After winning the International Year of Quantum (IYQ) grant from the Australian Institute of Physics, Flinders Physicists designed and delivered four Quantum enrichment days to South Australian students targeting school year levels 9- 12, with a total of 171 students participating in the days.
The grant recipients were Prof Maria Parappilly, Prof Gunther Andersson, Dr Darryl Jones, and Dr Pankaj Sharma. Prof Parappilly was the project lead.
The hands-on learning activities were designed and developed in such a way to ensure the abstract quantum concepts were tangible to students. The physicists designed three new major quantum activities with existing activities for the high potential students. The new activities developed included,
1. Measurement of Quantum Constant Using LEDs- In this activity, students measure the voltages required to produce light from different LEDs and use them to obtain a value for Quantum constant.
2. Light, Polarisation and Quantum Mechanics- used light and its polarisation to introduce and investigate how we can describe and interact with quantum objects.
In this activity, students investigated how the orientation of a photons Electric Field, its polarisation, behaves like a quantum state of light, and demonstrate quantum-like properties like superposition and how measurement of the polarisation state collapses the wavefunction.
3. Photocatalysis – Hydrogen Production - Energy Needed to Drive Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production. Students explored that it depends on the wavelength of the illuminating light whether or the chemical reaction to split water is occurring upon illuminating a specific semiconductor with light. The students connect the band gap of the photocatalyst to the energy required to drive the water splitting reaction and the wavelength which the semiconductor can absorb.
The additional activities offered included:
4. Measurement of Planck’s Constant using Hydrogen Lines- Students determined Quantum constant value using the measurements of the wavelengths of the visible Balmer lines.
5. Band Gap of LEDs and solar cells- A simple demonstration of the presence of a bandgap. –students make measurements of the light absorption characteristics of LED’s provided and then apply quantum principles to predict what colour of light each LED will emit.
6. Polarization and Birefringence of materials – exploring how material properties can change the colour of light transmitted through the polarisers.
Supporting regional students to engage with the activities, the first Quantum Enrichment day was held at Kingscote School, Kangaroo Island on August 5. Prof Maria Parappilly delivered major quantum activities 1 and 2 to Year 11/12 Physics students (15)- see the photo of students enjoying the measurement of Quantum constant.
The second Quantum Enrichment day was held at Flinders University on Sept 12. Dr Darryl Jones delivered the polarisation activity that he developed on this day to 42 students (years 9 and 11). This allowed us to receive feedback from teachers and students to refine the activities. The third Quantum enrichment day was attended by 43 Year 11 and 12 students. The fourth Enrichment Day was attended by 81 students (Year 9-11). On this day we introduced our third major quantum activity designed and developed by Prof Gunther Andersson.
During these Quantum events, Dr Darryl Jones (Chair, AIP SA), Prof Maria Parappilly, Dr Bronwyn Dolman (Principal Scientist, ATRAD Pty Ltd) and Danielle Hughes (Flinders Physics PhD student) delivered role-model talks highlighting their journey in physics.
All these events and hands-on activities provided students with an opportunity to celebrate the International Year of Quantum, directly interact with quantum phenomena, discover, and learn more about quantum. See sample comments below.
Photo 1- Year 12 students performing the Quantum Constant Measurement activity at Kingscote school, Kangaroo Island.
Photo 2- Dr Jones explains Quantum activity#2 to Norwood High students.
Photo 3- Prof Andersson runs through Quantum activity#3 with year 10 students from ASMS.
Photo 4- Prof Parappilly runs through Quantum activity#4 with Mary Mackillop Collage Year 11 Physics girls.
Sample Physics Teacher comment
“…Opportunities such as the Quantum Enrichment Day last term offer our students a glimpse to what their futures might be like, and where their interests might lead them in the future. Hence their excitement when you visited us last week!”
Sample Student Comments
“Today when coming back to Flinders and being a part of the Quantum Enrichment Day has allowed me to discover particular interests of mine in physics. Due to the many opportunities I’ve had at the Flinders University I hope to continue down the path of physics in the future and achieve many great things”
“I have been given many valuable opportunities, such as attending the Quantum enrichment day today. This was relevant to the sectors I want to explore in the future, and I feel encouraged to pursue identified interests such as nuclear physics”
“In Year 9 when I first attended the enrichment program held by flinders university I was inspired to continue on with my journey in science. It solidified my interest in physics which led me to selecting it as a subject in Year 11. Today when coming back to Flinders and being a part of the Quantum Enrichment Day has allowed me to discover particular interests of mine in physics”
