Physics with Open Source Software

1. Physics with Python and educational software • We have designed and realized a set of worksheets about Kinematics with Python using Notebook Jupyter. The material is intended to be a tool for learning basic concepts in Physics and also as an opportunity to get to know the Python language and the Jupyter environment. • We have set up a server hosting a Minecraft Educational (sandbox video game) “virtual world”, developed to illustrate Galileo experiments with inclined plane. Partecipating students, from secondary school, were presented with experiments, exercises, and cooperative work. 2. Using inexpensive hardware and open source software for experiments and data analysis. We have designed and realized educational experiments based on the single-board computer Raspberry Pi. • Using a low-cost ultrasonic distance sensor we have realized an experiment for studying the motion along an inclined plane. The codes for data acquisition, data analysis and graphical representation of the results are based on open source Python libraries. • Using an ADC integrated circuit and the Raspberry Pi board, we have designed a set of laboratory activities intended as hands-on experiments on electric circuits. This approach starts with the set up of very simple circuits and leads to study the charge and discharge of a capacitor, while learning Python for data acquisition, data analysis and visualisation of the results. • Using Vis and NIR sensors on breakout boards we have realized a low cost, portable device, based on open source technology, for the continuous monitoring of the quality of sea water. By means of such device we have measured the autofluorescence signal generated by exciting wavelengths (LED) in sea water samples. The device was operated Raspberry Pi, Python codes and open source modules.