers will be used in some capacity in almost every lab. Interactive simulation software is being made available for the students to model experiments and study effects, such as air resistance, normally not accounted for. This equipment is being used mainly by students in the introductory labs, but when not being used in that capacity, the computers are available for the upperclass majors to use.