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National Science Foundation
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King Saud University seeks to become a leader in educational and technological innovation, scientific discovery and creativity through fostering an atmosphere of intellectual inspiration and partnership for the prosperity of society.
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Lasers
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Create a laser by pumping the chamber with a photon beam. Manage the energy states of the laser's atoms to control its output.
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Teaching Resources
Main Topics
- Laser
- Photon Beams
- Quantum Mechanics
Sample Learning Goals
- Describe how absorption and spontaneous and stimulated emission work, and explain the requirements for each to occur.
- Describe how a laser works.
- Explain the requirements for lasing in terms of the intensity and wavelength of the lamp, the mirror reflectivity, and the lifetimes of the excited states of the atom.
- Troubleshoot a broken laser.
Tips for Teachers
The teacher's guide (pdf) contains tips created by the PhET team.
Teaching Ideas
| Title | Authors | Level | Type | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Visualization and Visual Illusions SIM Homework
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Kathy Perkins, Carl Wieman | UG-Intro | HW | 1/9/11 |
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How to make a laser
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Sam McKagan, Kathy Perkins and Carl Wieman | UG-Adv UG-Intro |
HW | 4/20/10 |
| Light Emission and Lasers | Debra Krause Dandaneau | UG-Intro HS |
Lab Other |
4/17/09 |
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Blackbody Spectrum & Lasers Simulations Homework
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Kathy Perkins, Carl Wieman | HS UG-Intro |
HW | 1/8/11 |
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Bose-Einstein Condensation Lesson
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Carl Wieman, Kathy Perkins | UG-Intro HS UG-Adv |
CQs Demo |
1/9/11 |
You can submit your own ideas and activities.
Translated Versions:
Software Requirements
| Windows | Macintosh | Linux |
|---|---|---|
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Microsoft Windows
XP/Vista/7 Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later |
OS 10.5 or later
Sun Java 1.5.0_19 or later |
Sun Java 1.5.0_15 or later |
Credits
| Design Team | Third-party Libraries | Thanks To |
|---|---|---|
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