W. Handley

A Research-Based Curriculum for Teaching the Photoelectric Effect

Publishing data
Sarah B. McKagan, W. Handley, Katherine K. Perkins, Carl E. Wieman
2008
Resource type: 
other
Publication details: 
submitted to American Journal of Physics

Physics faculty consider the photoelectric effect important, but many erroneously believe it is easy for students to understand. We have developed curriculum on this topic including an interactive computer simulation, interactive lectures with peer instruction, and conceptual and mathematical homework problems. Our curriculum addresses established student difficulties and is designed to achieve two learning goals, for students to be able to (1) correctly predict the results of photoelectric effect experiments, and (2) describe how these results lead to the photon model of light.