Fun filled Physics

When I studied Physics in school it meant a class was just a black and white text on a board. Our books were filled with formulas and definitions. I often wonder how I became a Physics teacher. What drew me into this so called dry and boring subject which is a nightmare of several students?   

In the eighties, Carl Sagan’s Cosmos used to come on National Television and also Star Trek was a popular TV show. These shows and visits to the Nehru Science Centre, Nehru Planetarium in Mumbai kindled an interest in the subject. I feel if you want to learn a subject, it must touch your heart first. It should stir an emotion because pure logic can get intimidating. I often experience this when I am camping in the mountains, away from city life and looking at the dark sky filled with Milky Way!

At TISB, we always bring in “touchy-feely” objects to the class. We have a good number of gadgets in the lab so that one can learn by doing an experiment. However, to learn Physics it is not really required to go to a formal lab one can explore the subject through several natural phenomena that are constantly happening around. I often encourage students to collect whatever scrap that is lying around. You never know what could turn out to be useful. Edison’s laboratory was full all types of scraps, odds and ends. You do not always need expensive instruments to learn a subject. Your imagination and creativity can do wonders.

In the last ten years, there have been several virtual laboratories (simulations) on the internet. With my students with an access to laptop I started showing them about these sites.  Photoelectric effect, Thermodynamic engine, HR diagrams, roller-coaster simulations are some of my students’ favorites.

Smartboard and multi-media turned out to be boons for teachers. I am able to bring in expert professors like Walter Lewin, Brian Cox, Neil De Grass Tyson, Derek Muller and Richard Dawkins to my class once in a while. I have learnt a lot from these Gurus and I am trying to incorporate some of their ideas in my classes. I love Prof. Lewin’s dedication in setting up and testing an experiment. Derek Muller’s humor when he goes on streets talking to people is hilarious. Brian Cox has a charm of a rock star and I absolutely enjoy how he explains the concept of entropy on a sandy desert. Richard Dawkins combines his love for Physics and Biology to explain several principles of Science and rationalism. My heartfelt appreciation to all of these teachers. My son Kabir is always the first one to tell me about a new video that gets uploaded.

I love to tell stories of scientists. Especially, women physicists whose life stories did not get much limelight. When I am teaching about nuclear fission, I invariably talk about Liz Meitner’s love life and her exile from Germany during WWII. When I am teaching about pulsars, I talk about Jocelyn Bell-Burnell’s story of Little Green Men! These stories help in generating interest.

My last tool for winning my students’ heart is talking about or showing a part of Science related films.  I have used Einstein’s Big Idea and Newton’s dark secrets by PBS Nova extensively. In the recent years, Interstellar, Gravity, Back to the Future, Contact, The Matrix, the Simpsons (Movie and serials) have been some of my personal favorites.

Nowadays, I get to hear about a lot of resources from my students because I can’t keep up with the growing pace of information technology available. I enjoy exploring and learning with them. Physics teaching and learning is really fun!

Courtesy: Professor Walter Lewin's photo