JANEZ STRNAD, Fakulteta za matematiko in fiziko

Should sound be considered before isentropic changes of gases or afterwards? In discussing this question interesting details are encountered.

Snowfall is a typical winter phenomenon. The forms of snow crystals, snowfall intensity and new snow density are dependant on the air temperature and humidity at the time of snowfall. When snow crystals reach the ground their transformations start. Mechanical and thermodynamical transformations of snow crystals in winter snow cover are discussed. Isothermal metamorphism - formation of sintered grains in snow cover is the most important transformation of snow, new crystals growth - temperature gradient metamorphism and types of thaw (melt-freeze metamorphism) are described. Presented are standard measurements of snow cover. The glacier ice formation is briefly described and the factors influencing glacier growth and decay are listed.

The incident linearly polarised light is elliptically polarised after the transmission through a plate of birefringence material. The state of polarisation depends on the sample thickness, wavelength and birefringence. We present three experiments which demonstrate each of dependencies separately. Liquid crystals are used as a birefringence material.

MARKO MUNIH, ZRSŠ oe Koper

How to build a simple program interface to simulate a demonstration multimeter.

Experimental problems of this year’s International Physics Olympiad in Leicester are presented.

JANEZ STRNAD, Fakulteta za matematiko in fiziko

The scientific method on which the research of nature is based is poorly appreciated in the public. Is it possible to consider its essential traits at the secondary school level? The students come to know it indirectly on the way to the laws of nature. A dry list of steps that may comprise it, at this level would miss the point and lead to a rigid picture of physics and all natural sciences. Physics teachers, however, should be aware of the importance of the scientific method and should reflect on it. On the one hand this would enable them to convey to the students the knowledge about the method without describing it directly. On the other hand, they could sketch the method directly if eventually an occasion would arise.

VIDA KARIŽ MERHAR, Gimnazija Vič, Ljubljana

The contribution reports about students' home experiment with total reflection of light in a glass of water and analises their difficulties in describing the experiment.

With simple counting of stars through a hole, the number of stars in the sky that we see by night can be estimated. The elements of the experiment that need special attention are discussed. The necessity to carry out a large number of experiments is pointed out. The counting of stars is also shown on two distribution charts.

The article describes how to make and to use various didactic games in physics lessons. Games are very important for motivation. They make the lessons more interesting and are therefore very popular among pupils.

Soon after the introduction of science as a cumpulsory subject in public schools, in the year 1869, didactic advices for teachers of science, especially of physics appeared in the literature. The work of prof. Franc Hauptmann, professor of mathematics and physics in Graz and the school advisor, is shortly addressed.

DUŠAN MODIC

In the contribution, physics textbooks in Slovene language before the 2^nd world war are cited, and the textbook of Karl Kunc is described more thoroughly.

LUO XINGKAI, Institute of Physics Education, Guangxi Normal University

prevedla Seta Oblak

The article PHYSICS EDUCATION IN CHINA is translated from GIREP Newsletter No. 41 (March 1999). In it, general situation in education, education of physics teachers, physics curriculum and present challenges to physics education in China are presented.

Leonardo da Vinci is an European programme that calls for applications to propose projects about various fields of education. A pilot project on computerised laboratory in science and technology teaching was suggested by Faculty of Education in Ljubljana in co-operation with partners from eight countries. Although the competition was keen, the project proposal was successful. General aims of the project are introduced in the paper.

Seta Oblak