A Physics MOSAIC: Scientific Skills and Explorations for Students Sara Kate May RET Workshop 2011 July 15, 2011

Our Project (RET 2010) Goal: develop inquiry-based lessons for high school physics taking advantage of mesospheric ozone spectrometer developed at Haystack (MOSAIC) Additional goal (?): Combined with RET 2009 work, develop a complete physics curriculum My particular interest: find way to improve teaching error and uncertainty

MOSAIC Overview Radio telescope designed to measure GHz rotational transition of Ozone using Direct TV dish Selectively detects mesospheric ozone (not “good” ozone from stratosphere or “bad” ozone from troposphere), due to lack of pressure broadening Currently 7 dishes collecting data, with 6 pointing at same part of atmosphere.

MOSAIC Web Interface

Sample MOSAIC Spectrum

Sample Data Output

Sample MOSAIC Diurnal Variation

Sample Seasonal Variation

Why MOSAIC? Opportunities – Real data, accessible via the web in (almost) real time – Large data sets, with error bars – Unanswered scientific questions about mesospheric ozone accessible to high school students – Current interest in climate and atmosphere Challenges – Established curricula, including state/national/college board standards – Atmosphere is not included in most high school physics courses

Skills and Explorations with MOSAIC We designed physics lessons and activities to capitalize on strengths of MOSAIC – Final Project – Uncertainty and Data Analysis – Individual Topics and Concepts Emphasis on real data, unanswered questions Self-directed options Use web in real-time, but answers aren’t from Google School Year at Middlesex School – Uncertainty and Data Analysis lessons used in Honors Physics, AP Physics – Physics topics used in Astronomy elective, Honors Physics

MOSAIC Final Project Conceived as capstone experience, after students have studied waves, EM spectrum, energy Option to be almost entirely self-directed 2-3 weeks near end of year (post-AP?) – Background information (Webquests: RET internet, or Power Point) – Activities for familiarity with web interface (GUI). – Research in topic of choice (different levels of complexity available) – Results presented in final report and/or presentation

Possible Final Project Topics Nighttime ozone concentration versusPossible websites for Reference Air temperature for the local areawww.wunderground.com Ocean temperaturewww.noaa.gov Time (24 hour scale) Time (Seasonal/Yearly scale) Solar Activity (solar flares/solar wind) Weather events (thunderstorms) Shuttle/satellite launcheswww.nasa.gov Tidestidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/products.html Phases of the mooneclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/phase/phase2001g mt.html Average velocity of molecules Appearances of ‘noctilucent’ clouds.

Example: Ozone vs. Air Temp

Example: Ozone vs. Lunar Phases

Increase Before Sunrise/After Sunset ? ? Averaged over Days 1 – 100 of 2010

Measurement, Uncertainty, Data Analysis Students have a very hard time making sense of measurement and uncertainty. MOSAIC provides access to large data sets – Error Bars – Distribution of Values – Detecting a Weak Signal through noise Our lesson – Power Points on Uncertainty and Data Analysis – Worksheet on “Number Sense” – Activities using MOSAIC data

Uncertainty Lesson: Value of N Consider a large data set consisting of a single measurement that is not affected by systematic error. As more measurements are conducted, the mean of the measurements will become closer and closer to the true value. The distribution will more closely resemble a normal distribution as the number of trials is increased. !?

Uncertainty Activity: Value of N # days# sitespeakrms resid# data

Uncertainty Activity: Value of N

Physics Topics, Related to MOSAIC Developed introductory Power Point lessons and accompanying worksheets on – Waves – Electromagnetic Waves – Optics – Atomic Energy Levels and Spectra Use MOSAIC as example and point of reference, spurring (or maintaining) interest and further questioning Suitable for use as self-directed webquest or in-class presentation

MOSAIC as Philosophy: The MOSAIC Physics Curriculum An introductory physics curriculum might include – Measurement/Uncertainty/Lab Skills – Mechanics: Motion, Force, Energy, Momentum, Gravitation, Rotation – Heat and Energy Transfer: Heat Capacity, Phase Changes, Temperature – Waves and Radiation: Mechanical and Electromagnetic Properties – Fluids: Pressure, Buoyancy, Bernoulli – Electricity and Magnetism: Electrostatics, Circuits, Magnetostatics, Electromagnetism – Optics: Reflection, Refraction, Lenses, Mirrors – Modern Topics: Atomic Energy Levels, Photoelectric Effect, Compton Shift

MOSAIC as Philosophy: The MOSAIC Physics Curriculum Not all introductory physics topics will be directly connected to MOSAIC or the atmosphere. We propose a comprehensive MOSAIC physics curriculum based on a philosophy of teaching physics using, whenever possible, – Real data – Access and analysis through technology – Independent, hands-on learning We developed activities and self-study guides for topics not covered in Power Points