Intermediate Physics Laboratory: Physics 240 & 242

Syllabus
iLabSyllabus.pdf

Textbook (recommended, not required)
Introduction to Error Analysis 2nd Ed.

Web Links

LaTeX Download page
Online LaTeX: Overleaf
Jupyterlab Desktop app
Julia Language Homepage

Downloads

Paper Template
Presentation Template

Papers of Interest

Uncertainty propagation with functionally correlated quantities

Goals of this Course:
• To learn to make careful observations of physical systems, independent of preconceived theoretical models. Understanding the importance of the phrase: “The facts are friendly”.
• To gain experience in (and learn the importance of) using reproducible research methods; this course now requires that you have taken compu- tational physics so that you have experience us- ing Jupyter Notebooks for data analysis—this is the same tool used by the LIGO group to release the Nobel Prize winning research that resulted in the first detection of gravitational waves.
• Exposure to experiments and instrumentation in several different fields of physics, including at least some that you have not encountered in other courses.
• To learn and experience the typical working methods of a modern research laboratory. Most crucially, this means working successfully to- gether in groups towards common goals.
• To learn how to create and keep a laboratory notebook.
• To learn to create Jupyter Notebooks that ex- plain your research and illustrate methodically and clearly how you analyzed the data you gath- ered.
• To learn how to typeset with LaTeX, and to be able to write a scientific paper in RevTeX format.
• To use proper methods of error analysis when dealing with experimental data.
• To make effective oral presentations, and effec- tive written presentations.
• To add to your toolbag some of the ”standard tricks” every working experimentalist knows.

List of Experiments

Measuring the charge/mass ratio of the electron
Determination of g via “simple” pendulum
Determination of g via a Kater pendulum
Determination of G: the Cavendish Experiment
Brownian Motion of 1µm spheres 
Muon Decay
Speed of light (direct) 
Speed of light via resonant LRC circuit
Photoelectric Effect
Frank Hertz Experiment
Measurement of the index of refraction via interference
Normal modes of a torsion pendulum via FFT spectrum