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Teaching and Learning Physics in a Cultural Context

Physics Learning Research Group, College of Education
Physics Education Department,
Seoul National University

The Physics Learning Research Group from the College of Education of Seoul National University in Korea developed some questions that were presented atthe International Conference of Physics Teachers and Educators, at Guilin, People’s Republic of China held last August 19-23, 1999. The series of questions was part of a workshop on "Teaching and Learning Physics in a Cultural Context", and aimed to elicit the participants’ comments and suggestions on how to make the questions better, and to encourage them to make their own questions that their group can ask to students at Seven Star Park in Guilin, PR China.

The questions were:

Floral Bridge
The bridge is about 125m long and said to have been built about 1,000 years ago.

(Q1-1) According to some guide books, the bridge has been destroyed every 62 years and rebuilt many times.

Can you guess the cause of this periodic collapse of the bridge?

(Q1-2)In the next figure, you can see a peculiar structure of a bridge roof. Why did they use many horizontal beams? Are they just for appearance or are they necessary to make the roof safer?

Lament Wind Cave

The cave looks like a natural air conditioner. You can feel a cool wind in front of the cave.

(Q2-1) How does the wind come from the cave? Can you explain the cause of this cold wind?

(Q2-2) Is the speed of the wind always the same? Which factors can play an important role in determining the speed of the wind from the cave?