PHYS 3719 - Physics Undergraduate Laboratory

Two-component course which includes: i) a lecture component covering data and error analysis and topics related to experimental procedures and scientific communication (papers and presentations) ii) a laboratory component in which these techniques are applied to actual experiments and provide deeper understanding of theoretical material covered in lecture courses. Students will be introduced to the craft of experimental design with a focus on optimizing data-taking and analysis to understand the sources and significance of errors. Emphasis is on developing independent research skills and understanding the interplay between experimental data and the mathematical models which the experiments are performed to test. Students will conduct experiments which have been crucial in the development of the modern era in physics, such as the photoelectric effect and measurements of some fundamental constants of the universe. Critical thinking and scientific communication skills will be honed through qualitative and quantitative justification of results via in-class presentations and the writing of scientific papers. The learning experience will be enhanced by having small groups of 2-3 students per experiment. Prerequisites: MATH 2250, PHYS 3740, and PHYS 2235.