• Introduction

    Not published to students
    Current

    Experiments are at the heart of modern physics. If the experimental results are consistent with theoretical predictions, then we have some measure of understanding of the phenomenon in question. If no agreement is apparent, then either the theory or the experiment is in error. In this course, you will carry out experiments dealing with fundamental physical phenomena. The experiments will involve differing techniques of measurement and analysis.

  • Laboratory Notebook Guidelines

    Not published to students
    Current


  • Lab Reports

    Not published to students
    Current

  • Lab & Experimental Maintenance Project

    Not published to students
    Current

    Lab Project Details

    • The goal is to assess equipment. What works? What does not? We have a small budget, so some items may be purchasable to get your equipment working. If it does work, then what does it take to get results comparable to any accompanying manual or to accepted values. Think like Snape in potions class, do we cut or squish to get the best results, I want you to figure this out and document it in your report.
    • This will be 1 of your 3 full lab reports
    • This will be 1 or your 2 presentations
    • This is a semester-long project and every 2-3 weeks a component of your report or presentation will be due alongside your other regular weekly labs. There are 2 full weeks of in-class time devoted to working on your project, however, you are expected to put in time outside of class assessing your equipment and taking data.

    You will be given an opportunity throughout the semester to help assess, develop, and fix old labs for future use. This is a semester-long project that should be done during free time and/or during lab time as determined by your instructor. There will be incremental assignments to motivate progress throughout the semester.

    • Folder

      Magnetic Torque Experiment

      Available but not shown on course page
      Not published to students

      Magnetic Torque, Mτ1-A, is the first instrument specifically designed to provide science and engineering students with hands-on experiments that demonstrate the effects of a magnetic field on a magnetic dipole.

    • Folder

      Millikan Oil Drop

      Available but not shown on course page
      Not published to students

      In 1909, Robert Millikan conducted the oil-drop experiment to determine the charge of an electron. He suspended tiny charged droplets of oil between two metal electrodes by balancing downward gravitational force with upward electric force. The density of the oil was known, so he could determine the droplets’ masses from their observed radii. Using the known electric field and the value of gravity and mass, he determined the charge on oil droplets in mechanical equilibrium. 

    • Folder

      e/m a.k.a. Charge to Mass Ratio

      Available but not shown on course page
      Not published to students

      e/m apparatus provides a simple method for measuring e/m, the charge to mass ratio of the electron. The method is similar to that used by J.J. Thomson in 1897. A beam of electrons is accelerated through a known potential, so the velocity of the electrons is known. A pair of Helmholtz coils produces a uniform and measurable magnetic field at right angles to the electron beam. This magnetic field deflects the electron beam in a circular path.

    • Folder

      Ortec - Experiments in Nuclear Science

      Available but not shown on course page
      Not published to students

      ORTEC supports academic teaching laboratories across a wide range of disciplines: Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Radio-pharmacy. Specifically, ORTEC offers packaged experiments with accompanying scripts, which include tutorial information, experimental set-up instructions, methods, and student exercises.

      The broad ORTEC range of nuclear instrumentation relating to radiation detection and spectroscopy includes Radiation Detectors, Modular (NIM) Signal Processing Modules for pulse counting and fast timing, as well as modules and Digital Electronics for generalized Multichannel Analysis.

    • Folder

      Teltron Tubes

      Available but not shown on course page
      Not published to students

      • Deflection e/m tube
      • Hertz Critical Potential tube
      With the Teltron tubes properties of the free electron and the electron within the atom can be studied. A logical progression of experiments can be performed with these tubes from thermionic emission of electrons from a hot filament to dual properties of the electron.

    • Folder

      Tel-X-Ometer Atomic Physics

      Available but not shown on course page
      Not published to students

      The Tel-X-Ometer x-ray machine and accessories have been designed specifically for use in teaching physics. Over thirty separate x-ray experiments (which begin with basic concepts of x-ray through complex experiments) are included in the laboratory manual provided with each system.

  • Presentations

    Not published to students
    Current

    You will give 2 presentations this semester, both will have practice presentations where I will give feedback before your graded presentations. 

    General Requirements:

    1. 10-15 minute talk, with a 5-minute question session afterward.

    2. Usually want 1 to 2 slides per minute

    3. Usually better to have figures, tables and graphs; than a lot of text. You can say all the text while pointing and referencing figures, tables, and graphs.

    4. The way I was taught to prepare presentations was, "You want to tell the audience what you are going to tell them, then tell the audience what you are telling them, then tell the audience what you told them."

    5. Presentation Rubric

  • LoggerPro Download

    Not published to students
    Current

    Hello,

    Here are links to download the software from Vernier Software & Technology. After the file has been downloaded to your computer, double-click the file to install the software.

    Logger Pro 3.16.2 Downloads

    Windows 7 or 10
    Link: https://www.vernier.com/d/sebhw

    macOS 11, 10.15, 10.14, 10.13
    Link: https://www.vernier.com/d/cscig

    Detailed Instructions
    For more details on how to download and install Logger Pro, see:
    https://www.vernier.com/til/2069/

    For Older Computers

    For Windows and Mac computers that are no longer receiving updates, you will need an older version of Logger Pro. If your version is not listed below, please contact us at support@vernier.com.

    Windows 8.1
    Link: https://www.vernier.com/d/otayn

    Windows 8, Windows Vista, Windows XP
    This installer is no longer available due to driver licensing requirements.

    Mac OS X 10.12, 10.11, 10.10
    Link: https://www.vernier.com/d/bstnw

    Mac OS X 10.9
    Link: https://www.vernier.com/d/oewti
    Password: experiment

    Mac OS X 10.8
    Link: https://www.vernier.com/d/pdwat
    Password: exploration

    Mac OS X 10.7
    Link: https://www.vernier.com/d/dpen3
    Password: experiment



    • Week 1: Aug. 24 - Aug. 27

      Not published to students
      Current

    • Week 2: Aug. 28 - Sep. 3

      Not published to students
      Current
      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 03 - Lab: Measuring Density

        • Reading Assignment - Chapter 3 in Taylor
        • Begin looking at Lab and Experimental Maintenance Projects you might want to take on

      • Assignment

        Measuring Density

        Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Requirements for Reports:

        • Answer the questions in the activity sheet
          • Use a good word processor with an equation editor (MS Word is a good choice). 
          • Copy/paste the graphs  into your document, again making sure that all fonts are readable.

      • Assignment

        Lab & Equipment Maintenance Project Rankings

        Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students
      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 04 - Discuss Ch. 3 & Lab: Measuring Density or Lab: Double Slit Interference


      • Assignment

        Homework - Chapter 3

        Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students
      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 05 - Lab: Double Slit Interference 

        (Meet in Optics Lab SSC 027)

      • Assignment

        Double-Slit Experiment

        Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Requirements for Report:

        • Motivation
        • History
        • Theory
        • Procedure
        • Data
        • Analysis
        • Results
        • Conclusion

        *If appropriate some sections can be combined

    • Week 3: Sep. 4 - Sep. 10

      Not published to students
      Current

    • Week 4: Sep. 11 - Sep. 17

      Not published to students
      Current

    • Week 5: Sep. 18 - Sep. 24

      Not published to students
      Current
      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 11 - Lab: Photoelectric Effect (Meet in Optics Lab SSC 027)

      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 12 - Lab: Photoelectric Effect (Meet in Optics Lab SSC 027)

        • Determining Planck's Constant Activity

      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 13 - Lab: Photoelectric Effect 

      • Assignment

        Photoelectric Effect

        Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        • Please turn in a .zip file with your LaTeX file of the Photoelectric Effect Report

    • Week 6: Sep. 25 - Oct. 1

      Not published to students
      Current
      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 14 - Atomic Spectra (Optics Lab SSC 027)

        **Lab Notebooks Submitted at the end of class Today**

      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 15 - Spectrograph/Spectrometer Calibration (Optics Lab SSC 027)

        • Continue setup and Calibration curves 
        • Ch. 4 HW Assignment (Due Monday): 4.2, 4.18, 4.26

      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 16 - Rydberg Constant (Optics Lab SSC 027)

      • Assignment

        Homework - Chapter 4

        Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

      • Assignment

        Hydrogen Spectrum and Rydberg Constant Lab

        Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        • Please turn in a pdf of the activity sheet with the graphs. The link above is a word document where you can type out your answers and add your Excel graphs, then save as a pdf and upload.

    • Week 7: Oct. 2 - Oct. 8

      Not published to students
      Current
      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 17 - Lab Project 

        • Use class time to work on your lab project

      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 18 - Lab Project 

        • Use class time to work on your lab project

      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Friday, October 7 - Fall Break

        NO CLASS

    • Week 8: Oct. 9 - Oct. 15

      Not published to students
      Current
      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 19 - Lab Project 

        • Use class time to work on your lab project

      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 20 - Introduction to the Microwave Optics Apparatus & Standing Waves Measurement

        Over the course of this week and next, we will perform 3 activities with the microwave optics apparatus. Activity 1 - Measuring Standing Waves, Activity 2 - Fabry-Perot Interferometer, and Activity 3 - Michelson's Interferometer. You should acquaint yourselves with the apparatus and experiments by reading the introductions to the apparatus and the experimental activities listed above in the manual. There are other experiments in the pdf but these can be skipped, you only need to read the relevant portions of the manual.

      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 21 - Microwave Optics Lab 

      • Assignment

        Lab Project - Motivation, Theory and Table of Contents

        Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Assignment Requirements:

        1. Should be done in LaTeX
        2. Upload a .zip file from Overleaf (See tutorial video)
        3. Motivation should include any relevant historical information 
        4. Theory of course should include all theoretical background necessary to understand the concepts involved
        5. Table of Contents should be linked

    • Week 9: Oct. 16 - Oct. 22

      Not published to students
      Current
      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 22 - Microwave Optics Lab (SSC 118)

      • Assignment

        Microwave Optics Report

        Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        • Include all 3 activities done
        • Theory section
        • Results/Analysis section
        • Turn in LaTeX .zip file

      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 23 - Lab Electron Diffraction (SSC 118)

      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 24 - Lab Electron Diffraction (SSC 118)

      • Assignment

        Electron Diffraction

        Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        • Please turn in a .zip file with your LaTeX file for the Electron Diffraction lab. Please include
          • Motivation
          • Data
          • Analysis
            • Do not for get to discuss error in your measurements and your propagation of error when reporting your atomic spacing's.

    • Week 10: Oct. 23 - Oct. 29

      Not published to students
      Current
      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 25 - Choose a past lab experiment to redo and write up a full individual lab report. (Not Density or Double Slit or Microwave Optics: Standing Waves)

      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 26 - Take the first of two data sets this week.

        • Lab Notebooks Due Today

      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 27 - Take the second of two data sets this week

        • This is an individual lab report due Friday, November 14 at 11:59 pm
        • You should have and report on all 3 data sets, the third being the original data set
        • You should also have enough data for a robust statistical analysis

      • Assignment

        Repeat a Lab Lab Report

        Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        • Individual Full lab report

        • In this 2nd full lab report, I want you to include a little of everything we have learned so far.

          1. The report must be in LaTeX
          2. All data tables must be in LaTeX
          3. All graphs are to be done in LoggerPro, it really is nice.
          4. Include a thorough discussion of the error. What type are you using and why, with explicit derivations for the propagation of error?

    • Week 11: Oct. 30 - Nov. 5

      Not published to students
      Current

    • Week 12: Nov. 6 - Nov. 12

      Not published to students
      Current

    • Week 13: Nov. 13 - Nov. 19

      Not published to students
      Current

      • URL

        Lab Redo Presentation Sign Up

        Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Please follow the link to sign-up genius and sign up for a time slot Wednesday, I will send out a Teams meeting link for that time to record your presentation with me present.

      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 34 - Work on Lab Projects and Presentations

        • Collect Data - Even if incorrect you will present this along with what is expected and then give theories on what needs to be done to get the correct values.

      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 35 - Teams Online Repeat a Lab Presentation - Final

        • Presentations will be recorded and graded

      • Assignment

        Teams Online Repeat a Lab Presentation

        Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students
        • Turn in your presentation file (PowerPoint, Google Slides, etc.)

      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 36 -  Work on Lab Projects and Presentations

      • Assignment

        Lab Project - Procedure and Data & Analysis

        Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Assignment Requirements:

        • Should be done in LaTeX
        • Upload a .zip file from Overleaf (See tutorial video)
        • The procedure is expected to have figures showing the apparatus with descriptions
        • The data are expected to have graphs and tables of your measured values (even if not in agreement with expectation, aka incorrect) and, if included with the literature provided, the expected results from the manufacturer. 
        • The analysis should be on your incorrect data, using its uncertainty and error propagation.

    • Lab Redo Presentations

      Not published to students
      Current

      Please watch your classmate's presentations and assess their performance using the presentation feedback link.

    • Week 14: Nov. 20 - Nov. 26

      Not published to students
      Current
      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 37 - Catch up Class

        • Use class time to catch up on assignments

      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Wednesday and Friday - NO CLASS

        Thanksgiving Break


    • Week 15: Nov 27 - Dec. 3

      Not published to students
      Current
      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 38 - Catch up Class

        • Use class time to catch up on assignments

      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Class 39 - Last Regular Class Day - Presentation Practice

        • Presentation practice will be done in person during your lab period, please attend unless you let me know otherwise. 

    • Dec. 6: Presentation Final - Lab Projects

      Not published to students
      Current

      **TUESDAY - 12/6 - 1:00-3:30 p.m.**

      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        Final Exam - Final Presentation Day

        • Each of you will give your presentation on your Lab Projects
        • Each of you will grade the other using the rubric below
        • Presentation Rubric

      • Assignment

        Lab Project Report

        Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        I will use this to replace your lowest score for the same sections

        (i.e. if your procedure grade is higher than the previous procedure grade, then I will replace it.)

        • Turn in what sections you have completed
        • Turn in the LaTeX .zip file

      • Assignment

        Lab Project Presentation

        Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students
        • Turn in your presentation file (PowerPoint, Google Slides, etc.)

    • Dec. 8: Final Lab Report

      Not published to students
      Current

      Michelson Interferometer - Index of refraction for air

      In this last lab report, I want you to include a little of everything we learned this year.

      1. The report must be in LaTeX
      2. All data tables must be in LaTeX
      3. All figures must be made in presentation software (i.e. PowerPoint) and you have to do a minimum of 2 figures, include this file in the zip file.
      4. All graphs are to be done in LoggerPro with uncertainties, include this file in the zip file.
      5. Include a thorough discussion of the uncertainty. What type are you using and why, with explicit derivations?



      • Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

        **Turn in your lab notebook after you finish collecting data for the Michelson activity.**


      • Assignment

        FINAL Lab Report

        Available but not shown on course page
        Not published to students

    • Course Evaluations

      Not published to students
      Current

    Course Dashboard