From LarryG3@aol.com Wed Jun 13 17:01:46 2001
Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2001 20:14:09 EDT
From: LarryG3@aol.com
To: olness@pascal.physics.smu.edu
Subject: Rutherford feedback

Dr. Olness,

Things we learned during the Rutherford simulation.  Although this may be a 
lower level activity there is a lot that can be taught using this idea.  Many 
of the teachers enjoyed the activity.  
Larry

 - Have a pre-made chart of 360 degrees to place under the shield to help 
students measure incident and reflected angles.  Possibly laminate for easy 
marking and reuse.  Have a handout chart of the 360 degrees available for 
each student so that data can be taken as the simulation progresses.
 - Make the shield out of a material heavy enough for stability.
 - Have materials available to make a launcher, possibly an L channel.  Use 
the same height launcher each time. 
 - Optionally use carbon paper under butcher paper on the bottom to make a 
scatter diagram, might work with a heavy enough alpha particle.  
 - Different methods for the inquiry were suggested including use a 
consistent launching angle, shoot from all sides, etc.  
 - Use a bigger marble or bearing of sufficient mass to make it through the 
simulation
 - Use regular shapes at first, but have complex shapes for the more 
inquiring student. 
 - Additional inquiring simulations include various black box scenarios.  To 
give it a quantized flavor use film containers with BBs or pennies.  Have 
pennies individually with some taped together for a 2 or 3 mass value.  Let 
the students figure out the difference in film containers that contain 
different numbers of pennies.  
 - For younger students place sand, coffee, rocks and other materials in 
coffee cans to get them started on the inquiry path. 
 - For physics students use the coffee cans and place different electrical 
devices inside.  Allow them to hook up different meters and decide what is in 
the circuit inside the can.