An Online Mechanics Experiment

Abstract

Physics distance education has grown rapidly in recent years. The theory part of a physics course taught in this way has much common ground with other courses. However, lab instruction is an important part of introductory physics and presents special challenges for distance education. We have developed a prototype introductory mechanics lab which allows many of the instructional features of “on-campus” labs to be presented to students over the internet. These include the ability to control and operate a piece of equipment and to get precision data with included errors, which can be analyzed to give a meaningful result. The lab links theory to practice and allows students to see the principles of mechanics in action.