A general purpose optics bench simulation. Allows one to see the effects of multiple optical elements on a 1D optics bench, or create specific virtual experiments for students. Elements included are point and beam light sources, lenses, mirrors, and apertures. The properties of all elements are adjustable. Like all Physlets, the Optics Bench can be scripted for different uses.
Type of Material:
Java applet simulations.
Recommended Uses:
Lecture/Demo, Lab, Drill/Practice, and Building Block to be used in a wide range of settings, depending on scripting.
Technical Requirements:
Scripting of Physlets is problematic on Mac's.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
Understanding of a wide variety of topics in geometric optics.
Target Student Population:
High School, Lower Level Undergraduate, and Upper Level Undergraduate optics classes.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Introduction to geometric optics, lenses, and mirrors.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
This applet has most of the relevant physics of geometric optics, including reflection, refraction, focussing, spherical aberration, thick lenses, and index of refraction. Focal lengths and type of object (converging or diverging lens, concave or convex mirror) can be adjusted.
The completeness of this applet, covering all of the physics of geometric optics, is outstanding.
Concerns:
The rays reflecting off of a curved mirror seem to "go through" the mirror because of what seems to be a single-planar mirror approximation. There is no inclusion of color and chromatic dispersion.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
This is a general purpose optics applet with a wide range of potential uses. It allows students to interact and experiment. Quantitative results are given, so it can be used for interactive homework assignments, pre-laboratory exercises, and virtual labs. Included with this applet is an example virtual lab write-up, and 15 different example problems that focus on specific optics problems.
Concerns:
Effective use requires careful crafting of exercises, and accompanying web pages. Many excellent examples are given.
Although the effectiveness of this material will depend on the supplemental material the instructor adds to it, the potential for positive learning outcomes is great.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
This applet has a good, intuitive interface. Changing the properties of the optical elements when using the controls is a matter of simple click-and-drag.
This applet can be used in multiple different ways. The documentation on how to use the material, including many excellent examples, is available. Documentation is extensive for those familiar with Physlet methods.
As with all physlets, scripting is possible, but in this case not particularly necessary. Presented with the applet and proper directions,
students can make very effective use of this material without scripting. The included example optics problems give material that can be used directly in many different courses and/or be used as a starting point for further scripting.
Concerns:
For specific uses of this applet, scripting will be useful. This will require some work by those new to Physlets. An excellent resource for learning this is the book Physlets: Teaching Physics with Interactive Curricular Material by Christian and Belloni.
Creative Commons:
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