Chris Greco, Hearne HS, Hearne ISD, Physics 11th and 12th, 6 instructional days
End of Summer Report
The purpose of my classroom project is to introduce my students to the refraction of light in different mediums
through the use of lasers the lab setting. Dr. Wen’s lab research uses lasers at the nano scale to ablate materials,
pattern materials, and also use interference patterns to measure a variety of characteristics of materials. My
project will use lasers and interference patterns to measure the refractive index of water at different
temperatures. This will bridge many of the concepts I learned in the lab, and bring them into my classroom.
My lab project will consist of a setup of a laser, two mirrors, a beam splitter and a negative lens to magnify the
interference pattern created in order to display it on the wall of the classroom. I plan to have four to five setups
for my classroom. Students will be expected to understand: laser safety, reflectivity, refraction, lens focal
length, refractive indices, interference, and interference patterns.{TAKS Objective 5, Physics TEKs 1AB;
2ABCDEFGHIJKL; 3ABDEF; 6E; 7ABCDF. All TAKs and TEKs are fully referenced at the end of the paper.}
During the course of the project, students will engage in the following learning activities:
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Cooperative Learning- during the lab they will be in groups
Peer Tutoring- higher level students will assist their peers “ask three before me”
Visuals/Simulations- Prior to the project we will be using a multitude of simulations/videos
Hands-On- Students will be setting up and running the lab themselves
Whole Group Instruction- Prior to the project students will be engaged in class discussions as well as
lecture over content
Technology Integration- Students will be exposed to power points, videos, laptop use for internet,
laptops for use with data probes
This project is a six day project which is part of a 17 day unit covering properties and examples of waves. The
project will be used to reinforce concepts learned over the course of the first eight days of the unit. The
following is the lesson plan I will be following for the project:
Day 1:
 Intro video of refraction examples
 Review Key Concepts
o Laser
o Electromagnetic Waves
o Interference
o Mirrors
o Refraction
o Lenses
o Reflection
o Michelson interferometer
 Laser Safety Power Point
 Take home laser safety test
 Class discussion of refraction of light through different mediums.
o Understanding of optical path length equation and Michelson interferometer
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Chris Greco, Hearne HS, Hearne ISD, Physics 11th and 12th, 6 instructional days
o Guided toward engineering applications
Day 2:
 Intro to Laser setup
o This will entail a demo of how all the apparatus work.
 ie: laser, mirror, beam splitter, lens as well as kinetic mounts
 Students begin setup of experiment
 ie: Michelson interferometer, and construction of their water chamber
 problem solving issues arising during setup (eg. Laser beam path is invisible in air, focal length
of the negative lens)
Day 3:
 Conduct Experiment
o Measuring/Graphing the refractive index of water as a function of temperature.
Day 4:
 Conclude Experiment/Data gathering
 Begin formal lab write up on laptop which includes:
o Procedures
o Materials
o Graphs
o Data
o Setup diagrams
o Calculations
 OPL=2Ln
 ∆=2L(n-1.3353)
 ∆=Nλ
 n= (Nλ)/2L + 1.3353
 n= (Nλ)/2 + λ/4L + 1.3353
o Results
 Sources of error
 Percent error
Day 5:
 Conclusion of formal lab write up
Day 6:
 Turn in lab write up
 Review and discussion of Lab
o What did we learn
o What questions do we still have
 Assign research paper on engineering applications involving lasers that are currently being
researched/used.
Materials and Supplies (per lab setup):
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Chris Greco, Hearne HS, Hearne ISD, Physics 11th and 12th, 6 instructional days
1 laser pointer
2 mirrors
3 kinetic mounts
1 beam splitter
1 negative lens
1 5” aluminum channel
1 microscope slide
1 glass scoring tool
Epoxy
Water
Breadboard platform
Vernier temperature probe
LabPro Software
Laptop
Hotplate
Other resources to be used:
Textbook
Internet
Summary
Students will understand: laser safety, reflectivity, refraction, lens focal length, refractive indices, interference,
interference patterns, and the use of Michelson interferometers. They will also understand how to set up a laser
experiment including adjusting the beam path via mirrors in kinetic mounts, as well as via lenses. Students will
get reinforcement in writing a lab report, using spreadsheet software to chart/graph data and integrating it into a
word document. Through the research paper, students should gain a deeper insight into the relationship
between engineering research and real world technology/advancement.
TAKS
Objective 4: Demonstrate an understanding of the structures and properties of matter.
Objective 5: Demonstrate an understanding of motion, forces, and energy.
Physics TEKS
(1) Scientific processes. The student conducts investigations, for at least 40% of instructional time, using safe,
environmentally appropriate, and ethical practices. These investigations must involve actively obtaining and
analyzing data with physical equipment, but may also involve experimentation in a simulated environment as
well as field observations that extend beyond the classroom. The student is expected to:
(A) demonstrate safe practices during laboratory and field investigations; and
(B) demonstrate an understanding of the use and conservation of resources and the proper disposal or recycling
of materials.
(2) Scientific processes. The student uses a systematic approach to answer scientific laboratory and field
investigative questions. The student is expected to:
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Chris Greco, Hearne HS, Hearne ISD, Physics 11th and 12th, 6 instructional days
(A) know the definition of science and understand that it has limitations, as specified in subsection (b)(2) of
this section;
(B) know that scientific hypotheses are tentative and testable statements that must be capable of being
supported or not supported by observational evidence. Hypotheses of durable explanatory power which have
been tested over a wide variety of conditions are incorporated into theories;
(C) know that scientific theories are based on natural and physical phenomena and are capable of being tested
by multiple independent researchers. Unlike hypotheses, scientific theories are well-established and highlyreliable explanations, but may be subject to change as new areas of science and new technologies are
developed;
(D) distinguish between scientific hypotheses and scientific theories;
(E) design and implement investigative procedures, including making observations, asking well-defined
questions, formulating testable hypotheses, identifying variables, selecting appropriate equipment and
technology, and evaluating numerical answers for reasonableness;
(F) demonstrate the use of course apparatus, equipment, techniques, and procedures, including multimeters
(current, voltage, resistance), triple beam balances, batteries, clamps, dynamics demonstration equipment,
collision apparatus, data acquisition probes, discharge tubes with power supply (H, He, Ne, Ar), hand-held
visual spectroscopes, hot plates, slotted and hooked lab masses, bar magnets, horseshoe magnets, plane mirrors,
convex lenses, pendulum support, power supply, ring clamps, ring stands, stopwatches, trajectory apparatus,
tuning forks, carbon paper, graph paper, magnetic compasses, polarized film, prisms, protractors, resistors,
friction blocks, mini lamps (bulbs) and sockets, electrostatics kits, 90-degree rod clamps, metric rulers, spring
scales, knife blade switches, Celsius thermometers, meter sticks, scientific calculators, graphing technology,
computers, cathode ray tubes with horseshoe magnets, ballistic carts or equivalent, resonance tubes, spools of
nylon thread or string, containers of iron filings, rolls of white craft paper, copper wire, Periodic Table,
electromagnetic spectrum charts, slinky springs, wave motion ropes, and laser pointers;
(G) use a wide variety of additional course apparatus, equipment, techniques, materials, and procedures as
appropriate such as ripple tank with wave generator, wave motion rope, micrometer, caliper, radiation monitor,
computer, ballistic pendulum, electroscope, inclined plane, optics bench, optics kit, pulley with table clamp,
resonance tube, ring stand screen, four inch ring, stroboscope, graduated cylinders, and ticker timer;
(H) make measurements with accuracy and precision and record data using scientific notation and International
System (SI) units;
(I) identify and quantify causes and effects of uncertainties in measured data;
(J) organize and evaluate data and make inferences from data, including the use of tables, charts, and graphs;
(K) communicate valid conclusions supported by the data through various methods such as lab reports, labeled
drawings, graphic organizers, journals, summaries, oral reports, and technology-based reports; and
(L) express and manipulate relationships among physical variables quantitatively, including the use of graphs,
charts, and equations.
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Chris Greco, Hearne HS, Hearne ISD, Physics 11th and 12th, 6 instructional days
(3) Scientific processes. The student uses critical thinking, scientific reasoning, and problem solving to make
informed decisions within and outside the classroom. The student is expected to:
(A) in all fields of science, analyze, evaluate, and critique scientific explanations by using empirical evidence,
logical reasoning, and experimental and observational testing, including examining all sides of scientific
evidence of those scientific explanations, so as to encourage critical thinking by the student;
(B) communicate and apply scientific information extracted from various sources such as current events, news
reports, published journal articles, and marketing materials;
(D) explain the impacts of the scientific contributions of a variety of historical and contemporary scientists on
scientific thought and society;
(E) research and describe the connections between physics and future careers; and
(F) express and interpret relationships symbolically in accordance with accepted theories to make predictions
and solve problems mathematically, including problems requiring proportional reasoning and graphical vector
addition.
(6) Science concepts. The student knows that changes occur within a physical system and applies the laws of
conservation of energy and momentum. The student is expected to:
(E) describe how the macroscopic properties of a thermodynamic system such as temperature, specific heat,
and pressure are related to the molecular level of matter, including kinetic or
(7) Science concepts. The student knows the characteristics and behavior of waves. The student is expected to:
(A) examine and describe oscillatory motion and wave propagation in various types of media;
(B) investigate and analyze characteristics of waves, including velocity, frequency, amplitude, and wavelength,
and calculate using the relationship between wavespeed, frequency, and wavelength;
(C) compare characteristics and behaviors of transverse waves, including electromagnetic waves and the
electromagnetic spectrum, and characteristics and behaviors of longitudinal waves, including sound waves;
(D) investigate behaviors of waves, including reflection, refraction, diffraction, interference, resonance, and the
Doppler effect;
(F) describe the role of wave characteristics and behaviors in medical and industrial applications.
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Chris Greco, Hearne HS, Hearne ISD, Physics 11th and 12th, 6 instructional days
PreTest/PostTest Questions
1. The diagram to the right shows straight wave fronts
an opening in a barrier. This spreading or bending at the
as
a. reflection
b. trough
c. dispersion
d. diffraction
2. The diagram to the right shows two sources generating waves
tank. What is occurring along line A?
a. destructive interference
b. alternately destructive and constructive interference
c. increasing frequency as you depart the sources
d. constructive interference
passing through
slit is referred to
in a ripple
3. A prism is used to spread sunlight into its spectrum of colors and a second prism (and lens) is used to
combine these colors. What is the resultant light when all colors
are added?
a. a double rainbow
b. white light
c. black light
d. ultraviolet light
4. The diagram shows the path of a wave passing through two media.
In which Medium (A or B) if the wave faster?
A.
B.
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Chris Greco, Hearne HS, Hearne ISD, Physics 11th and 12th, 6 instructional days
5. It is not unusual to hear a band practice in the evening
to hear boat sounds across the lake farther from the
original source to normally hear these sounds. The
diagrams to the right explain this phenomenon as the
bending of the sound because of the faster speed of
sound above the ground or water level. This
phenomenon, in physics
is referred to as
a. reflection.
b. dispersion.
c. diffraction.
d. refraction.
or
6. Sound engineers at an automobile factory plan to design a device that could be used as a type of muffler for
road noise. In order to cancel all the exterior noise, they must create what type of interference with the sound
waves outside the vehicle?
A. completely constructive interference
B. partially constructive interference
C. completely destructive interference
D. partially destructive interference
7. A pencil submerged in a clear glass of water may appear broken or bent when observed from the side of the
glass. Which of the following characteristics describes this broken or bent appearance?
A. refraction
B. diffraction
C. reflection
D. amplitude
8. Your teacher has placed you outside the
classroom in the hallway so you can't hear the
answers to some questions. However, there is
a narrow crack in the door and you are able to
hear some of the discussion. What
characteristic of a sound wave are you
experiencing?
A. refraction
B. diffraction
C. reflection
D. amplitude
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