Level 1 Labs Autumn Semester Experiments

A simple experiment to measure the height of a ball on successive bounces. A means to practice estimating the experimental uncertainty by making multiple measurements, fitting a stright line to points on a graph, and determining the uncertainty in the gradient using the "parallelogram" method. There will be a short tutorial on estimating experimental uncertainty by repeated measurments.

Focal

This optics experiments will give you some practice in aligning optics and making optical measurements. You will need to assess the contribution of more than one source of experimental uncertainty on your overall level of confidence in your measurements.

Spring

You will hopefully have done experiments involving springs at A Level. This experiments involves making two separate measurements from an oscillating spring and a stretched spring, and then combining the measurements and your estimated uncertainties in each to determine a value for "g".

L.Ruler

Although the wavelength of light is only of the order of 500nm, it is possible to use a steel ruler as a diffraction grating to determine the wavelength of light emitted from laser pointer. This elegant experiment shows how clever experimental design can produce surprisingly accurate measurements of unobservably small parameters using a meter rule!

You will measure the latent heat of vaporisation of liquid nitrogen and compare your results with other published values. You will learn safe handling procedures for liquid nitrogen.

Spectrometer

You will measure the wavelengths of lines in the spectra of mercury and hydrogen using a difraction grating, and then determine the refractive index of a flint glass prism. You will become familiar with an important measurement instrument in physics.

This is a computer experiment using a simulated telescope to observe the orbits of Jupiter's moons and hence to calculate the mass of Jupiter. You will use a mathematical software (MathCad) to generate curves to fit your observations.

You will determine the relationship between the resonant frequency of a wire, its mode of vibration, and the tension in the wire. Hence you will investigate relationships calculated in the Waves in Physics course.

You will use a Geiger-Müller tube to measure the absorption of beta and gamma radiation, and acquire basic skills in handling and measuring radiactive sources.

An experiment on simple electronic circuits which will give you plenty of chance to learn and practise how to solder.

This is an experiment to investigate phase relationships in AC circuits, and links with the material in your Electronics course. You will learn how to use an important piece of test equipment - the electronic opscilloscope.

You will build a square-wave oscillator circuit using an Operational Amplifier, and use it to drive two Light Emitting Diodes to form a flashing light display. You will characterise the circuit using an oscilloscope and other test equipment.