Electric Circuits as Seen by Thermal Imaging Cameras

Autor/in	Kácovský, Petr
Titel	Electric Circuits as Seen by Thermal Imaging Cameras
Quelle	In: Physics Teacher, 57 (2019) 9, S.597-599 (3 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0031-921X
Schlagwörter	Electronics; Physics; Science Instruction; Photography; Feedback (Response); Measurement; Heat; Telecommunications; Handheld Devices; Science Experiments; High School Students; Scientific Concepts; Climate; Teaching Methods + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Elektronik; Physik; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Fotografie; Messverfahren; Hitze; Telekommunikationstechnik; High school; High schools; Student; Students; Oberschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Studentin; Klima; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode
Abstract	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. This paper deals with predominantly qualitative IR experiments designed for high school or even university students. All the experiments visualize thermal processes related to the flow of current through electric circuits and are repeatedly used with high school students. The suggested experiments could be incorporated in physics lessons separately or as a complete teaching sequence summarizing the knowledge concerning Ohm's law, Kirchhoff's circuit laws, and Joule heating. In recent years, there has been a still growing number of papers containing teaching ideas using infrared cameras as well as studies dealing with their impact on students. In most cases, these suggestions focus on conceptually difficult topics like phase transitions, dissipative processes (friction, inelastic collisions), or thermal conductivity influencing the subjective perception of temperature. However, much less attention is paid to the field of teaching electricity and magnetism. Vollmer and Möllmann describe experiments demonstrating thermoelectric effects, presence of eddy currents, temperature changes in microwave ovens, and Joule heating in simple parallel and series circuits; the last topic is similarly treated also by Netzell et al. or Wong and Subramaniam. Ayrinhac suggests visually attractive use of IR cameras to solve electrically conductive mazes. The goal of this paper is to evolve the ideas concerning Joule heating into concrete lesson activities primarily designed to be conducted by students themselves with the intention to support their understanding in the field between thermal and electric phenomena. All the experiments were documented using the FLIR i7 infrared camera; in all figures, the numerical values of temperature are related to the hottest point of the studied surface. (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	2020/1/01