Physics 440

Fall 2005

http://www.pa.msu.edu/courses/2005fall/phy440/

Instructors: Maris Abolins, Pawel Danielewicz and Richard Hallstein

TA: Josh Pergande

Site maintained by Pawel Danielewicz.

Last update: September 6, 2005

Lectures: TuTh, 8:30 - 9:50 am in 1308 BPS

Required Text:

Diefenderfer and Holton, Principles of Electronic Instrumentation, Third Ed. Saunders, 1994.

Suggested Reference:

Horowitz and Hill: The Art of Electronics, Second Ed. Cambridge University Press, 1995.

Laboratory: 1254 BPS

Section
Time
1
Tu 3:00 - 5:50 pm
2
Th 11:30 - 2:20 pm

Course Description:

Reading and Experiments:

The course is an introduction to electronics for scientists, comprising two lectures and one three-hour lab per week. We start with simple DC and AC circuits and finish by using a computer to design complex logic circuits in Programmable Logic Devices. In between, we gain familiarity with many of the devices encountered in modern electronic circuitry: diodes, transistors, FETs, operational amplifiers and various integrated circuits.

Reading Assignments, problem assignments and the schedule of experiments and quizzes are given in the assignment schedule. Individual experiment descriptions, problem texts as well as supplementary reading materials are available as .pdf files linked to the syllabus.

Calculators are needed for quizzes and experiments. Students are required to have a lab notebook where all information from the experiments is to be kept. The notebook should have numbered pages and quadrille ruling.

Students are expected to come to the lab sessions having read the description of the experiment and supporting material on the web or in the textbook.

Laboratory Procedure and Grade Assignments:

All information resulting from an experiment should be entered into your lab notebook. The information should be clearly labelled and organized sufficiently to permit your instructor to understand what you did and what your results were. The notebook will be picked up at the end of the laboratory session and returned to you graded at the beginning of the next one.

Your grade will be determined on the basis of your performance in the laboratory and on problem sets and weekly quizzes in class. Equal weight will be given to the laboratory and classroom work. The table on the right gives the worst case relation of grade to combined percentage score.

Minimum %
Grade
80
4.0
75
3.5
70
3.0
65
2.5
60
2.0
55
1.5
50
1.0

You can access your current score through the Angel system . You can also send and answer messages regarding the course using that system.