An Interesting Physics Experiment
by Justin Blows, Callan Burgess, Daniel Burn, Emma Coen, Richard Collins,
Ian J. Cooper, Lawrence Cram, Lainie Emerson, Geoffrey Facer,
Tanya Feletto, Bryan Gaensler, Richard Henchman, Andrew Hopkins,
Andrew Lim, John Quartel, Katherine Robertson, Suman Seth,
Matt Sheumack and Sally Teh
This paper has been published in Australian and New Zealand
Physicist Education Supplement Jan/Feb 1994, vol 31, pages 1-6 (1994)
Abstract
In 1992, the Faculty of Science at the University of Sydney initiated
a ``Talented Students Program''. The purpose of this program is to
provide talented students with the opportunity to undertake activities
which depart from the normal undergraduate course offerings. Students
may for example, take advanced courses without necessarily completing
normal prerequisites, or they may select from a much wider range of
courses in order to develop greater breadth than is possible within the
usual program. As part of the Talented Students Program, a group
of students and staff in the School of Physics undertook an interesting
and challenging project during Second Semester. The aim of the project
was to develop an experiment for the First Year Laboratory course,
starting from the basic physical concepts, and ending with hardware
and laboratory notes which had been trialled in the laboratory itself.
The activity was challenging and stimulating for the students and staff
alike and represented an extremely enjoyable learning experience. Whilst
not achieving all of its aims, the outcomes are sufficiently promising that
we wish to share our experience with others.
Link to paper
Last updated: 20th May, 2025
Bryan Gaensler
gaensler@ucsc.edu