RuSTLe: Rutherford Simulation for Teaching and Learning

An Interactive Educational Simulation of the Rutherford Experiment

Cristiano Lino Fontana1, Andrea Lanzini1, Stefania Lippiello1, Sandra Moretto1
1Department of Physics and Astronomy “Galileo Galilei,” University of Padova, Italy

Introduction and Theory

Concerning Physics, the reform that reorganized Italian high schools [1] was aimed at two important aspects: on one hand it emphasizes experimental and laboratory activities; on the other hand it extending the syllabus, in order to include the XX century Physics. Laboratory activities should allow the student to discuss and build concepts, design and carry out measurements and observations, and compare experiments to theory. Thanks to this reorganization, teachers should introduce the students to the bases of Quantum Mechanics and Einstein’s relativity. Moreover, at the end of the year the syllabus foresees Nuclear Physics and the relationship between science and technology. Our educational project is shaped according to the reform themes: introduce Nuclear Physics to the students with laboratory activities.

Concept and Implementation

We developed a learning activity that can integrate the followings: experimental skills, modeling and development of the theory. We propose investigations both with simulations and with experimental measurements. In particular the project aims to introduce a Nuclear Physics experiment (the Rutherford’s gold foil experiment), emphasizing the role and limits of models in physics. The learning path foresees the following scheme: introduction to the problem, simulation, experiment, data analysis, model verification. It is divided in the following sections: the students interact with a web-based 2D simulation [2] of several spheres hitting objects with different shapes; they compute through the simulation the angular distribution of the scattered spheres; they reproduce in the lab the experiment with marbles hitting hidden obstacles of different shapes; they video record the experience; using Tracker [3] they calculate the same angular distribution of the filmed marbles; finally they compare the theoretical results with the physical experiment.

Objectives and Assessment

This project builds the opportunity to explore both phenomenology and theory. We want to stress the importance of modelization of physical experiments and, at the same time, compare the model with real data. In regards to other Rutherford inspired activities [4] we want to focus on the concept of indirectly probing something that cannot be directly seen. Moreover, this approach emphasizes the study of the angular distribution of scattered particles, that is the common methodology applied in Nuclear Physics experiments. The simulation, being web-based, is very accessible and can be used by the students on a wide range of devices. Furthermore, the simulation helps to visualize the model and allows to reason on the limits of modeling physical processes.

References

[1] Decreto interministeriale MIUR-MEF, 7 ottobre 2010, n. 211.
[2] Box2D.js, https://github.com/kripken/box2d.js/
[3] http://physlets.org/tracker/
[4] QuarkNet: Rolling with Rutherford https://quarknet.i2u2.org/data-portfolio/activity/rolling-rutherford