Ateneo - UPO

The course consists of two parts (24 hours each): 1) History of physics: Historical development of some important topics of XIX and XX century physics. 2) Physics teaching: theory and practice, with focus on modern physics.

Emilio Segrè, "Personaggi e scoperte della fisica", Mondadori, 2018Armin Herman, "The Genesis of Quantum Theory", MIT PressA. Einstein, "Opere scelte", edited by E. Bellone, Bollati Boringhieri, 2026.Papers provided by the lecturer.

Provide elements of history of physics through examples of the most important theoretical and experimental developments of the last two centuries. Connect the historic and epistemological aspects to the development of physics curricula according to the National Recommendations for high schools.

Knowledge of basic physics as acquired in the first two years.

In class lectures. Commented reading of original texts. Seminars on specific topics with the participation of the students.

The slides of the lectures will be available on the DIR page.
Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services- students-physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects

Oral exam consisting of a discussion of a short teaching unit on a topic in modern physics and a case study from the history of twentieth-century physics. The exam topics will be chosen by the student from a list provided by the teacher. The exam is designed to verify that the student, in addition to having acquired a general understanding of the history and teaching of modern physics, demonstrates a capacity for critical analysis of the topics covered. A passing grade is achieved by demonstrating basic knowledge and skills in the didactic translation and historical evaluation of the topics covered, and the acquisition of appropriate scientific language. Excellence is achieved by demonstrating a thorough understanding of the topics covered and a mastery of teaching and historiographical methods.

1) History of physics. The kinetic theory of matter. The “new physics” between the 19th and 20th centuries: eletrons, radiation, radioactivity. Avogadro's constant and its determinations. The electrodynamics of moving bodies and special relativity. The reality of atoms. Atomic models. The old quantum theory, from Planck to de Broglie. Quantum mechanics from its birth to maturity, 1925-1935. 2) Physics teaching. The physics curriculum in secondary schools Experimental proposals. The teaching of modern physics (with emphasis on relativity). The historical dimension in physics teaching. In-depth analysis of some conceptual issues. Analysis of physics textbooks.

- Knowledge and understanding: Knowing the historical evolution of some of the most important theoretical and experimental developments in XIX and XX century. Becoming aware of the cultural value of the discipline and of its historical and epistemological aspects.
- Applying knowledge and understanding: Being able to identify significant aspects and to choose effective methods to adequately explain the theoretical and experimental advances of physics in a pedagogical setting.
- Learning skills: Acquiring a certain mastery of the publications on history and didactics of physics, being able to expand one’s knowledge in order to include recent developments. This course contributes to the training of the program in communication and physics teaching.