Fösel A (2025)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2025
Book Volume: 46
Journal Issue: 4
URI: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6404/ade40f
This article addresses both the physical aspects of the everyday life of bats focused on acoustics and uses bats as an inspiring context for learning physics and (ultrasound) acoustics. We provide some basic facts about bats that are relevant to the study of these acoustic phenomena. Additionally, and indeed with full intention, some stories about bats are included that are simply motivational without being specifically relevant to the topic. The didactic concept of this article is to demonstrate a context-based approach to acoustics. Specifically, we present ideas on how fundamental concepts of acoustics can be conveyed in a motivational context related to biology and bats. Additionally, learners gain essential knowledge about the physical aspects associated with bats through this approach. We focus on four experiments. The first experiments address the sending and receiving of acoustic signals and also serve as a gradual introduction to the topic of ultrasound. The second experiment deals with the reflection of ultrasound signals and the concept of echolocation. The third experiment discusses directional hearing, and a fourth experiment addresses the topic of how bats are able to discriminate between different surface textures. This article is relevant for teaching undergraduate physics students at universities in the subject of acoustics. It may also serve as an inspiration for university instructors who train future teachers in physics, helping them convey both subject-specific concepts and scientific methods, as well as the didactic concept of a context-based approach to physics teaching.
APA:
Fösel, A. (2025). Acoustics in the daily life of bats. European Journal of Physics, 46(4). https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6404/ade40f
MLA:
Fösel, Angela. "Acoustics in the daily life of bats." European Journal of Physics 46.4 (2025).
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