Training in experimental physics: through demonstrations and problems

This book is an outcome of a research project carried out by the authors at the Homi - Bhabha Centre for Science Education. The project was aimed at developing innovative content and appropriate pedagogic strategies for the physics laboratory at higher secondary and undergraduate levels. The book is divided in two parts. Part One presents a critical overview of training in experimental physics, which include the objectives and a brief history of physics laboratory training. It gives a classification of experimental activities and the importance and role of laboratory training. It explains what is meant by procedural understanding in physics and presents a model of science, based on the problem solving approach. It also offers suggestions for selection and development of contents, instructional and evaluation strategies, and a course in experimental physics. Part Two gives the necessary details of a set of ten experimental problems and demonstrations. In this part, each chapter is devoted to an experimental problem and a related demonstration. Each chapter is divided in to two sections, the first section deals with the demonstration. It begins with a statement of the objective of the demonstration followed by a 'teacher handout`, which provides all the necessary details of the demonstration along with references. The second section of each chapter deals with the experimental problem. It is divided in to four sub-sections namely, student handout, model answer, salient features of the experimental problem and possible modifications in the experimental problem, and the setup.