We describe a pandemic-inspired, modern physics distance lab course, focused both on engaging undergraduate physics majors in scientific research from their homes and on building skills in scientific paper reading and writing. To introduce the experimental and analytic tools, students are first asked to complete a traditional lab assignment in which collections of Hexbugs™, randomly moving toy automatons, are used to model gas molecules and to confirm the ideal gas law. Subsequently, after consulting the literature, students propose and implement semester-long experiments using Hexbugs™, smartphones, and materials commonly found at home to model various concepts in statistical mechanics and electrical conduction. A sample project focused on the Drude model, in which Hexbugs™ on a tilted plane are used to model electrical conduction, is described in detail. Alongside the research projects, students write...
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Using Hexbugs™ to model gas pressure and electrical conduction: A pandemic-inspired distance lab
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November 2022
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November 01 2022
Using Hexbugs™ to model gas pressure and electrical conduction: A pandemic-inspired distance lab

Genevieve DiBari;
Genevieve DiBari
a)
Physics and Astronomy Department, Pomona College
, Claremont, California 91711
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Liliana Valle;
Liliana Valle
Physics and Astronomy Department, Pomona College
, Claremont, California 91711
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Refilwe Tanah Bua;
Refilwe Tanah Bua
c)
Physics and Astronomy Department, Pomona College
, Claremont, California 91711
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Lucas Cunningham;
Lucas Cunningham
Physics and Astronomy Department, Pomona College
, Claremont, California 91711
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Eleanor Hort;
Eleanor Hort
Physics and Astronomy Department, Pomona College
, Claremont, California 91711
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Taylor Venenciano;
Taylor Venenciano
d)
Physics and Astronomy Department, Pomona College
, Claremont, California 91711
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Janice Hudgings
Janice Hudgings
e)
Physics and Astronomy Department, Pomona College
, Claremont, California 91711
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Am. J. Phys. 90, 817–825 (2022)
Article history
Received:
February 01 2022
Accepted:
September 09 2022
Citation
Genevieve DiBari, Liliana Valle, Refilwe Tanah Bua, Lucas Cunningham, Eleanor Hort, Taylor Venenciano, Janice Hudgings; Using Hexbugs™ to model gas pressure and electrical conduction: A pandemic-inspired distance lab. Am. J. Phys. 1 November 2022; 90 (11): 817–825. https://doi.org/10.1119/5.0087142
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