Spring 2007

INSTRUCTOR: Professor Larry Weinstein

OFFICE: Room 217, OCNPS (Oceanography and Physics Building), Elkhorn Ave.

or Room 108, Nuclear and Particle Physics Research Facility, 1021 W 47th St.

PHONE: 683-5803

E-MAIL: weinstei (at) physics (dot) odu (dot) edu

PHY413W Home Page: http://www.physics.odu.edu/weinstei/courses/413s07.html

PRESCRIBED TEXTS (and related materials): 

None: All laboratory manuscripts will be handed out. Many reference books are available in the laboratory.

PREREQUISITE: PHYS323 Modern Physics, PHYS303 Intermediate Experimental Physics.

COREQUISITE: CS150.

LABORATORY TIMES:    OCNPS Room 224, 
                                                Tuesday, Thursday 1:30 - 4:20 pm

COURSE GRADE:  A final grade will be determined predominantly from laboratory reports submitted during the semester. However, the instructor may place some emphasis on the student's approach to an experiment and discussions during the laboratory sessions. Normally between 7 and 9 experiments should be completed. No grade of Incomplete will be given.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: Physics 413W is a required course for all Physics majors. The course is designed to provide an introduction to data acquisition techniques, analysis and report writing. Heavy emphasis is placed on the learning the fundamentals of research grade instrumentation, and on the use of computers for data acquisition. Several experiments are performed using instrumentation located at different sites on campus. The course provides computer facilities with which to analyze and graph your data accurately and to produce professional quality laboratory reports. The course consists of lectures as required as well as laboratory experiments. 

COURSE ORGANIZATION:
Physics 413W is held in the Senior Physics Laboratory in OCNPS Room 224, located in the Oceanography and Physics Building on Elkhorn Ave. The major components of the course center on use of equipment and software typical in use in Condensed Matter Physics, Nuclear Physics and Materials Science. Students work in groups to set up the experiments and collect data. Analysis of the data and report writing is undertaken on an individual basis. 

1. Experiments in Modern Physics, 8th Edition

A. C. Melissinos, Academic Press, N.Y.

2. Data Reduction and Error Analysis for Physical Scientists,

Bevington, McGraw Hill Book Co.

3. Building Scientific Apparatus,

Moore, Davis & Coplan, Addison Wesley Pub. Co.

For the majority of experiments, students will work in pairs. However, several experiments are designed for individual use only. The recommended time for each experiment is listed below. There may be some circumstances in which a student would like to work extra hours to complete an experiment. Some experiments may also call for extraordinary conditions; e.g., complete darkness or freedom from building or other vibrations. If a student would like to undertake an experiment at other than the assigned laboratory hours, discuss the matter with the instructor. You will still be expected to be present at the scheduled laboratory times.

You will have access to personal computers in the laboratory for the purpose of completing the requirements of each experiment. Although you may work in groups to record data for each experiment, you should complete the rest of the experiment yourself. Often group consultation will help solve problems you are faced with. However the final analysis, conclusions and report will be your individual work.

Experiments are divided into groups related to a field of physics. Each experiment is allocated a number of credit points depending on its degree of difficulty. A total of at least 100 credit points should be obtained to complete the course. A minimum number of experiments from some groups must be completed and several of these are compulsory. The TABLE OF EXPERIMENTS outlines the information in more detail.

During the course, students will be required to use computer facilities. Several options are available. Many personal computers are available, including the ones in the laboratory. Another choice for PC usage is to go to one of the several computer labs on campus. Computer analysis and plotting of data is expected for most experiments.

Experimental results must be recorded in a bound lab notebook (about 75 sheets). Do not record your data on looseleaf paper. Lab notebooks will be inspected periodically.

Laboratory reports should be submitted on looseleaf paper (stapled or stripbound). Alternatively you can submit your report by e-mail to the instructor. Details of report content are included below. Individual reports must be submitted within one week of completing the experiment. A new experiment will not be assigned if more than two reports have not been submitted. Each report should be produced using word-processing software, which will allow you to import tables and graphs as required. The laboratory computers have MS Word installed.

This course satisfies the university's Writing Intensive Course criterion. Therefore final reports are expected to be of high standard, including correct grammar, syntax and spelling. Label all tables and figures clearly and include captions for each. The front page of your report should include Experiment number and title, your name and those of your lab partners, as well as the Honor Code statement which must be signed.

Laboratory reports should be submitted in the general format used for publications. Some examples can be found in the laboratory. The general report headings follow, but are by no means rigid since report contents depend on the individual experiment and author:

(1)Title                     (6) Results

(2) Affiliation            (7) Discussion

(3) Abstract             (8) Conclusion

(4) Introduction        (9) Acknowledgements (if any)

(5) Experimental       (10) References

The Phys413 Laboratory (OCNPS room 224) must be locked when you leave at the end of each session. Without exception you will not be allowed to remove equipment or software from the laboratory for personal use.

The laboratories contain a large amount of research grade equipment which is very expensive and has taken several years to acquire. You must be security conscious when using the laboratory. The doors must be locked by the last person leaving the laboratory each day. The quality of your experimental equipment depends on your willingness to keep the laboratory secure.

Summary

1. Laboratory times: Tuesday, Thursday
                                   Room 224, OCNPS    1:30 p.m. - 4:20 p.m.

2. Prescribed Texts:
A bound notebook (75 ruled pages) must be used for recording data.

3. Assessment: The laboratory work counts for 100% of the 3 credit hour course. Laboratory assessment will be determined from laboratory reports (80%) and a group projects, including presentations, (20%). 

4. Data Recording: All data should be recorded in the bound notebook and should be made available to the instructor on request.

5. Laboratory Reports: Following each experiment you will write up a laboratory report and submit it to the instructor within one week. The report should be completed using any common word processor (e.g. WORD or WORDPERFECT, are both available on the lab computers). Data should be properly tabulated in the report. Graphs and figures may be freehand or electronically produced.

The general report format follows:

Cover Page including Experiment Number and Title, your Name, your Instructor’s Name, the following statement "This Report meets the Honor Code Requirements of Old Dominion University", and finally your Signature.

Introduction presents a brief (1 paragraph) description of the experiment and its goals.

Data and Results includes your original data plus calculations you do to fulfill the experimental goals.

Discussion usually is a written section discussing the importance of your scientific findings or compares your findings with previously tabulated or reported values.

Conclusion. Summarizes your findings.

References. A list of any material, books, journals etc you read to help you with the experiment. These references are generally references throughout the report.

6. Honor Code: The student's attention is drawn to the Honor Code of Old Dominion University. Remember you at no time are permitted to copy the data or reports of other students.  If you lose your data contact your instructor.

7. Reading Assignments: Read the references listed with each experiment from the Lab Scripts, before the beginning of a new experiment. It is recommended that you do any of  the Worked Examples for each Lab in your lab notebook.

8. Laboratory Schedule:

Examinations

FINAL EXAMINATION: There will be no final written examination for this course.

COMPUTER LABS: Computers are available in the Senior Lab for data analysis and report writing. They are also available at various locations on campus.