PH15010 - BASIC LABORATORY TECHNIQUES

Module Identifier	PH15010
Module Title	BASIC LABORATORY TECHNIQUES
Academic Year	2001/2002
Co-ordinator	Dr Philip Cadman
Semester	Semester 1
Other staff	Dr Keith Birkinshaw, Dr Tudor Jenkins
Pre-Requisite	Normal entry requirements for Part 1 Physics
Co-Requisite	Part 1 Core Modules
Mutually Exclusive	None
Course delivery	Practical	11 laboratory sessions (4 hours)
Assessment	Course work	Math CAD assignment Due in week 8	25%
	Course work	Errors assignment Due in week 5	10%
	Course work	Laboratory dairy and laboratory reports	50%
	Course work	WORD/Excel assignment Due in week 4	15%

Brief description

Science involves observing the world and finding ways of understanding it. In order to make such observations, instruments are used to determine a quantity or variable. This module will instruct students in the use of instruments from the simplest vernier callipers to sophisticated microcomputer control systems. The factors involved in the selection of the correct instrument for a particular application will be stressed. In order to extract the maximum information from the data acquired by an instrument, data handling and processing techniques are essential. These will include error analysis, curve fitting and data rejection and the use of microcomputers in such procedures will be an integral part of the module.

Learning outcomes

After taking this module students should be able to:

keep a laboratory diary
write laboratory reports using a word processing package
understand the causes of experimental uncertainty
present a value of a physical measurement together with its associated error
use and appreciate the limitations of simple laboratory instruments

Additional learning activities

Use of SToMP (computer aided learning) for error analysis.

Outline syllabus

Introduction to the Web, WORD for Windows, Excel and MathCAD

Basic error analysis.

Keeping laboratory diaries and writing reports.

Basic laboratory instrumentation
   a) verniers and micrometers
   b) travelling microscopes
   c) analogue and digital meters.

Reading Lists

Books
** Recommended Text
Louis Lyons. A practical Guide to Data Analysis for Physical Scientists. Cambridge University 0521414156