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We purchased CdSe quantum dots (QDs) of different sizes from a science supply company and used a transmission electron microscope (TEM) to image them. Students can easily examine fluorescence spectra and TEM images of these quantum dots and can use the “particle in a box” model to describe the relationship between radius of QD and emission wavelength. Using the widths of emission lines and Heisenberg’s energy-time uncertainty principle, students can estimate the lifetimes of the excited states of the QDs. We will share some of the results obtained by students. Instructors who are interested in using the TEM images and/or fluorescence spectra may get them by contacting the author.

AAPT SM20

Using Quantum Dots to Teach Introductory Quantum Mechanics Concepts and Applications

band gap

quantum dots

quantum mechanics

The 2020 AAPT Virtual Summer Meeting brought together physics educators from around the globe to learn about the latest in physics theory, research methodology and education from leaders in their field. The program featured plenary speakers, sessions, workshops and many special activities.

For more information please visit the 2020 AAPT Virtual Summer Meeting page at: https://www.aapt.org/Conferences/SM2020/index.cfm.


Join us in exploring emergent themes in PER as a scholarly endeavor and as a research community!  Since its inception, PER has served as a confluence of discipline, theory, research methodology, practice, and application.  How have these facets and the interplays among them been fruitful for physics education globally, regionally, locally, or otherwise?  And, how have our successes and interactions influenced the very nature of PER itself?
Following the lead of AAPT for the summer meeting, PERC 20/20 was virtual. Enjoy browsing the content.

PERC SM20

poster

It has been learned over the numerous years of teaching in a real Lab room that Recurrent Study in Labs [1,2] brings flavor and that students love it. It can be easily used in teaching Labs adjusted to a Virtual distant teaching whether the students have equipment in their hands, or they are observing the lab instructor’s operating it. The author practiced it successfully teaching the cadets of The Citadel for a half of the Spring semester in five labs during COVID-19. The concept of the Recurrent Study is based on studying of the property of the event/system experimentally, then using that learned property predicting results of an event at changed conditions while keeping the property of interest non changeable. The predicted value must be checked by an experiment and the error would affect the grade. The proposed aspect was expanded from Physics to other disciplines like, Chemistry, Biology, Geology.

One aspect of Teaching /Learning in a Virtual Lab

The kinetic theory of gases provides a powerful set of mechanistic resources that allows students to reason productively about pressure in gases. We give evidence students (and experts) are lacking similar resources for reasoning about liquids (especially water in an Introductory Physics for Life Science course) and provide initial evidence of some possibly productive resources.

Scaffolding student mechanistic reasoning about static and dynamic liquids

Electrostatics and Riemann Surfaces

Visualizing potential differences in simple circuits using a computer simulation

Student Understanding of Energy of Different Systems: Comparing Modeling with Typical Instruction

Measuring Student Mindset Shifts in an Introductory Physics Classroom

Superhero Physics as a Teaching Tool in Introductory Physics

PAR-F.01-PAN Tatiana Erukhimova

Investigating how graduate students connect microstates and macrostates with entropy - Poster

Education, both formal and informal, is a foundational principle of Fermilab. We have exhibits in both our iconic Wilson Hall and in the Lederman Science Center, but it can be difficult to create small, hands-on exhibits to illustrate the principles behind really big science. Merging the exhibits and site tours can give students a unique understanding of the amazing physics going on at Fermilab.

Using Quantum Dots to Teach Introductory Quantum Mechanics Concepts and Applications

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