GENERAL INFORMATION:
Physics 192 consists of a series of experiments in optics and modern physics. The experiments are all described in the laboratory writeups (available as pdf files through the links below) and you are expected to read the material and prepare yourself before coming to class as there will not be sufficient time to start from scratch during the three hour laboratory session. In general, the laboratory period will start with a brief quiz ( = 10% of lab grade) to test on preparation.
You will do the experiments in groups of two. You may collaborate with your partner in data taking, but you are expected to do independent calculations and write independent reports.
The reference
for this course
is "An Introduction to Error Analysis" by John R. Taylor, published
by University Science Books. Some homework will be assigned from this
text. The
homework will be handed in with the lab report and will comprise part
of the
lab report grade. The lab instruction manual, the homework and this
syllabus
are on the web at: http://www.pa.msu.edu/~huston/phy192_s08/index.htm .
THE COURSE GOALS:
During this course,
we expect you
to:
* to become familiar with some laboratory experiments and procedures.
* to make careful and critical measurements.
* to record and organize your observations.
* to estimate uncertainties in your measurements and to judge whether
your
measurements are consistent with previous measurements.
Before each class, you will be expected to read the description of the experiment and read sections of the book by Taylor to clarify how to perform the necessary error estimations. This advance preparation is essential if you wish to successfully finish the lab and to solve the quiz over the lab material that will be given to you at the beginning of class. Your laboratory measurements will be performed during class. You should also perform calculations during class to determine whether your measurements are valid. If you blindly take data without checking it, your grade will suffer.
LABORATORY REPORTS:
The Notebook: You must purchase 2 lab books for this course. We will alternate the use of the two books. You will record your original measurements in the lab books. All calculations, answers to the questions, error estimations, etc. must be there as well. Note that these must be lab notebooks, i.e. with an x-y grid of lines. If you have an old lab notebook from a previous class that still has unused pages, it is fine to use that. Using the experimental data taken during the lab period, you will prepare a lab report to be handed in, along with the lab book containing the data, at the beginning of the next week's lab. In your lab report you will provide:
1. a short description of your procedure - there is no need to duplicate the material presented in the lab write-up. This description should include identifying material which will allow your instructor to determine the equipment and sample material used in your experiments.
2. all your original data including the uncertainties in each measurement; you can refer to specific page numbers in your lab book**
3. all the steps used in your data analysis including your calculations of the uncertainties in the derived quantities you calculate.**
4. all of your results and conclusions including any graphs or tables.**
5. answers to all questions posed in the lab write-up.
6. a brief discussion of ways that you think the experiment could be improved.
7. the assigned homework.
** This may
also be in the form
of computer printouts stapled to the lab write-up. Your
lab
report will consist of the information listed above plus your name,
student
number, section number, and experiment title.
Think of your lab
report as being a short scientific paper; it should be readable and
relatively self-contained.
All your work should be on the lab report - including any mistakes or duplicate measurements. In other words, your lab report is a recording of the procedure that you went through including, any false steps. False steps should be neatly crossed out and a note should be recorded in the lab book indicating the nature of the mistake. This is the method used by practicing scientists for the recording of their experimental measurements.
Attendance is mandatory. If you have an excused medical absence, your instructor will determine whether you will be permitted to do a makeup or whether you will be graded on the remaining 8 reports.
SCHEDULE
AND GRADING:
The lab writeups are available as pdf files from the links shown below.
Your grade will be
based on the
results of your experiments, on the quality of your reports and on a
practical
exam with the weights given in the following table:
|
Number |
Week |
Experiment |
Points |
|
1 |
Jan. 7 |
No classes; buy lab books |
-- |
|
2 |
Jan. 14 |
Optical micrometer |
20 |
|
|
Jan. 21 |
MLK birthday no class |
-- |
|
3 |
Jan. 28 |
40 |
|
|
3 |
Feb. 4 |
Diffraction & Interference II |
-- |
|
4 |
Feb. 11 |
20 |
|
|
5 |
Feb. 18 |
20 |
|
|
6 |
Feb. 25 |
40 |
|
|
|
March 3 |
Spring Break |
-- |
|
6 |
March 10 |
Electron Charge and Mass II |
|
|
7 |
March 17 |
20 |
|
|
8 |
March 24 |
20 |
|
|
9 |
March 31 |
20 |
|
|
10 |
April 7 |
40 |
|
|
10 |
April 14 |
The Compton Effect II |
-- |
|
|
April 21 |
In-Lab Practical Exam |
40 |
|
|
|
TOTAL |
280 |