Basic Physical Concepts Research Articles

Development of Contextual Teaching and Learning-Based Test Instruments to Improve 21st Century Skills in Students

The purpose of this study was to develop a test instrument for the basic physics concept course which was compiled based on the CTL learning model to improve students' 21st century skills (4C). This type of research is R&D and the design used by ADDIE. The subjects of this study were 25 semester 1 PGSD UNP students who worked on 33 questions on the instrument. The data analysis technique used is quantitative analysis by calculating the validity, reliability of the questions, discriminating power and level of difficulty. The results of this study were 78% valid questions and 22% invalid questions. Reliability of 0.933 which is included in the high reliability category. It is known that 18% of the questions are in the difficult category, 61% are in the medium category and 21% are in the easy category. The power of difference test obtained 6% of the questions included in the very bad category, 3% of the questions included in the bad category, 27% in the sufficient category, 61% in the good category and 3% in the very good category.

The Crystalline Ether

This paper summarizes how a new approach to the Universe based on the existence of a "crystalline ether", which has recently been detailed in the third versions of two books [1], makes it possible to find a simple, unified and coherent explanation of all the theories of modern physics and of the Universe. The basic concepts of this approach can be summarized as follows: (i) the support of the Universe is a form of "crystalline ether" which consists of a solid and inertial lattice, of face-centered cubic structure, with the simplest possible elasticity, and in which matter is represented by the set of topological singularities of this lattice (loops of dislocations, disinclinations and dispirations), and (ii) this lattice exclusively satisfies, in absolute space, the basic classical physical concepts that are Newton's law and the two principles of thermodynamics. With these basic classical concepts alone, we show that it is possible to find all the modern theories of physics, namely that the behaviors of this lattice (the Universe) and its topological singularities (the Matter) satisfy electromagnetism, special relativity, general relativity, gravitation, quantum physics, cosmology and even the standard model of elementary particles.

Fully atomistic modeling of plasmonic bimetallic nanoparticles: nanoalloys and core-shell systems

The recently developed ωFQFμ model (ACS Photonics, 9, 3,025–3,034) is extended to bimetallic nanoparticles, such as nanoalloys and core-shell systems. The method finds its grounds in basic physical concepts, such as Drude conduction theory, electrostatics, interband transitions, and quantum tunneling. The approach, which is parametrized on ab initio simulations of Ag-Au nanoalloys, is challenged against complex Ag-Au nanostructures (spheres, nanorods, and core-shell nanoparticles). Remarkable agreement with available experimental data is found, thus demonstrating the reliability of the newly developed approach.

현대물리 관련 도서를 읽은 후 중등 과학 영재 학생들이 작성한 인포그래픽의 특징 분석

Objectives The purposes of this study were to analyze the external types and scientific descriptions of infographics written by science gifted students.
 Methods For this purpose, 31 infographics written during class by six second-year middle school students participating in science-gifted classes were analyzed. Visualization expression method and composition level were analyzed as external type, and content elements, content accuracy, and errors in scientific description were analyzed as content type.
 Results As a result, as for the external type, infographics in the form of illustration, reconstruction, and simple reconstruction were the most common. The topics that students dealt with the most were special relativity, Newtonian mechanics, and general relativity in that order. In addition, as a result of analyzing the scientifically valid descriptions and scientific errors, there was no scientific error description on the subject of the duality of light and uncertainty principle, but the meaning was fully expressed in the subject of quantum superposition, double slit experimental device model, and action and reaction. There were parts that could not be explained or described unclearly.
 Conclusions This study shows that science gifted students have partially understood the basic concepts of modern physics through activities such as reading books about modern physics and watching videos. As a result, it is judged that science gifted students learned more about the theory of relativity than about quantum mechanics.

Toward Molecular Chiral Polaritons

Coupling between light and material excitations underlies a wide range of optical phenomena. Polaritons are eigenstates of a coupled system with a hybridized wave function. Owing to their hybrid composition, polaritons exhibit at the same time properties typical for photonic and electronic excitations, thus offering new ways for controlling electronic transport and even chemical kinetics. While most theoretical and experimental efforts have been focused on polaritons with electric-dipole coupling between light and matter, in chiral quantum emitters, electronic transitions are characterized by simultaneously nonzero electric and magnetic dipole moments. Thus, it is natural to wonder what kinds of novel effects chirality may enable in the realm of strong light–matter coupling. Right now, this field located at the intersection of nanophotonics, quantum optics, and chemistry is in its infancy. In this Perspective, we offer our view toward chiral polaritons. We review basic physical concepts underlying chirality of matter and electromagnetic field, discuss the main theoretical and experimental challenges that need to be solved, and consider novel effects that could be enabled by strong coupling between chiral light and matter.

Project 2-D Motion Simulation Based on Matlab Graphical User Interface in Physics Learning

Learning physics requires students to master the basic concepts of physics. Not infrequently, the physics concept is abstract, so it isn't easy to be perceived by students. However, abstract concepts in physics learning can be overcome by visualizing physics concepts packaged in computer software-based application programs in the form of computer simulations. This study aims to develop a 2-D motion simulation program based on the Matlab GUI. This study uses the Research & Development method. The development of this application program is carried out through 4 stages called 4-D: Define, Design, Develop, and Dissemination. The subjects in this study were 20 students of class XI MAS Nurul Jannah Ampenan. From the results of the study, it can be concluded that the quality of the product that has been developed is very feasible, with a percentage of 89,09% based on the assessment of material experts, 93,33% by media experts in the appropriate category, the response of students in class XI MAS Nurul Jannah Ampenan on the motion simulation application program 2- D-based GUI Matlab with a percentage of 88,20% with an excellent category, and an increase in understanding of physics concepts on the subject of 2-D motion; projectile motion after students use the 2-D motion simulation application program is in the medium category, seen from the class average gain value of 0.62. Therefore, the application program that has been developed has met the eligibility criteria and can be used in physics learning.

School Science Education and Quantum Physics

Interest in quantum physics among the general public has been increasing along with various practical applications such as quantum computing, quantum cryptography, and quantum sensing, as well as their economic expansion. This close relationship with everyday life highlights the necessity for non-specialists to understand basic concepts of quantum physics, not only for physicists and related fields. Since 2000, there has been a noticeable movement in international physics education journals to include quantum physics in high school curricula, and recent papers suggest some agreement on core concepts that can be covered at the high school level across various countries. In this article, the basic concepts of quantum physics covered in high school physics education in Korea and abroad are reviewed, and suggestions are made for future topics that should be addressed in physics education research.

Результативність процесу: системний, енергетичний та еконофізичний підходи у контексті моделювання

In the article from the point of view of the system, energy and econophysic approaches, certain aspects of the theory and practice of measuring the effectivity (in particular, efficiency, performance) of the processes of functioning of the system are outlined. It is emphasized that modern realities point to the actualization of issues in quantum econophysics, in particular the adaptation and use of the mathematical apparatus of quantum mechanics for modeling processes in the economy, the use of quantum mechanical models and analogies, the application of quantum mechanical ideology, since modern socio-ecological-economic systems are complex, nonlinear, synergistic phenomena are observed in their dynamics, instability and poor predictability occur. The aim of the publication is to highlight some analogues of concepts and indicators similar to fundamental physical concepts in the paradigm of «cognition – measurement – evaluation – management» regarding the functioning of socio-ecological-economic systems and processes in them along with outlining approaches to determining the performance of these processes on the basis of modeling using the system, energy and econophysic approaches. It is proposed in the paradigm of «cognition – measurement – evaluation – management» regarding the performance of the processes of functioning of systems to take into account the economic interpretation of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle and the concept of the economic analogue of the Planck constant. It is substantiated that the theoretical and methodological analysis of some basic fundamental physical concepts (energy, momentum, etc.) and their formal and informal connections with real economic concepts and processes will contribute to the improvement of the procedure for determining and applying the energy efficiency coefficient of the processes of functioning of systems based on the authors’ indicators of the components of the performance of processes, taking into account the economic interpretation of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle and the concept of an economic analogue of the Planck constant.

Innovations in Teaching: A Case of Using Kinesthetic Learning Activity for Teaching Physics

The paper evaluates the advantage of the role of Kinesthetic Learning Activity (KLA) method in understanding basic concepts of physics over traditional methods. This study was conducted during the year 2022-23. The topic “Photo-electric effect” of grade 12 was selected for KLA from feedback of 20 teachers and literature study. A sample of 50 students from two schools in Kolkata was taught the topic traditionally. Later the Kinesthetic learning activities were conducted in the classroom and school field. The data of pre KLA and post KLA were collected and analyzed using various statistical tools using SPSS software. The calculated value of t in paired t-test was 21.289 with p values 0.000 which clearly showed differences in pre and post-KLA and were highly significant. Ninety percent of the respondent students showed high satisfaction with KLA. Major improvement in post-KLA score was observed which increased from an average value of 8.00 to an average value of 15.12. Thus it is concluded that KLA was very effective in teaching the target topic. The learning from this study may be applicable across the disciplines including the field of agriculture extension to make an effective understanding of abstract topics in informal settings also.

Analysis of Students' Mastery of Basic Physics Concepts in Lectures Using E-Books

The use of teaching materials has many benefits for students, one of which is to make it easier for students to find information and assist in mastering concepts. This pre-experimental study aims to describe students' mastery of Basic Physics concepts in lectures using e-books. The subjects of this study consisted of all students taking Basic Physics courses at the Biology Education Study Program, University of Mataram, with a total of 27 students. The research was conducted in 7 meetings, starting from October 24 2022 to December 5 2022. The concepts studied consisted of: Static Fluid, Dynamic Fluid, Vibration and Waves, Temperature and Heat. Student concept mastery data was obtained from giving essay tests at the 8th meeting. The level of mastery of the concept is divided into 8 grades namely A, B+, B, C+, C, D+, D, E. Students are declared to have passed if they get grade C, with levels of mastery of concepts ranging from 65 to less than 70. The results showed that the grades the lowest is 66.2 (grade C), while the highest is 91.5 (grade A). The average value of concept mastery is 77.8 (grade B). Thus, it can be concluded that the percentage of students' concept mastery who obtain a pass grade of 100%. The use of e-books can be an alternative teaching material that can be used by lecturers and students in an all-digital era. E-book users can access anytime and anywhere

Quantum annealing: an overview.

In this review, after providing the basic physical concept behind quantum annealing (or adiabatic quantum computation), we present an overview of some recent theoretical as well as experimental developments pointing to the issues which are still debated. With a brief discussion on the fundamental ideas of continuous and discontinuous quantum phase transitions, we discuss the Kibble-Zurek scaling of defect generation following a ramping of a quantum many body system across a quantum critical point. In the process, we discuss associated models, both pure and disordered, and shed light on implementations and some recent applications of the quantum annealing protocols. Furthermore, we discuss the effect of environmental coupling on quantum annealing. Some possible ways to speed up the annealing protocol in closed systems are elaborated upon: we especially focus on the recipes to avoid discontinuous quantum phase transitions occurring in some models where energy gaps vanish exponentially with the system size. This article is part of the theme issue 'Quantum annealing and computation: challenges and perspectives'.

A constitutive model for porous media with recurring stress drops: From snow to foams and cereals

Porous media such as dry snow, cellular foams, or cereals, can experience abrupt and recurrent drops in stress when subjected to mechanical loading. While there appears to be little agreement on the initiating mechanism of stress drops, it is well-accepted that they correlate with the destruction of the meso-scale structure of the material. However, this observation has yet to supply a general predictive way to accommodate these stress drops at the constitutive level for porous media. Here, we develop a constitutive model to explain such behaviour in dry conditions. The model builds upon the concept of meso-related temperature, which characterises the fluctuating velocities of the meso-scale structure and is general to all heterogeneous porous media. We assume that a rise in meso-related temperature induces a loss of strength at the macro-scale, which leads to a stress drop. Furthermore, the meso-related temperature sinks into micro-related (thermal) temperature and thus allows for stress recovery after a drop. Our model exhibits different behaviours and stress drop regimes from these basic physical concepts, providing insight into previous experimental observations in porous media. While this is not an exhaustive model for any of the materials listed, it can provide a potential starting point for all of them.

Augmented Reality Video to Support Online Tutorial of Fundamental Physics Learning

This study aims to implement augmented reality videos in fundamental physics online tutorial activities to help students’ cognitive abilities on basic physics concepts. This study used a quasi-experimental method consisting of one experimental class and one control class. The research results show that the use of augmented reality technology in online tutorial activities can support students’ understanding of concepts. This can be seen from the average test results in the experimental class with a score of 8.6 being in the high category, and the average test results in the control class with a value of 7.1 being in the medium category. These results are also supported by student response data which states that using augmented reality videos can facilitate understanding concepts when studying independently. Thus, it can be concluded that implementing augmented reality videos in fundamental physics online tutorial activities can help students understand basic physics concepts

Introducing Quantum Technologies at Secondary School Level: Challenges and Potential Impact of an Online Extracurricular Course

Stimulated by the European project “QTEdu CSA”, within the flagship “Quantum Technologies”, a community of researchers active in the fields of quantum technologies and physics education has designed and implemented an extracurricular course on quantum physics concepts and quantum technologies applications for high school. The course, which featured eight interactive lectures, was organized online between March and May 2021 and attended by about 250 students from all over Italy. In this paper, we describe the main tenets and activities of the course. Moreover, we report on the effectiveness of the course on students’ knowledge of the basic concepts of quantum physics and students’ views about epistemic aspects and applications of quantum technologies. Results show that the designed activities were effective in improving students’ knowledge about fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics and familiarizing them with quantum technology applications.

The jerk and the vertical fall of a shuttlecock

Jerk, the derivative of acceleration with respect to time, is a physical concept of great practical significance. However, this concept is rarely mentioned in textbooks and is often neglected in physics education. This paper describes how the concept of jerk can be easily introduced in the study of the dynamics of falling bodies, which are significantly affected by air resistance. In this regard, the vertical fall of two different feather shuttlecocks, a standard and a miniature one, is studied. In this simple vertical fall experiment, air resistance is significant and measurable, implying that the acceleration changes, and thus, the jerk can be determined. The velocity, acceleration, and jerk measurements with time during the vertical fall are described and compared with those from different standard air resistance models. The proposed setup can help initiate a discussion of well-known basic physics concepts and modeling approaches, such as displacement, velocity, acceleration, and particularly the often-neglected jerk concept.

THE INFLUENCE OF CHASE METHOD AND TEAM BASE PROJECT-BASED LEARNING MODELS ON LEARNING OUTCOMES IN BASIC PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY CONCEPTS COURSES PGSD FIP UNIMED STUDENTS

This research aims to determine whether there is an influence of the Chase method and Team Base Project-based learning model on learning outcomes in the basic physics and chemistry concepts course of PGSD FIP UNIMED students. The research method used is a quantitative research method with a type of correlation research. The research population is all PGSD FIP UNIMED students in the second semester of the 2021/2022 academic year. The sample taken was 42 students using purposive sampling data collection techniques. The data in this study were obtained through a learning outcomes test. The test results used have been tested for validity and reliability. Meanwhile, the data analysis technique used is correlation. From the calculation results obtained t count is 56.414, then the result is compared with t table at a significance level of 5% which is 2.018. This shows that t count > t table which means that there is an influence of the Chase method and Team Base Project-based learning model on learning outcomes in the basic physics and chemistry concepts course of PGSD FIP UNIMED students. Meanwhile, the use of the Chase method and Team Base Project-based learning model contributed 98.8% to learning outcomes in the basic concepts of physics and chemistry courses of PGSD FIP UNIMED students, while the remaining 1.2% was influenced by other factors.

How does radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) work

Demand for energy has increasing rapidly in the last decade. In 2021 an increase in 5% was observed. Half of this demand was covered by fossil fuels, increasing CO2 emissions to record levels. With the need for new reliable steady supply sources to be used in places where maintenance is difficult, Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTG) have been given renewed attention in the past 10 years. RTGs uses radioactive decay to generate electricity. This work presents in a simple manner, the basics of RTG operation, the requirements for construction, and is followed by an example developed at KAERI. Basic Radiation Physics Concepts, RTG configuration requirements, Thermoelectric effect and materials, and calculations for electric power were presented.

Information and Communication Technologies in Physics Lessons

The organization of physics education based on information and communication technologies helps to create conditions for the effective manifestation of patterns of thinking, to excite the cognitive process. The factor that allows this to be done is the visualization of basic mathematical and physical concepts, processes and phenomena using a computer.

Review of Rain or Shine: An Introduction to Soil Physical Properties and Processes. Tyson Ochsner. Published by Oklahoma State University Libraries under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Version 6. Last updated 19 Jan. 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/Z4RBT

Review of <i>Rain or Shine: An Introduction to Soil Physical Properties and Processes</i>. Tyson Ochsner. Published by Oklahoma State University Libraries under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Version 6. Last updated 19 Jan. 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/Z4RBT

Physics Clues on the Mind Substrate and Attributes.

The last decade has witnessed a remarkable progress in our understanding of the brain. This has mainly been based on the scrutiny and modeling of the transmission of activity among neurons across lively synapses. A main conclusion, thus far, is that essential features of the mind rely on collective phenomena that emerge from a willful interaction of many neurons that, mediating other cells, form a complex network whose details keep constantly adapting to their activity and surroundings. In parallel, theoretical and computational studies developed to understand many natural and artificial complex systems, which have truthfully explained their amazing emergent features and precise the role of the interaction dynamics and other conditions behind the different collective phenomena they happen to display. Focusing on promising ideas that arise when comparing these neurobiology and physics studies, the present perspective article shortly reviews such fascinating scenarios looking for clues about how high-level cognitive processes such as consciousness, intelligence, and identity can emerge. We, thus, show that basic concepts of physics, such as dynamical phases and non-equilibrium phase transitions, become quite relevant to the brain activity while determined by factors at the subcellular, cellular, and network levels. We also show how these transitions depend on details of the processing mechanism of stimuli in a noisy background and, most important, that one may detect them in familiar electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings. Thus, we associate the existence of such phases, which reveal a brain operating at (non-equilibrium) criticality, with the emergence of most interesting phenomena during memory tasks.