Advanced Physics Lab

Phys 380-381

Last page update 9/4/08

(version 0.9) - check back for changes!
General Information:
Lab Rooms: Berndt Hall 620, 670
Class Times: Th 11:15 and TBD

Charles L. Hakes
Office : Berndt 630
Office phone: 247-7242 (However, this is not the best way to contact me.)
My Schedule (including office hours).
e-mail: hakes_c@fortlewis.edu (This is the best way to contact me)

Web Site: http://faculty.fortlewis.edu/hakes_c

Text: An Introduction to Error Analysis, by John R. Taylor.  There may be several assignments from this book.  This book is also an excellent reference that will help you with data reduction and error analysis that you will need to include in your lab reports.

These labs will be done with a single lab partner on your own time.  You can do labs at the regularly scheduled lab time, but that is not required.  I will be available to help you locate equipment, but many of these experiments will require some "development" of your own experimental equipment and procedures.  (Which is part of the reason this is called "advanced" lab.)  There are limited instructions for most of these labs.  When available, I will post links to .pdf versions of the lab write-ups. You can choose any of the labs you like, but you are not allowed to double dip – you cannot repeat a lab here that you have done or will do for another class.  I.e. a holography lab would be great, unless you have taken Optics and have already done (or plan to do!) that lab for that class.

Since some of these labs require significantly more effort than others, grading will be done like a diving competition - your grade will be multiplied by a "degree of difficulty" number for the lab.  You need to perform at an "A" level for a total of 20 of these DoD points to get an A in the class.

Academic (dis)honesty:  Any incidents of cheating on quizzes or exams will result in being reported to the office of academic affairs, and an F for the course.  (I may soften that penalty only if circumstances warrant it, at my discretion.)  I do encourage you to work together to discuss the homework, but your written answer must be in your own words.  Don't Copy!  Unacceptable collaboration on a homework assignment will result in a score of zero for the entire assignment.  Copying or directly paraphrasing answers from the textbook on a homework assignment will result in a zero for that question.  Answer in your own words in order to actually learn something!

Accessibility: Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations to fully participate in course activities or meet course requirements must register with  Disability Services, 280 Noble Hall, 247-7459.  If you qualify for services, bring your letter of accommodations to me during office hours as soon as possible.

Additional information

Some of the labs in each semester are required; the rest are optional.  Labs need to be turned in according to this schedule:

Schedule

Here are some choices:

Typical First Semester Labs

Typical Second Semester Labs

Typical Optics Labs

Astronomy Labs