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ERIC Number: EJ1233088
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Nov
Pages: 4
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0031-921X
EISSN: N/A
3D Printable Quark Puzzle: A Model to Build Your Own Particle Systems
McGinness, Lachlan; Dührkoop, Susanne; Woithe, Julia; Jansky, Alexandra
Physics Teacher, v57 n8 p526-528 Nov 2019
There is an increasing emphasis on fundamental particles, including quarks, in the high school physics classroom. However, many teachers might not feel comfortable teaching particle physics because it is a highly abstract and complex topic, and there are few hands-on activities to help teachers bring it into the classroom. In 2010, a two-dimensional set of pieces was more accessible to teachers. However since then 3D printing has become widespread in schools throughout Europe, America, and Australia, it is now practical to implement a three-dimensional puzzle into the classroom. This article presents a 3D printable quark puzzle and gives suggestions to implement this activity to the classroom by: (1) Presenting ready-to-go activities/worksheets for the students and instructions for teachers; (2) Decreasing the number of pieces required from 36 to 12 by only considering quarks of the first generation, namely (anti-) up quarks and (anti-) down quarks (see Table I); (3) Summarizing all key concepts, which are a prerequisite for the proposed activity; and (4) Highlighting students' conceptions that teachers need to; be aware of when implementing this activity. The activity can be used to develop students' scientific reasoning skills. This gives teachers the opportunity to use this activity even if particle physics is not in the curriculum.
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
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A