Abstract
THE authors say in their preface that these notes have been used for the teaching of practical physics at the Bradford Grammar School during the last three years, and the presumption is that experience has proved their usefulness and suitability. An examination of the volumes, however, suggests that the notes have in practice probably been supplemented by judicious additions by the teachers, or the results of the instruction would have been less satisfactory. The volumes contain no illustrations to show pictorially the arrangements of the apparatus described; one page only seems to be devoted to the plotting of curves, and on this page there is by no means enough explanation to explain to a young student the method and meaning of such graphic representation; and, more than this, under the section Boyle's law, the pupil is instructed to plot a curve connecting P and I/V, and in another place to plot a curve connecting the square root of the length of a pendulum and the time of swing though the only remarks on curve plotting, instead of preceding these instructions, follow in another experiment. In several places, too, the verbal instructions seem inadequate to the needs of beginners. In describing the screw gauge the authors content themselves by saying that the zero error must be ascertained carefully, and give no directions as to how this should be done. The account of the vernier is similarly too brief. To secure the best results in a physical laboratory the student should be in possession of directions explicit enough to avoid the waste of time caused by waiting for the master to arrive to clear up a difficulty, and these directions should be obtainable from the book or be given in a preliminary demonstration. Notwithstanding the remark of the authors that experimental work in sound is only suitable for a later stage, there are many experiments in this branch of physics that interest young people and are understood by them. On the whole, however, the course is comprehensive and generally in accordance with the experience of good laboratory practice.
Practical Physics for Schools.
I. Mensuration, Mechanics, and Hydrostatics. Pp. 72. II. Light and Heat. Pp. 79. By C. J. L. Wagstaff, and G. C. Bloomer. (Cambridge: W. Heffer and Sons, 1903.) Price 1s. 6d. each.
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Practical Physics for Schools . Nature 69, 125 (1903). https://doi.org/10.1038/069125b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/069125b0