Take-home physics experiment kit for on-campus and off-campus students

Abstract

A take home experiment kit has been developed to reinforce the concepts in a first year Physics course that both on and off campus students from a variety of educational backgrounds can successfully use. The kit is inexpensive and is composed of easy to obtain items. The experiments conducted with the kit are directed experiments that require background reading, setting up the experiment, measurement of the different variables and analysis of the given concept. The concepts covered by the experiment kit help to re-inforce theoretical learning of everyday physics by the students in their home environment, without the use of a laboratory. At the same time, the process of conducting the experiments introduces basic laboratory style work practices and reporting skills. All experiments are designed to enable students to develop research, measurement and reporting skills and for some experiments, apply theoretical reasoning.