Spring 2011 - Niles West HS

10:00 to 10:15 Break

10:15 to 11:00 Invited Talk: Chandralekha Singh

Facilitating thinking and learning in and beyond the classroom

11:00 to 11:15 Break

11:15 to 12:00 Invited Talk: Sivalingam Sivananthan

Solar Cells: from Academic Research to Industrial Application

12:00 to 1:00 Lunch and Business Meeting

12:30 to 1:00 Poster Session

1:00 to 3:00 Workshops

What Every Physics Teacher Should Know About Cognitive Research with Chandralekha Singh

1:00 to 3:00 PM

High School TIPERs with Curtis Hieggelke

1:00 to 2:00 PM

Abstracts, Affiliations, and Contact Information

Session A

Alex Antonow, Aneesh Sehgal, Ricard DeCoster, ricdec@d219.org

Niles West High School

Spitzer/NITARP Opportunities for Teachers and Students

NITARP [NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program] is an educational outreach program run by the Spitzer Science Center, California Institute of Technology. We have participated in this program for the past year. We have studied light curves for stars in the mid-infrared using the Infrared Array Camera on the Spitzer Space Telescope and have presented our results at a national conference of the American Astronomical Society. Here we outline the main features of the NITARP program and present summaries of our educational and research results. Our goal is to encourage you to consider participating in the ongoing program.

Elizabeth Ramseyer, eliram@d219.org

Niles West High School

NITARP AGN Studies with students and scientists

Students and teachers were assigned to work with a mentor scientists using Spitzer telescope data. Results of the research and teacher reflections on the experience will be presented.

Joseph Serpico, joeser@d219.org

Niles West High School

Experimenting with High-Speed Digital Video

The cost of high-speed video technology has recently become affordable to many classrooms and students can readily work with videos that range from 400-1000 frames per second. The sharing of high-speed physics videos on the internet allows for even greater employment of this technology in physics classrooms. Vernier's LoggerPro provides an interface for students to obtain data by stipulating a length measurement and declaring at what frame rate the high-speed video was taken. This presentation will include some highlights of videos taken in algebra-based physics labs and from a skiing field trip as well as the corresponding graphical analysis obtained from some of these videos. Comparisons between lab activities using high-speed video and more traditional data collecting methods will be considered.

Ilia Gulkarov, Paul J. Dolan, Jr., I-Gulkarov@neiu.edu

Northeastern Illinois University

The Proton and Neutron Radii of the Atomic Nuclei

We have analyzed the charge radii of the nuclei with A from 3 to 238. The data have been obtained from the electron-nucleus scattering experiments. These experiments give a very precise information on charge distributions in the nucleus. Nuclear charge radii have been calculated based on the formula r (Z) = (2Z)1/3 fm where r (Z) is the charge root mean square radii of the nuclei. It is well known that the radii of matter can be described well if we use a smooth A- dependence of nuclear radii r (A) = A1/3 fm. These two relations allow us to find the neutron radii r (N) assuming that the radius of matter is the combination of the proton and neutron radii r(A) = Z • r(Z)/A + N • r(N)/A. Thus, r (N) = [A4/3 – 21/3 Z4/3]/N (1) It is interesting to note that the formula r (N) = (2N)1/3fm gives almost the same values of the neutron radii as formula (1) for the nuclei with A from 12 to 238. The neutron distribution is not so well known as the proton. We have analyzed the radii of many nuclei-isotopes from He to U. The law r (A) = A1/3 poorly describes the experimental data of isotopes, therefore we used Aγ/3 where the coefficient γ describes the deviation of the radius from A1/3 and can be counted on the basis of γ = (3A/r) (Δr /ΔA) (2) The values of γ that come out of this analysis will be presented.

Samicchya Adhikari, Chong Choi, Kevin Filip, Michael Guzman, and Tylar Jozefczyk; Faculty Advisor Gordon Ramsey, gprspinphys@yahoo.com

Loyola University Chicago

Physics Analysis of Pianos

The purpose of our project is to understand how string vibrational and acoustical properties differ in grand and upright pianos. We sampled multiple octaves of notes, providing a wide range of data for comparison. The notes were played with different forces on the key to measure the effect of impulse on string vibration. We used the Vernier Lab Pro apparatus with sound software and high-speed digital photography to collect data. The sound data allowed us to compare the acoustical properties of the pianos. Analysis of the sound data revealed that the grand and upright piano do in fact have different acoustical properties. The grand piano showed higher richness in harmonics. We observed multiple oscillation modes in the video data and were able to reproduce their properties in Mathematica. We will discuss the results in detail in our presentation.

Brian Elwood, Andrew W. Puckett, Kim Coble, Stephanie Cortes, brianlwd@yahoo.com

Chicago State University

Searching For Potentially Hazardous Asteroids

We are searching for asteroids that are possible threats to our planet using astronomical images. The images were taken with the WIYN 0.9-meter telescope at the Kitt Peak National Observatory outside Tucson, Arizona. A variety of measurements of a selected asteroid’s orbit is collected and added to an astrometry file. This increases the accuracy percentage of predicting the asteroid’s position in the future. The types of software used in this research are Astrometrica, Image J, Find_Orb, and Guide. Astrometrica is an interactive software tool for astrometric data reduction of CCD images. Image J is used to measure the positions of celestial objects. The Find_Orb software is used to generate orbits for the asteroid and the Guide software displays the multiple orbits generated from Find_Orb. This work was supported in part by funding from the IL Space Grant Consortium.

Session B

Ted Erikson, sdog1@sbcglobal.net

R/E UnLtd.

A New Constant of Nature?

There are three important constants of Nature: Einstein’s “c”, the velocity of light,; Newton’s “G”, the gravitational; and Planck’s “h”, the quantum . Whereas “c” links length and time, “G” and “h” link mass, length, and time, there is no “constant” that link mass and length! (Biology’s “allometry” relates somewhat) Two simple geometric structures, the sphere and a regular tetrahedron, in juxtaposition suggest surface to volume interactions and sphere packing is a means to make a definition.

Diane Riendeau and Mitch Tucker, driendeau@dist113.org

Deerfield High School

Using Labs to Assess Learning

Labs are often used to help students develop an understanding of the relationship between variables. We like to use them at the end of a unit as an assessment tool. Used this way, the labs serve not only to test the students' knowledge of the relationships between the variables but also their understanding of how they interact in the real world.

Alma Navarro, Gustavo Torres, Edmundo Garcia, egarcia@csu.edu,

Chicago State University

Studies of Cosmic Rays at Chicago State University

We are conducting research on a subatomic particle called muon. Muons can be produced when high energy protons coming from stellar events descend into the upper atmosphere. The protons collide with the atmosphere’s molecules, creating a shower of many different particles, among them the muons. We are able to detect the muons, at Chicago State University, using scintillators, phototubes, and a data acquisition system that process the signal from the phototubes. We have measured the muon’s average velocity as follows: we calibrated the detectors, set up the instrumentation and took the data. By analyzing the recorded data, we are able to calculate the flow of muons and the time that it takes them to go between two detectors. The detectors are separated by a known distance. Precise measurements are important for our results. We have to make sure that we calculate the systematic error in our measurements. The geometry of the scintillator and the electronics noise contributed to the error of our measurements. In this talk, we will describe in detail this experiment and our results. We will also discuss our next objective, the measurement of a muon’s lifetime. Finally, we will put our research in the context of the more general objectives of our research group. This work is partially supported by NSF-CCLI grant DUE-0941034.

Scott Beutlich, sbeutlich@d155.org

Crystal Lake South HS

Physics: A History of Revolution and Change

This talk will focus on our ever-changing field of Physics and its effect on technology and society. Starting with the Copernican Revolution, which began the Scientific Revolution and passing onto Newton, Faraday, Maxwell, Einstein, Fermi and many others. Physics is always investigating, modifying and evolving to describe our complex world. Today’s great technologies we enjoy stem from our previous revolutionary changes in the way we view our world. The History of Physics is a history of new ideas and new technologies. What's next on the horizon?

Chaan Thomas, Mel Sabella, Edmundo Garcia, issacleibniz@yahoo.com

Chicago State University

Bringing Nuclear Physics Concepts into the Introductory Physics Course

By exposing students to concepts of in nuclear physics through Physics Education Research-based modules we hope to both educate and excite all science students about this field and the connection of basic physics principles to modern research topics. In order to accomplish this we are developing a “thread” which spans the introductory physics curriculum and engages students in different disciplines at different levels. These “modules” will forum a continuum which will gradually familiarize students with the field of nuclear physics. Education research and informal student feedback will be used to improve upon these modules. In this talk we discuss our first activity which ties energy and energy transfer to the detection of muons. In addition we will present student feedback on the activity and preliminary results on student understanding of energy. This project is supported by the National Science Foundation (DUE-094103).

Sharlene Denos, denos@illinois.edu

Center for the Physics of Living Cells, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Biology in the Physics Classroom

Our outreach program works with local schools to develop and teach lessons that bring physics & math into biology and biology into physics. I will present two recent lessons, one on motors and another on protein folding, along with how they relate to new discoveries in our Center's laboratories. I will also explain the summer opportunities we have for K-12 and community college teachers who want to get some experience in biological physics.

Poster Session

C. T. Camarillo, G. L. Cochran, K. Coble, V. L. Hayes, M. D. Nickerson, J. M. Bailey, K. M. McLin, L. R. Cominsky, ccamaril@csu.edu

Chicago State University

Investigating Student Understanding if the Universe: Age and Expansion

At Chicago State University we are reforming our introductory astronomy course. As a part of this effort, we seek to bring the tools and advances of recent cosmological research to the classroom by developing curricular materials that support students in learning cosmological topics using real data and cosmological research methods. Analysis of pre-course surveys, pre-course essays, and pre-instructional interviews indicate that students bring to the classroom an array of incorrect ideas. Analysis of assessments, post-instructional interviews, and student comments on laboratory activities indicate that their ideas on this topic have changed to be more in line with scientific evidence. Yet, students are still unable to perform the measurements and calculations necessary to determine the age of the universe or explain the expansion of the universe after instruction. This project is part of a larger study; see our posters on student ideas about the structure of the universe and dark matter.

V. L. Hayes, K. Coble, M. D. Nickerson, G. L. Cochran, C. T. Camarillo, J. M. Bailey, K. M. McLin, L. R. Cominsky, virginialensiehayes@yahoo.com

Chicago State University

Investigating Student Understanding of the Universe: Structure

Chicago State University (CSU) offers an introductory astronomy course that services students from a variety of majors including pre-service teachers. At CSU, we have been investigating methods and tools that will improve student conceptual understanding in astronomy for this diverse group of students. We have analyzed pre-course surveys, pre-course essays, exams, and interviews in an effort to better understand the ideas and difficulties in understanding that students have in regards to the structure of the universe. Analysis of written essays has revealed that our students do have some knowledge of the objects in the universe, but interviews inform us that their understanding of the structure of the universe is superficial. This project is a part of a larger study; see our posters on student ideas about dark matter and the age and expansion of the universe as well.

M. D. Nickerson, K. Coble, G. L. Cochran, V. L. Hayes, C. T. Camarillo, J. M. Bailey, K. M. McLin, L. R. Cominsky, mnickers@csu.edu

Chicago State University

Investigating Student Understanding of the Universe: Dark Matter

Student pre-course surveys reveal that students who enter the classroom have little knowledge or understanding of the concept of Dark Matter (DM). At Chicago State University, we enthusiastically introduce this concept to students through interactive tutorials and hands-on inquiry-based laboratory activities. We have analyzed pre and post laboratory assessments and student interviews to determine the extent to which these tutorials have helped our students to gain a more robust understanding of the topic. The results of this work will be presented. This project is a part of our efforts at CSU to reform our introductory astronomy course. This project is part of a larger study; see our posters on student ideas about the age and expansion of the universe and the structure of the universe as well.