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Work in progress

Work in progress. Teaching energy Gary Williams. Historically. UK physics teaching has become more conceptual Nuffield introduced the ideas of different labels – sound energy, food energy etc This idea has been taken too far We have reinforced the idea of caloric rather than destroying it.

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Work in progress

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  1. Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  2. Work in progress Teaching energy Gary Williams Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  3. Historically • UK physics teaching has become more conceptual • Nuffield introduced the ideas of different labels – sound energy, food energy etc • This idea has been taken too far • We have reinforced the idea of caloric rather than destroying it. Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  4. The problem • Energy doesn’t exist, it’s a mathematical “quantity” • The concept of energy is a powerful tool for showing equivalence between systems • There’s a lot of new language on the way to understanding • It’s in exams Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  5. A solution • Should start where we are now • Should finish where we want to be • Must tackle the language problem • Must highlight the underlying mathematical nature of energy • Needs to address likely exam questions Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  6. Boohan and Ogborn – Energy and change Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  7. Nuclear Gravitational potential Internal Elastic potential Chemical The CCB Energy approach • Kinetic • Heating • Sound • Radiation • Electrical work Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  8. The big picture – a system Transformer Energy sink Energy source Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  9. A power station – a source Chemical Electrical work Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  10. A light bulb – a transformer Lamp Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  11. Lifting a weight – a sink Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  12. A try this example • The stereo runs off mains electricity • The device converts the energy • The energy goes where? • Into the environment. Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  13. Mains electricity comes from power stations Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  14. Stereo The stereo is just like a loudspeaker Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  15. The sound goes into the environment Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  16. Stereo Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  17. Stereo Write the word descriptions under the symbols Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  18. We had: Lamp So where’s the heating? Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  19. A normal light bulb is only about 10%EFFICIENT. Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  20. Lets draw it like this: Lamp 90% 10% Then we know what’s going where. Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  21. Motor 65% 30% 5% Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  22. So a power station would look like: Boiler Turbine Generator 30% 70% 50% 15% 20% 15% 10% 5% 5% Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  23. Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  24. Most power stations are very similar: Turbine A turbine changes kinetic energy so that it’s more useful Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  25. A generator converts kinetic energy into electrical work Generator Then the electricity gets sent to your home. Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  26. Hydroelectricity Turbine Generator Falling water turns a turbine which drives a generator Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  27. The Elan Valley scheme in the Cambrian Mountains of mid-Wales comprises five reservoirs and four dams, built between the end of the 19th century and 1952. The reservoirs hold 199 million tonnes of water and are the main water supply source for Birmingham. During the 1990s, the existing water supply was harnessed to generate electricity. The scheme generates power to meet the needs of nearly 11,000 homes, avoiding carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of 26,200 tonnes a year. Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  28. Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  29. Heating Radiation Radiation Electrical work Electrical work Sound Sound 10. Which boxes best show the useful energy transfer which takes place in an electric bell? A B ElectricBell ElectricBell Kinetic D C ElectricBell ElectricBell Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  30. Why does it work? • It’s very visual • Pupils don’t need to know the language straight away • It’s very interactive Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  31. Why did we do it? • The teaching of energy needs some common ground • Our teaching of this subject needs to improve • Too often pupils in the past have little long term recall of this topic Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  32. Where should we go? • Banish all forms of energy that don’t have equations at GCSE? • Reduce the forms of energy to 4 – the same as the number of fundamental forces? (or 3?) Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

  33. All the resources can be downloaded from the Christ College website: http://www.christcollegebrecon.com/ From the menu follow: Academic>>>subject list>>>>Physics Liverpool Physics Teachers Conference 2004

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