On Remote and Virtual Experiments in eLearning in Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics

The science of physics is based on theories and models as well as experiments: the former structure relations and simplify reality to a degree such that predictions on physical phenomena can be derived by means of mathematics. The latter allow verification or falsification of these predictions. Computer sciences allow a new access to this relationship, especially well-suited for education: new technologies provide simulations for the model, virtual instruments for running and evaluating real experiments and mathematical toolkits to solve equations derived from the theory analytically and to compare the outcome of all three methods. We will demonstrate this approach on two examples: ferromagnetism and thermodynamics