Teaching Optics Topics in College Physics Laboratory Roman Ya. Kezerashvili New York City College of Technology The City University of New York Winter Meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers January 7, 2007, Seattle, Washington

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 We propose a list of experiments that could presented at the laboratory class in the second semester of college or university physics courses to study properties of light and electromagnetic waves The study of light can be organized into three domains: Geometric Optics Wave Optics Quantum Optics These domains are not strictly disjoint.

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Abstract We propose a list of designed experiments that could be presented at the laboratory class in the second semester of College and University Physics courses to study properties of light. The study of light can be organized into three domains: geometric optics, wave optics and quantum optics. These domains are not strictly disjoint. In the sets of experiments for the first domain students study the laws of reflection and refraction of light by measuring the dependence of the angles of reflection and refraction on the angle of incident, spherical mirrors and lenses, geometric optics of human eye. In the sets of experiments for the second domain students study the wave properties of light: dispersion, interference, diffraction and polarization. Experiments designed to verify the Malus’s law and measure the Brewster’s angle, determine the wavelength of laser light and study the interference on a transmission and reflection diffraction grating, diffraction on the different size slits and wires. The purposes of experiments for the third domain are to study the spectral lines of different gases, determine the Rydberg’s constant from the spectrum of hydrogen atom, and verify the laws of the photoelectric effect and Einstein’s quantum idea. The objectives of all experiments are to show the real action of physics laws, help students better understand and visualize the subject of the lecture.

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 I heard, and I forgot I see, and I remember I do, and I understand Chinese Proverb Lecture Lecture with Demo Lab Class Around 650 students yearly take these classes Usually 24 students in the Lab classes 8 setups of each experiment

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Geometric Optics Reflection and Refraction of Light by Measuring the Dependence of the Angles of Reflection and Refraction on the Angle of Incidence Mirror Rotated Table

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Rotated Table Acrylic Water Glass Refracted Material: Glass Water Acrylic Geometric Optics

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Refracted Ethaform Prism with Styrene Pellets Refraction and Reflection of Electromagnetic Waves Receiver Metal Reflector on Rotating Holder Transmitter Transmitter provides 15 mW of coherent, linearly polarized microwave output at a wavelength of 2.85 cm.

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Polarization of Light Photometer Polarizer Physical Optics

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Polarization of Electromagnetic Waves Polarizer Receiver Transmitter

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Polarization of Light and Electromagnetic Waves Experimental Data Malus’s law Polarization through Absorption

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Malus’s law Polarization through Absorption

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Interference: transmitted and reflected grating Laser transmitted grating CD: Reflected grating

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 y1y1 y1y1 y2y2 y2y2 Laser CD CD holder L Diffraction scale Optics bench Setup for measuring a grating space of a CD

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Interference ymym L

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Double –Slit Interference of EM Waves EM Wave Transmitter EM Wave Receiver Double Slit Transmitter Receiver

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Diffraction on a Wire and a Single Slit

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007

Photoelectric Effect f VsVs Yellow Green Blue Violet Ultraviolet

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Geometric Optics Michelson Interferometer

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Experimental Setup

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Experimental Setup Microwave Transmitter Microwave Receiver

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Experimental Setup Microwave Transmitter Microwave Receiver

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Experimental Setup Microwave Transmitter Microwave Receiver

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Experimental Setup L1=BC L2=AC Movable Reflector Microwave Transmitter Microwave Receiver Partial Reflector Reflector

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Experimental Setup Microwave Transmitter Microwave Receiver

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Experimental Setup L1=BC L2=AC Movable Reflector EM Wave Transmitter EM Wave Receiver Partial Reflector Reflector

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Experimental Setup EM wave Transmitter EM wave Receiver Reflector

AAPT Winter Meeting, Seattle, Washington, January 7, 2007 Conclusions All experiments show the real action of magnetic forces, sources of magnetic fields and magnetic induction, and help students better understand and visualize the subject of the lecture Students have more active and independent role in the learning process and develop critical thinking abilities