Online reading assignment question: interesting Midterm 1 physics topics

Physics 205B Reading assignment 14, spring semester 2013
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

130324Phys205B-interesting-c
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Wordle.net tag cloud for interesting topics covered in Midterm 1, generated by responses from Physics 205B students at Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA (www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/6522906/Untitled).

Students have a weekly online reading assignment (hosted by SurveyMonkey.com), where they answer questions based on reading their textbook, material covered in previous lectures, opinion questions, and/or asking (anonymous) questions or making (anonymous) comments. Full credit is given for completing the online reading assignment before next week's lecture, regardless if whether their answers are correct/incorrect. Selected results/questions/comments are addressed by the instructor at the start of the following lecture.

List at least three words describing interesting subjects covered in class (up through this midterm). (Graded for completion.)

[Responses have been edited to consolidate related common subjects.]

Student responses
Section 30882

polarization, sound , wavelength
lenses, images, electromagnetism
microscopes, TIR, interference
lasers, polarization, opticalinstruments
intuitivelyconfusingconcepts
hyperopia, reflection, incidentangle
telescopes, microscopes
raytracings, refraction, telescopes
testcharges, telescopes, interference
optics, electricfields, diffraction
refraction, lenses, microscopes
microscopes, interference, diffraction
polarization, TIR, interference
electricpotentialenergy, polarization, raytracings
lenses, lenses, lenses
myopia, electricfields, reflection
onlysortofdangerous
microscopes, refraction, polarization,

Describe your most interesting subject, and briefly explain why this subject interested you. (Graded for completion.)

The following are all of the student responses to this question, verbatim and unedited.

"I think the polarization of light is pretty interesting. I always wondered how polarized sunglasses worked."

"I liked studying images because it was interesting to learn how they work."

"I thought it was fascinating that, with corrective lenses, I'm looking at a virtual image"

"I find it interesting how the lenses in a microscope work."

"i thought that corrective optics was a cool subject because it was cool distinguishing the difference between real and virtual images,"

"Corrective optics, it just really blew my mind that everything I see through my contacts from 0.33m and on is a virtual image."

"how polarization works and how two perpendicular polarizations will not allow light to pass through"

"electrons and how the act"

"Refraction, I like the concept of total internal reflection. Floating under the surface of a pool, it can be almost a perfect mirror if the surface is calm enough."

"Test charges. I am not sure why it is interesting to me."

"Corrective optics because I never knew what went into correcting your eye sight"

"the refraction and reflection material was interesting since i could some how related to chemistry also the microscopes and lenses helped me visualize how a microscope works."

"The most interesting thing we have covered this semester to me has been the microscope. I have recently started using microscopes in biology and it is interesting to see how they actually function."

"I love snell's law because I see it in action all the time. I see glass in a whole new light."

"ray tracings because i love to draw ray tracings."

"It was interesting how the lens created different images, for cameras, eyes, glasses, telescopes and microscopes."

"I enjoyed learning about reflection because it really made sense to me and I could relate to it because I have witnessed it in my life on a regular basis."

"I like that we are just now getting into electricity. It seems most applicable and even a little intuitive."

"I really like refraction. Because I am a marine biology major, I spend a lot of time looking into water, so now I understand the physics behind the distortion of things in the water!"