This paper describes a student-centered approach to teaching and learning physics in a high school classroom. The teacher designs and uses a 5E learning cycle to teach series and parallel electric circuits. This article provides an example of the implementation of 5E model for a physics lesson to address three-dimensional learning-science and…

This paper demonstrates how the transcendental number "e" may be arrived at by observing the discharge of a capacitor through a fixed resistor and then modelling the system using a simple step-wise procedure. The experimental phase makes use of the Arduino microcontroller, while simple modelling of the system is carried out by means of…

Many physics textbooks describe the way in which a capacitor in an RC circuit charges and discharges over time. A circuit that consists of a capacitor that is connected to a voltage divider as shown in Fig. 1 is commonly addressed, but the textbooks limit the discussion to the time immediately after the switch is closed and a long time after the…

Measuring magnetic induction is occasionally performed by our students during their academic training in physics. Among the various methods used to measure it, the Hall effect is the most common and widespread. Another way consists of employing an electronic flux-meter. It is constituted by a small flat coil (SFC) connected to the input of an…

While commercially available mixed-reality (MR) head-mounted devices are also increasingly used in education the impact of MR learning environments is mostly being evaluated with respect to learning outcomes and learning gains alongside a number of affective variables. Here we aim at a deeper understanding of the influence of MR on experimental…

Renewable energy is a trending topic due to its importance in today's society especially because of global warming. Because of its importance, this topic should be discussed at schools in an inclusive education environment. Experimental work is a very good activity to provide students effective conceptual discussions, but it is necessary to…

P-n junctions form the basic building blocks for any semiconductor device. Therefore, the complete understanding of the junction characteristics is very important. Although being a widely discussed topic in electronics, there are still some gaps such as finding the value and significance of the junction ideality factor, that needs to be addressed.…

The incandescent bulb has been a useful tool for teaching basic electrical circuits, as brightness is related to the current or power flowing through a bulb. This has led to the development of qualitative pedagogical treatments for examining resistive combinations in simple circuits using bulbs and batteries, which were first introduced by James…

Providing instant visual feedback, thermal imaging cameras are becoming more and more popular tools not only in industrial applications, but also in physics education. Continuously decreasing prices, modules compatible with smart portable devices, and intuitive operation make thermal measurements available for schools and attractive for students.…

A bridge rectifier is a diamond-shaped configuration of diodes that serves to convert alternating current(AC) into direct current (DC). In our world of AC outlets and DC electronics, they are ubiquitous. Of course, most bridge rectifiers are built with regular diodes, not the light-emitting variety, because LEDs have a number of disadvantages. For…

Teaching children about circuits and the way electricity works is a "tricky business" because it is invisible. Just imagine all eyes are on the teacher as he or she produces for the class what looks like a ping-pong ball and then, with a wave of their hand, the incredible happens! This wonderful white sphere begins to glow red and a…

This work reports on the use of virtual tools as means of learning process activation. A good result can be achieved by combining the classical learning with modern computer technology. By creating a virtual learning environment and using multimedia learning tools one can obtain a significant result while facilitating the development of students'…

The capacitance versus voltage relationship (the "C-V" characteristic) of a varicap is determined, and the device is used for tuning an "LC" circuit and for building a voltage-controlled oscillator. With a data-acquisition system, the "C-V" characteristic can be demonstrated in a short time. The necessary equipment includes a function generator,…

The University of Colorado's Physics Education Technology (PhET) website offers free, high-quality simulations of many physics experiments that can be used in the classroom. The Circuit Construction Kit, for example, allows students to safely and constructively play with circuit components while learning the mathematics behind many circuit…

Hands-on activities are one of the most popular instructional tools that enhance student understandings of the science concepts and enable them to get involved in science practices as well. However, most of science educators underestimate its effectiveness in the classrooms. In order to illustrate how these activities could be utilized for science…