Girep

Paper abstract

One of the main problems of scientific education is to achieve a bridge between contents andlearning strategies and the context in which they have to be applied, re-interpreting everydaycommon knowledge. At school topics are dealt with in a technical and abstract way. Thestudents thus tend to take up an attitude of merely reproducing the contents of school texts inorder to achieve good marks. Because of this, “inert knowledge structures”, which areuseless outside the scholastic environment, are created.

Scientific and technological learning carries a local and partly tacit nature, which doesn’tallow its carrying out through written or oral communication: knowledge cannot be conveyedto the learner already synthesized and re-elaborated, but it must be the object of personalanalysis and setting, with reference to phenomenological contexts and interpretative modelscompared in a critical way.Various proposals of hands-on interactive exhibitions have managed to create explorativecontexts in which it is possible to have a personal experience of the phenomena and toexplore situations, asking questions. They are the context in which informal learning, whichis characterised by being an outcome intrinsically connected to taking part in situations, isactivated. The main characteristic of the learning processes activated by an operative contextis that of a shared intellectual work, organised around a common interpretative problem.

Researches based on interviews which are semi structured in cognitive laboratories and inwhich the exploring of contexts is organised in a shared way have allowed attention to bedrawn on reasoning sequences and spontaneous interpretative schemes for various types ofphenomena (thermal, optical, magnetic…). They have offered a starting point for the testingof learning strategies and for the building of formal thought. They have also allowedoperative proposals to be determined for the management of interactive exhibitions for thecarrying out of informal learning.

Paper abstract

This paper concerns informal physics and astronomy education in a variety of contexts andits relationship to the recruitment of students into formal educational programmes. It drawson my personal experience of the distance education programmes of the UK OpenUniversity, the outreach activities of the Edinburgh International Science Festival (EISF),and the life-long learning activities of the Oxford University Department for ContinuingEducation. All of these institutions have some degree of engagement with young people(particularly the EISF), but this paper will mainly concentrate on adult learners. Eachinstitution will be briefly described, along with some indication of its role in informaleducation and the effect of that informal educational activity on formal recruitment.

Paper abstract

Israel has long been aware that its survival depends to a large extent on its ability toanticipate and meet the scientific and technological challenges of the future and that thedevelopment of an infrastructure of scientific talent therefore is of national importance. Inthe early 1960’s scientists and educators from the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel’slargest interdisciplinary research body, made this a primary goal, turning their attention todeveloping new teaching programs and designing better science curricula. In 1964 the firstafter-school science clubs and summer camps were held at the Weizmann Institute and in thecoming years other Israeli institutions of higher education following the lead of theWeizmann Institute began similar extra-curricular science programs for science-orientedyouth. Representatives of these institutions, with the support of the Ministry of Education,established the Committee for the Advancement of Science Education in 1968.

The philosophy behind the Clore Garden of Science and its activities today originated manyyears before the Garden of Science was built. The following is part of an article entitled“Extra-Curricular Science Education” that I wrote for the GIREP Conference on PhysicsTeaching in 1979. This article was the result of a long process of considering the connectionbetween formal and informal education and then of developing extra-curricular scienceprograms for young people in Israel. The approach taken by the Weizmann Institute ofScience is that research scientists are uniquely qualified to serve as instructors and mentors inthese programs. It still reflects the philosophy that guides programming decisions.

Paper abstract

Outreach activities can have a number of distinct aims. In this contribution I shall discuss inparticular activities directed mainly at high school pupils. In such activities the main purposeis to correct misunderstandings on what physics is about and what physicists actually do. Asecondary purpose is to interest students in choosing science in general, and physics inparticular, as their future field of study. Finally, it is always an advantage when outreachactivities receive attention in the local and national media.

The activity I shall discuss was successful in all three respects. The main reason is that acentral role is played by students, who present their work on a diploma thesis, for which theyhave received a prize, before a general audience. The event is open to the public, with specialinvitations going to high school pupils and their teachers, as well as to the local media.For high school pupils, students are more plausible role models than university teachers orresearchers. The fact that the subject of the presentation is research performed by the studentshelps in presenting physics not as a study of established knowledge, often centuries old, butas a problem solving activity. An additional advantage is that the subject of the talks is atopic from recent research performed at our department (or sometimes in industry); hence the audience has an opportunity to become acquainted with recent research performed at the university.

In this report I shall first give the historical background concerning the Wilhelm MackeFoundation that awards the prizes. Then I shall describe in more detail the event duringwhich the award is bestowed. Subsequently, I shall report on our experiences, in particular onthe reception we obtained, and speculate on the reasons for the success. Finally, I shallbriefly mention some other outreach activities of our department in which students and highschool pupils are involved.

Paper abstract

The talk outlines the work being done at Sheffield Hallam University in training secondaryscience teachers using the Kelham Island Industrial Museum in Sheffield. It alsodemonstrates how this work integrates teaching and learning in Science Education withpractical work in informal settings that form a part of the National Science Weekprogramme. The talk will also show how the students contribute to the developmental workof the museum through undertaking small-scale visitor-studies. The activity as a whole isplaced into the context of the criteria for teacher-training in the United Kingdom and theneed to provide experience of teaching science in settings other than schools. Some referenceis also made to the international context into which this approach can be placed.

Paper abstract

With paper clips can be done even hands-on experiments with an ambitious background. Inthis paper is shown the difference between a catenary curve and a parabola with paper clips.The application to suspension bridges is pointed out. Physics simulation programs can verifythe experiments. Short mathematical reflections complete the paper.

Paper abstract

The majority of Science Centres has been created or in other way initiated by the peopledirectly emerging from Universities20. Therefore, the close collaboration between these twotypes of institution would seem natural. The practice, however, shows that such collaborationis not easy to establish and even harder to keep. Though many common goals can easily beidentified, the question how to achieve a balanced motivation, which can sustain long-termcollaboration, remains to be the biggest challenge. The following article describes ourexperiences from collaboration between the Physics Education group at Faculty forMathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana and the House of Experiments, the firstSlovenian hands-on science centre.

Any collaboration can start and be successful only if clear benefits from such collaborationcan be perceived from both sides. So, the first question that has to be answered is why to startsuch collaboration at all.

Paper abstract

We describe our work devoted to middle school teaching of the basic concepts of atomicphysics. We developed materials and techniques, both formal and informal, to deal with thissubject in an effective and beautiful way. Such an improvement is urged from teachers andphysicists. We put together their perspectives, with the addition of a « science center »perspective that, as argued, is very important also in schools at this stage.

We focused on the core of such three perspectives and could therefore see clearly manydifferent approaches and criteria that are needed in physics teaching. Here we review theseapproaches and criteria together with the new didactic material that we developed in thisframework.

We specify the various phases of the work, of the interaction between faculty staff, schoolteachers and museum educators. The materials and techniques developed are used in an «interactive lab » at the museum. Their « export » in ordinary teaching in classrooms is on theway.

Paper abstract

One hundred years ago, Einstein made an exceptional contribution to modern physics bypublishing a number of articles that became milestones in the history of physics. To celebratethis marvellous year, the United Nations designated 2005 as the “World Year of Physics”. Adecision that gives recognition to a discipline that is essential to scientific and technologicaldevelopment, and promotes endeavours to bridge the gap between physics and non-experts.In response to the United Nation’s designation, many museums and other scientificinstitutions organized events for the public on the topic of physics. In this spirit, MuseoTridentino di Scienze Naturali and the Physics Department of the University of Trentodeveloped the interactive temporary exhibition “Playing with Einstein”.

Guided by Albert Einstein’s quotations from his “Scientific Autobiography” [1] visitors canexplore physics at the turn between the XIX and XX century to share his wonder for thenatural world and to marvel at the revolutionary theories that the scientist formulated inmany different fields of physics.

They may contemplate, through the eyes of Einstein, how scientific thought evolved in thosevery special years: in so doing, they come to terms with the difficulties and mysteries whichare the main stimuli of researchers.

“Playing with Einstein” is the result of the synergic cooperation between Museo Tridentinodi Scienze Naturali and the Physics Department of the University of Trento, who combinedtheir different skills during the concept, development and construction phases.The exhibition opened on March 12th 2005 and was expected to close on October 30th 2005.But the date of closure was postponed to the end of January 2006, due to the many requestsmade by schools.

Paper abstract

The paper presents the experiences of physics demonstrations and science shows, organisedfor basic and middle schools by Department of Physics and Astronomy of Institute ofPhysics, Jan Długosz University ( till 2004, Pedagogical University) in Częstochowa.These shows have been organised since 1996 and there have taken place 420 of them tillnow, and there have attended and participated about nineteen thousands of students andpupils. Every demonstration’s subject matter was chosen as teachers and students wished.According to their opinion, the physics and science shows are very useful for increasinglearning physics and for developing interest in the subject.

Paper abstract

The mission of hands-on science centres is to create a friendly, fun experimental settingwhere all kinds of visitors will feel encouraged to explore the world and where they can findthe instruments to do so.

Part of a relatively recent but increasingly rich and complex tradition of studies on thesubject, our inquiry sets out to contribute to answering the question if there really is a reawakeningof the spirit of scientific exploration in hands-on museums and if so, do allvisitors experience it.

The research project we are about to describe began as a degree thesis in a Masters inScience Communication of Trieste (student Monia Cardella, supervisor Paola Rodari), andtherefore has the limits of a degree thesis: tackling such a complex theme and conductingmore in-depth studies in the field would have required a much longer time-scale and greaterresources. We believe, however, that both the method used and the results, althoughpreliminary, are sufficiently significant to be of interest.

Paper abstract

This paper describes a synergistic alteration of formal and informal science education basedon teaching and learning methods that the author has developed in Schola Ludus, in asequence of Schola Ludus seminars and some visits to Bratislava high schools. Thepreliminary finding is that the students and teachers “love” it. It is based on alternatingformal and informal phases in a synergistic and coordinated way so that the students are“continuously” motivated and re-motivated in the various phases of the lesson plan. Theteacher/presenter also uses WEB quest methodology to round out his/her presentation withinteresting facts to stimulate and encourage the students into scientific fields and interests.The example presented here involves a lesson unit that starts out by telling a story, by askingsome simple questions raised by the story. Then, it follows the discussions with a livesimulation of the “physics in the dream” This leads to some interesting kinematics andmodeling problems that the students are very motivated to follow and understand, becausethey want to explain a paradox that they perceive through the story. The lesson unit closeswith a project for the students to gather information on the Internet by means of a formallydescribed and control method, called a WEB QUEST. The method has been recognized inpart by the Science on Stage committee, and by being described and presented thisNovember 21, 2005, in CERN, Switzerland.

Paper abstract

The main substance of this work is to present the results of the approach of Physics relating it to Health contexts, in two levels: as a mean to efficiently reach the students in secondary school, and as a physics engineering last year project.

In these two levels of learning, understanding, and applying physics concepts, we used formal and informal contexts for physics education, since we used from didactic equipment to hospital facilities, therefore exposing the students to simulated situations and to real life events.

The starting point of this study is radiation. Theoretical concepts, experimental set ups,production, detection, effects, uses and applications are some of the topics covered in both levels.

Paper abstract

It is a great adventure to investigate the history of the discoveries in physics and the great physicists’ lives.Designed for engineering students we introduced a new, optional course at our technicalcollege: the Cultural History of Physics.

Paper abstract

In the following article, our approach and methods in creating a new “hands-on” sciencecentre are presented. The article is not a cookbook – a set of How to do’s. It is barely a set of our experiences. We are aware that each Science Centre has different starting conditions as well as different environment in which it is born and grows.

The Science Centre Hiša eksperimentov (The House of Experiments) is the first, albeit small, Slovenian “hands-on” science centre, built with a lot of love and enthusiasm. It is attractive to the public. In the article we present some ideas how we believe we can keep the science centre attractive for the public in the long run.

Paper abstract

Physics strives towards an understanding of the material universe. To gain thisunderstanding, physicists systematically question nature through experiments. Theseexperiments are designed to challenge existing hypotheses and provide clues to morepowerful theories. However, experiments are not only essential in expanding our knowledgeof our universe, but play a key role in the teaching of physics. Experiments allow students toobserve phenomena, test hypotheses, and apply their understanding of the physical world.Perhaps of equal importance, experiments have the power to motivate. Which experimentsshould be used in the teaching of physics and how should they be employed to maximizetheir effectiveness? This report addresses these questions and suggests some possibleanswers.

Paper abstract

geometrical solids in an easy and reproducible way. Their bases are simple magnetic barsand magnetizable spheres. Besides geometrical constructions, they offer the possibility of avariety of experiments on magnetic aspects, both qualitative, to explore the spatialdistribution of the magnetic field, and more sophisticated, quantitative ones, to understandmagnetic coupling.

One of the most interesting is based on coupled magnetic torsion pendulums, prepared with two magnetic bars made to oscillate rotationally at a given distance. By changing the parameters, different experimental situations can be obtained, which can be simplyappreciated as a curiosity on the strength of the magnetic force but can also be analysedquantitatively at a given distance, in terms of the equations of motion.

Paper abstract

The main goal of this contribution is to present video recordings and videoanalyses as well asa sound card measurement that might help students to understand physics better. All of theideas are intended for teachers at schools who can make and analyse their own recordings,not just copy the recorded source material from somewhere.

The digital camcorder or even a digital camera capable of taking a video sequence is a greattool helping us to record and analyze movement, to slow it down, to find significant points(such as the turning point) etc. According to the number of computers among students it iseven possible to do an experiment in the class and let the students to analyze it as homework.The experiments are chosen to fit high school level physics or the basic physics course atuniversity level.

Paper abstract

By means of the data and the information’s from web sides we worked out a solar stove. Theteachers of general subjects and the teachers of professional theory cooperated in this projectwork. The students were also included in partial tasks of this project. First some partial taskslike working out a solar stove, technical and technological documentation were included inlearning process at subjects: technology, drawing and machine elements and practical work.In the next step we tried to connect learning matter at physics and mathematics withphenomena that is playing in the solar stove. At English language we achieved some generalaims above all with studying materials from web sides. The initiator of this project was theprinciple of our school. But the project work began to live because of excellent cooperationof physics teacher and practical work teacher.

Paper abstract

We describe some simple experiments on electricity sources and magnetism. A set of theseexperiments is under preparation within “Supercomet2” Leonardo da Vinci EU project.

Paper abstract

The University of Antwerp presents a project for secondary schools, called “Physics is cool”,It is approved and heavily sponsored by the Flemish departement of Science and Innovation,within the action “Wetenschap maakt Knap”(Science makes beautiful”). We put togethermore than 45 experimental kits with everything you need to do some 40 fascinating smallexperiments: all materials needed to do the experiments, an extensive teacher guide and aCD. Also teacher training sessions were set up.

Paper abstract

The difficulties connected with the teaching of mechanical waves (and sound in particular)are mainly due to the wide use of complex mathematics, very soon not easily accessible tothe majority of non-specialists. To overcome this situation and scaffold the understanding of such phenomena it is important to extend the use of specific learning tools able to takeadvantage of common representations of phenomena to build correct descriptive as well as interpretative models. In this paper we present experiments and simulations belonging to a Teaching/Learning proposal whose main aim is to help users to better understand the soundpropagation process through different media.

Paper abstract

Combining teaching physics and mathematics at the college level is a big educationalchallenge despite well-understood historical interaction between both fields. We believe thata successful implementation of an integrated physics/mathematics course can beaccomplished by allowing students to first analyze physical phenomena and next bychallenging them to develop and learn the underlying mathematics. We illustrate theproposed educational approach by using the study of balance properties of various objects; inparticular by posing a question on how hollowness affects the balance of asymmetricalbodies. To aid students in formulating by themselves a proper mathematical description, we have designed an interactive computer program that determines the coordinates of the mass centers for a variety of solid and hollow bodies. Consequently, students not only gain anunderstanding of how mathematics is used to model physical laws but also how mathematicalformulas are implemented in computer modeling of physical phenomena.

Paper abstract

Climbers use a so called belay devices to support each other and to help slowing down adescending companion. Sliding friction plays an essential role in such devices. A model ofthe belay device is that of a rope wounded around a cylindrical rod. It turns out that due tofriction between the rope and the rod the ratio between the tensions of the rope at twoopposite sides of the winding increases exponentially by the angle of winding. Anexperimental apparatus is presented that allows for dynamical computer-based forcemeasurement and permits to explore the exponential relation between the two forces.Furthermore, an interesting interplay between static and dynamic friction can be observed,which is typical for example in violin playing. The exercise proved to be a very fruitful openendedlaboratory exercise. Students are challenged to construct an appropriate experimentalsetup. The computer-based measurements are suitable for students training in dataacquisition and analysis. Furthermore, it allows interesting insights into the physicalphenomenon.

Paper abstract

“Vacuum bazooka” is a simple and amusing experiment, which easily catches the attentionof students. With a few very basic steps a lot of physics can be covered. We have extendedthe analysis by employing pressure sensors at the nozzle and at the centre of the tube. Someinteresting results follow from the measurements.

Paper abstract

The following demonstrations were presented on September 6, 2005 at the GIREP SeminarPhysics Nocturno Program. That evening I was honored to present with colleagues BrianJones and Stanley Micklavzina. I would like to acknowledge the fine work of Dave Barnes ofArbor Scientific and the late Marko Budisa. They supplied many of the images that appear inthis piece.

Paper abstract

This is the second GIREP seminar that featured an evening demonstration session calledPhysics Nocturno. This year’s show featured three educators from the United States, BrianJones from Colorado State University, Chris Chiaverina The American Association ofPhysics Teachers (AAPT) past president, TPT column editor, and retired high schoolteacher, and Stanley Micklavzina lecture demonstration expert from the University ofOregon. The three of us have been involved in workshops focused on taking physics on theroad at the Summer national AAPT meetings.

For Physics Nocturno we combined our efforts and put together some favoritedemonstrations used especially for bringing physics to the public.

Paper abstract

A science show named "Atomic compilation" has been prepared and performed. The plot isbased on the history of theories of light, which are visualized in laser show and illustratedwith cartoon strips. The physical conditions and the various attentions that similar settingsrequire are specified.

Paper abstract

Ernst Mach was an outstanding physicist, in addition, he was a great teacher, not only withregard to his students, but he also tried to reach a broader public. The aim of this contribution is to give some insight in the way how Mach popularised physics, and secondly, whether we can learn something from it: Is it already outdated or can one adopt or at least adapt some of his methods?

Paper abstract

The goal of many efforts in public lectures, science centers, students’ laboratories and similarinstitutions is to enhance the public understanding of physics. People show different interestsin physics. Accordingly physics does not only explicitly occur in media but also implicitlye.g. in artistic interpretation: exhibitions on physics and art are staged, views of physics occurin novels, poems or movies and physical devices are presented and discussed. All theseactivities reflect the importance of physics as part of human culture. Perhaps (unwanted)interferences between the physical and artistic perspectives lead people to think of possible,sometimes mysterious influences on their life and well being. Insight into the scientificmethod, learning about doing physics, shortly: conveyance of scientific literacy, should bethe appropriate way to prevent severe misunderstandings. Science education hence may not only comprise facts and laws but also has to clarify the scientific background of physicsterms and laws viewed from philosophy of science. The possibilities of introducing this kind of reflection and corresponding scientific analyses in physics lessons with aid of concrete examples from the media are discussed.

Paper abstract

We have just entered 21st century, but our today school students will be professionally mostactive not before 40’s of this century. Thus, it is reasonably to ask – what kind of knowledgeand skills they will need for their life and work? The revolutionary and quick recentdevelopment of educational technology makes difficulties in answering this questionprecisely. However, it seems to us that such key skills and competencies as: abilities to learn, to collect and evaluate information, to plan own work, to solve problems in a creative way, to communicate and work with others, as well as to use Information and CommunicationTechnology (ICT) effectively will be of a great value. Taking this into account, at present schools, we have to apply active methods of teaching, which are necessary for development of the above skills.

Paper abstract

ScienzaViva, a group of teachers, students, artisans and technicians, is doing in Italy anoriginal work in the Informal Learning and Public Understanding of Physics and otherSciences. Starting from the mismatch existing in Science, in particular in Physics, among theexperts, the simple students and the common people too, the group is deeply committed inconnecting these parts. Its main actions are the direct production of exhibits and theexperiential diffusion of scientific culture. With a genuine educative research, almostindependent from the academic streams, ScienzaViva engages the people, being living and vital, similar to a grassroots movement. ScienzaViva spends the same vigour in the finding out the structural reasons of the old conflict between formal and informal learning attitudes, going back to the beginnings of the history of scientific facts.

Paper abstract

Many studies have shown that operational paths developed as games and experiments in theframework of interactive exhibitions trigger informal learning procedures characterized bypersonal involvement in the analysis and interpretation of processes. Activities such as semistructuredinterview-based cognitive laboratories can elicit children’s reasoning schemas andnaïve ideas. This is particularly true in learning situations in the framework of “islands”featuring simple apparatuses aimed at exploring ideas and phenomena. Recently, the handsonexhibition GEI (Games, Experiments, Ideas) featured an updated version of the “island”of electric circuits that simulates the basic logic operators NOT, AND, OR, NAND, NOR.Cognitive laboratories held in the framework of “Marzo Scientifico 2005” (Scientific March2005) at the University of Udine and the “Festival Internazionale dei Ragazzi 2005”(Children International Festival 2005) in Tricesimo (UD) provided opportunities forcollecting data about the reasoning strategies of elementary schoolchildren (8-11 years).Analysis of these data (written answers, graphical representations, oral discussions)presented in this paper shows that pupils select essential elements for explaining thefunctioning of the circuit, use elementary models of the circuit to justify observations ofphenomenology, and autonomously propose truth tables and correctly relate them withphysical states of the circuit.

Paper abstract

We investigate the force between two electric charges and explore the origin of the magneticforce. We show that magnetism is a pure motional consequence of the electric force. Fromthe consideration, special relativity arises naturally.

Paper abstract

Some qualitative and quantitative results of a joint research on educational path design bystudents of the degree courses in Primary Education of the Universities of Modena andReggio Emilia and of Udine are analyzed and discussed. A model of blended activity hasbeen developed and experimented; in particular, the web-supported joint activity aboutsimple machines completing the training path and consisting in three phases (in-depth studyof the assigned topic, search for experimental solutions and design of educational paths) isobject of this paper.

Paper abstract

The science education literature has long recognized the importance student prior knowledgein shaping concepts, but is also keenly aware of the misconceptions that can emerge from it.However, factors that have been shown to lead to misconceptions include the overt orinadvertent misrepresentations of science content fostered by textbooks or throughvisualizations. In this paper we provide two vignettes of misrepresentations of physicalprinciples to explain resonance and surface tension. We question the heuristic value of theserepresentations, as they erroneously appeal to a student’s prior experiences, are misleadingon several levels, and have the potential of generating persistent misconceptions. Our aimsare not to simply point out the misrepresentation and the misconceptions they lead to, but toexplore the underlying roots and commonalities between them, and to offer solutions toclarify them.

Paper abstract

Undoubtedly, the best teacher of the error theory is experimental practice. However, practicehas three seriously weak points: 1) Practice is expensive and time consuming. It is hard toprovide opportunities for all students to design and repeat experiments as much as necessary.2) Real experiments cannot be controlled completely. Such systems have too manyparameters that make all errors to follow Gaussian profile. 3) Parameters of a real systemcannot be manipulated easily. Hence, we cannot design "pathological" cases, very importantfor educational purposes. Relatively simple way to overcome such difficulties is introductionof virtual experiments. Virtual experiment can be defined as computer program that simulatereal experiments along with pseudo-random variation of measured values according topostulated statistical distribution. Such experiments appear to be fertile area for investigationof error distributions, mutual dependency of system components and testing of theoreticalmodels. Correct estimation of an error is equally important as correct estimation of meanvalue. Only "ordered pairs" gives a meaning to a measurement and that is the point wherescience education usually fails. Formula for an error of complex system based on totaldifferential gives a good prediction of output error only if relative errors become small and ifall components happen to be independent. Virtual experiments can help developing ofresearch intuition on such systems. Further, modeling and search for relationships betweenparameters can achieve higher level of reliability if prove them on virtual variants of the realexperiments.

Paper abstract

The application “Solid state” is part 7 from the set of web-based multimedia applicationscover the general course of physics and is aimed at graduation students in all engineeringspecialities with a four years curriculum. In the application all multimedia elements areincluded – text, images, animations, Java applets. The lecture material is organized in fourmodules: Solid state structure, Band theory, Contact phenomena and Luminescence, whichare linked to each other. Except basic theoretical parts and description of the basic physicslaws, in the application are included the sections “Questions and tasks”, “Virtuallaboratory”, presented by 18 applets and “Biographies”. The material in the section“Question and tasks” is for self-evaluation and can be considered only if the students havepassed through all the stages.

The application contains and proposes a high number of traditional and interactive examples.Emphasis is put on the motivation of students and stimulating their interest in “Solid state”and generally in physics.