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PHYS 231 A: Introductory Experimental Physics

Meeting Time: 
W 11:30am - 12:50pm
Location: 
PAA A110
SLN: 
20362
Instructor:
Suzanne White Brahmia
Suzanne White Brahmia

Syllabus Description:

Welcome to PHYS 231A, my name is Suzanne White Brahmia <brahmia@uw.edu> (pronouns she/her), and I will be your instructor. This class has laboratory and lecture components. In the lecture component we will learn about the concepts of experimental uncertainty. In the laboratory component you get to design three experiments and put what you have learned in lecture into practice by writing experimental reports capable of convincing a colleague about the validity of your conclusions, which is a key part of the scientific method.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Design a scientific method.
  2. Understand the statistical underpinnings of uncertainty.
  3. Understand the nature of systematic uncertainty.
  4. Write a scientific report with valid conclusions and discussion of results.

Text

  • We will cover most of Measurements and their uncertainties a practical guide to modern error analysis by Ifan Hughes. The UW has a license for the ebook.

Lectures

  • Lectures are from 11:30 PM to 12:50 PM on Wednesday in PAA A110. I will post slides under the "Files" menu on the left before class, and I will update them after class.
  • Pre-lecture reading

  • In order to participate in the in-class activities it is important that students do the assigned reading before class.
    Week Lecture Reading Lab
    1 Scientific method None None
    2 Errors in the physical sciences Chap. 1

    Electrons in magnetic field

    3 Random errors in measurements Chap. 2
    4 Uncertainties as probabilities Chap. 3

    Radioactivity

    5 Data visualization and reduction Chap. 5
    6 Least-squares fitting of complex functions Chap. 6 (up to 6.3) Pendulum
    7 Error propagation Chap. 4
    8 Error propagation Chap. 4 Presentation Prep
    Final Exam Review Presentations
    10 No Lab or Lecture - Thanksgiving week
    11 Final exam
  • Lectures will focus on conceptual understanding of topics in the reading that students found most difficult, and we will also work on some quantitative problem solving skills. We will not go over all the material covered in the book, but you can be tested on all the material in the reading unless explicitly noted otherwise.
  • Pre-lecture discussion

  • Before lecture, but after you have finished the reading, you should complete the discussion assignment related to the reading.
  • These can be found under "Assignments" on the left menu and are due at 10:00AM before each lecture.
  • You will be given credit for either asking or answering a question already asked on the discussion board, or discussing a part of the reading you found particularly interesting. These are graded based on a thoughtful attempt, not on correctness. This is designed to have you carefully think about the reading before the class. Example posts could be something like
  • In-class quizzes

  • Interactive engagement in lecture has been shown to improve student learning, and help develop a healthier professional culture in the lecture hall. In order to increase participation and learning, there are "quizzes" during class that are assigned through Poll Everywhere. These require you to bring a web enabled device to lecture, so please contact me if you do not have access to a web enabled device. Since being wrong is typically part of eventually being right, you will not be graded on the correctness of your answers. You will be given credit for participating.
  • The first time I ask a question, you should answer it by yourself. Depending on the result, I may ask it a second time, in which case you should discuss with your neighbors.

Laboratory

  • Laboratory sections are in PAB B042 (in the basement near the physics loading dock).
  • There are four lab sections per week.
    • Section AA, Tuesday 1:30PM-4:20PM (TA: Zeeshawn Kazi  <zeeshawn@uw.edu>)
    • Section AB, Wednesday 1:30PM-4:20PM (TA: Zeeshawn Kazi  <zeeshawn@uw.edu>)
    • Section AC, Thursday 1:30PM-4:20PM (TA: Jeffrey Commons<jcommons@uw.edu>)
    • Section AE, Tuesday 4:30PM-7:20PM (TA: Shifeng Zhu <sfzhu@uw.edu>)
    • Section AF, Thursday 4:30PM-7:20PM (TA: Shifeng Zhu <sfzhu@uw.edu>)
  • Over the quarter you will complete three experiments, and you will have two weeks to complete each experiment. The equipment for each lab is fixed, but your group is free to decide what they wish to test with the given equipment.
  • You will work in randomly assigned groups of three or four students and you will submit a single lab report for the group. Lab reports should be typed and submitted online one week after you completed each experiment.  
  • After the deadline for submitting the lab reports has passed, you will be assigned a random lab report from another group. You will leave constructive feedback and grade it using the same rubric the TA will use. The grades you give will not be used towards the grade for the report, but the group will be able to see how you graded it and they will be able to see your comments, although they will not see who graded it and left the comments. You will be given credit for leaving constructive feedback.
  • In the week before Thanksgiving your group will give an oral presentation on one of the experiments you select.
  • With my permission you will be excused if you cannot attend a single lab due to sickness or other valid excuse. However, if you must miss both weeks of an experiment, you will need to join a group from another section with my approval.
  • Data Collection and Analysis

  • You will be given a physical lab notebook to record observations and data. You should also set up a virtual space like a Google doc or One Note to share data, pictures etc. for all group members to access as you prepare your reports. It is important that you do enough analysis during the lab to determine if you have the necessary data to complete your lab report before you leave the lab - often you'll want to adjust something and retake data once you've done a quick analysis.

Exams

  • We will have a final exam during class time on Wednesday December 4.
  • Note that there are no make-up exams. So, students with outside professional, service, or career commitments (i.e. military service, ROTC, professional conference presentation, NCAA sports, etc.) conflicting with the exam date must contact me early in the quarter to establish alternate examination procedures. Exam scores for students who miss the exam without making prior arrangements will be zero.

Grades

  • The course grade will be based on the following:
    • Lab
      • Lab participation, 6% 
      • Lab reports, 36%
      • Lab presentation, 12%
      • Peer reviewing lab reports, 3% 
    • Lecture
      • Reading discussion assignments, 4%
      • In-class Poll Everywhere participation, 4%
    • Final exam, 35%
  • Each student is required to submit three completed lab reports during the course of the quarter to pass the class. 
  • You will lose 10% for every day that a lab report is late.

Office hours and getting help

  • You are encouraged to visit me or the teaching assistants during our office hours
    • Suzanne White Brahmia <brahmia@uw.edu> Wednesday from 10 AM to 11 AM in C224 
    • Jeffrey Commons <jcommons@uw.edu> Tuesday from 1 PM-2 PM in PAB B147
    • Zeeshawn Kazi <zeeshawn@uw.edu> Friday from 11 AM-12 noon in PAB B069
    • Shifeng Zhu <sfzhu@uw.edu> Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30-8:00 PM in PAB B042 
  • If you cannot attend office hours but have a physics question you should post it on the discussion board under "Discussions" on the menu on the left.
  • If you want to visit me and cannot attend scheduled office hours, email me <brahmia@uw.edu> to find a time we can meet.

Suggested problems

  • Since students can find solutions for the problems online there will not be assigned problem sets.
  • However, I strongly encourage you work through problems. Here is a list of suggested problems. You can work on these as a group or by yourself. In preparation for the exams you should try doing the problems under exam conditions with only the equation sheet.
  • We will provide solutions for the suggest problems. For other problems you can ask the TAs or myself about solutions at our office hours, or you can post questions about the solutions on the discussion board.

Access and accommodation

  • Your experience in this class is important to me, so if you have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations (conditions include but are not limited to: mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical), please contact Disability Resources for Students (DRS) at 206-543-8924 or uwdrs@uw.edu or disability.uw.edu as they can provide resources and they will coordinate establishment of reasonable accommodations.

Safe campus

Religious Accomodation

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy (https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/). Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form (https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/).

Catalog Description: 
Introduction to data acquisition and analysis using experiments which measure fundamental constants or properties of nature (Planck's constant, Boltzmann's constant, speed of light, charge of electron). Prerequisite: minimum 2.0 grade in PHYS 123. Offered: A.
GE Requirements: 
Natural Sciences (NSc)
Credits: 
3.0
Status: 
Active
Section Type: 
Lecture
Last updated: 
August 2, 2019 - 9:31pm
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