GEANT4 simulations of the processes affecting the transport and collection of optical photons generated inside a scintillation detector were carried out, with the aim to complement the educational material offered by textbooks to third-year physics undergraduates. Two typical situations were considered: a long scintillator strip with and without a…

Three aspects of an introductory course in physics are discussed in this article. They are the texts, the course proper and the laboratory. Together they form an integral part of the entire course. The laboratory, although a subject of much contention, has an important role to play in enhancing and complementing the lectures. The course should be…

Discusses a history exhibit of the American Chemical Society, now on national tour. Focuses on lecture to laboratory, chemistry in early America, the Civil War era, the research model, the early twentieth century, the post-war era, textbooks, and the recent past. (MVL)

Discusses the use of computer-illustrated texts to teach statistics at the college level. Microcomputer-based software that can be used in the areas of calculation, graphics, simulation, animation, and text presentation is described; and use of the software for lectures, laboratory use, and tutorials is discussed. (three references) (LRW)

A single heartbeat is a complicated process. In Dutch upper secondary biology textbooks this process is illustrated by the classical Wiggers diagram, which usually shows different heart-related quantities, like voltage (ECG), blood pressure, and the heart sounds. It may help students to understand the nature of the Wiggers diagram if they perform…

Discusses several issues important to chemistry: enticing top-notch students into the discipline, keeping up with the tremendous growth of chemical information, and promoting chemistry to the general public. Suggests eight methods to answer these issues. (MVL)