Advanced Physics Laboratory (360-0-1)
Instructors
Michelle Millan Driscoll
Meeting Info
Technological Institute F280: Tues, Thurs 2:00PM - 3:00PM
Technological Institute F246: Tues, Thurs 3:00PM - 4:50PM
Overview of class
Students will learn to perform statistical analysis, give presentations, and write lab reports in the style of journal articles while reproducing some of the most important results in modern physics. Students will complete three experiments from a selection that includes Nuclear magnetic resonance, Saturated absorption spectroscopy, Mossbauer spectroscopy, Gamma angular correlations, Brownian motion, the Hall effect, and the Chaotic pendulum.
Registration Requirements
Prerequisite: 239-0 Modern Physics
Learning Objectives
Students will learn to give technical presentations, write reports in the style of journal articles, and do basic statistical data analysis while performing experiments in modern physics including nuclear and particle physics, atomic physics, quantum physics, condensed matter physics, and nonlinear dynamics.
Teaching Method
Classes begin with one-hour lectures on statistical data analysis for the first part of the course, and with student presentations on the theory behind the experiments in the lab for the second part of the course. A three hour lab session follows the lecture or presentations.
Each student is to complete three experiments during the course.
Students perform labs in pairs and produce individual lab reports in the style of journal articles.
Evaluation Method
The statistics portion of the course will conclude problem sets covering basic statistical data analysis. Students will perform three experiments during the course -- for each lab the student will give a 5-minute presentation, and write a lab report in the style of a journal article. Grades are based on the demonstrated understanding of the physics being studied, technical communication technique, correct quantitative data analysis.
Class Materials (Required)
One firmly bound notebook to keep daily records work in the laboratory. No Required Textbook.
Class Materials (Suggested)
Statistical Data Analysis by- Glen Cowan, Oxford Press, ISBN: 978-0198501558
Previous Editions: Yes, any edition is fine
Online: Yes
Price: $44.04-$130.00