Decoration to Demonstration: A New Point Source for 3D Ray Tracing

Autor/in	Harnish, Peter
Titel	Decoration to Demonstration: A New Point Source for 3D Ray Tracing
Quelle	In: Physics Teacher, 59 (2021) 1, S.6-9 (4 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0031-921X
Schlagwörter	Physics; Science Instruction; Optics; Visual Aids; Demonstrations (Educational); Lasers + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Physik; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Optik; Anschauungsmaterial; Demonstrationsexperiment; Demonstrationsmodell; Demonstrationsunterricht; Laserlicht
Abstract	Possibly the greatest irony of physics education is the difficulty of demonstrating optics in a visible way. The two most common solutions to this conundrum are to either use "all-inclusive" optical apparatuses, like a large-format camera, or to rely on classic ray-tracing diagrams. While the former looks elegant while demonstrating the inverted nature of its images at the front of a classroom, its inner workings and method of inverting remain mysterious. The mechanics of the latter are more evident but are limited to two dimensions and the willingness of students to accept the drawing as fact. More advanced solutions include computer modeling of 3D optics or benchtop ray-tracing demonstrations, but between these the demonstrator effectively trades a third dimension for verisimilitude. A more encompassing solution would be a means to trace rays in three dimensions through a variety of optical devices. Previously, the rub has been identifying a viable point source of rays for classroom demonstrations. In this paper, we present such a source and several sequences of demonstrations utilizing it. Traditionally, the standard method to produce a point source of rays is to mask a well-defined source, such as an FCR lamp. Masks can be as complicated as an opaque sphere with evenly spaced holes or as simple as the classic inverted colander. In all cases, these demonstrations are typically limited to only being used as rough examples of sources due to limitations in portability, homogeneity of rays, or simply total number of rays. Our recommended ray source provides hundreds of rays that are bright and uniformly distributed enough to perform geometric optics demonstrations, such as collimation, telescopes, and parabolic reflections. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	American Association of Physics Teachers. One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740. Tel: 301-209-3300; Fax: 301-209-0845; e-mail: pubs@aapt.org; Web site: http://aapt.scitation.org/journal/pte
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01