Hands-On-Physics
Introductory Electronics
OVERVIEW
Background:
This unit will give you some experience with electronics. By building a
model "security" system, you will become familar with simple electronic
circuits. The Core Project in this unit is the construction of a low-voltage
power supply. This power supply will be used in other HOP units. Doing science
often involves measurement with electronic devices, and physics research
is particularly dependent on the power of electronics.
Goals:
By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
- solder wires
- recognize circuit elements (resistors & capacitors)
- read circuit diagrams
- use a proto-board for circuit building
- debug a circuit
Learning Strategies:
- Learn by Doing
Most people learn concepts by making things and then thinking about them.
Too often students try to jump ahead and memorize the equations and definitions
without giving themselves time to think. This is why Hands On Physics units
emphasize "hands on" building.
- HOP Structure There are three major sections to each unit:
"messing around," a "core project," and then "extensions."
The "messing around" part is a chance to learn the big physics
concepts without worrying about a lot of details and computations. The "core
project" is an extended construction project that everyone does. Then
you choose one of a number of "extensions" to work on.
- Think in Lab It is important that you use your mind while you
are in the lab doing these various projects. You cannot just follow the
directions and fill in the blanks. We don't tell you every little step because
you should be learning how to do things yourself. Eventually, we want you
to be able to undertake an entire project. To get to this level, you have
to make larger and larger steps without help.
- Fill in the Gaps You may find this frustrating. You may get
mad at the instructions that seem vague and you may wish your teacher could
help you all the time. But before asking for help, talk it out in your group;
try to invent a way out of your problem. If you are not sure whether you
are doing the "right thing", write down what your problem was
and what you decided.
- Make Mistakes Rapidly Remember, it is okay to make mistakes;
we learn from our mistakes. Always think about safety and try to avoid breaking
things. But if you make a mistake, don't be discouraged; just try again.
The more mistakes you make, the more you must be learning.
Previous Page || Up
a Level || Index || Next
Page