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diff --git a/manual/chapters/intro.tex b/manual/chapters/intro.tex new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a3ca846 --- /dev/null +++ b/manual/chapters/intro.tex @@ -0,0 +1,145 @@ +\chapter*{Introduction} +\addcontentsline{toc}{chapter}{Introduction} + Welcome to Experimental Atomic Physics Laboratory! What is + this class all about? In this class you will learn more + details about how experimental physics is done. The + experiments you do here will help you further learn the + concepts you are being introduced to in Physics 201, Modern + Physics. You will learn by doing. You will learn about the + scientific process and be introduced to what it takes to be a + physicist. Hopefully, you will have fun too! You will be doing +. some experiments which are very fundamental, some of which + have won the Nobel Prize! + +The goals of this class are to: + +\begin{enumerate} +\item Gain understanding of physical principles. +\item Become familiar with the setup of experimental equipment, how to + use equipment, and how to make measurements. +\item Learn how to analyze your data, determine the error in your data, +how to graph data and how to fit the data to a curve to extract parameters. +\item Learn how to draw conclusions from your data. +\item Learn how to keep a scientific journal. +\item Learn how to approach a problem +\item Learn to communicate your findings to other people in a way which is +clear and concise. +\end{enumerate} + +Some or most of these principles you were introduced to in Physics +Laboratory 101. How is this class different? The experiments you will +do are taking you a step closer to the work that actual physicsist do +in the laboratory. You will be repeating some very fundamental, +complex experiments through which physical principles were discovered. +You will be carrying out the steps required to do experimental +physics: setup equipment, make measurements, record data, analyze +data, draw conclusions and communicate your findings in a scientific +report. You may say, well, I am only going to be a theorist, or a +banker, why should I care about experimental physics? Well, atleast +you should learn about the scientific process so that when you hear +about some major scientific discovery you can judge its merit. In this +way you will learn what it takes to extract a physical principle from +an experiment, so you understand how scientists make the connections +that they do, and what the limitations are to scientific +experimentation. + +This laboratory manual briefly summarizes the principles of general +laboratory practice, treatment of error and curve fitting, how to +write a laboratory report, and then each of the laboratories you will +be conducting this semester. Please read the chapter on the experiment +you will do before you do the actual experiment. + + +\section*{General Laboratory Practices} + +\begin{enumerate} +\item When conducting your experiments- be safe! You will be using + equipment which poses some hazards, such as lasers and high-voltage + power supplies. Listen to the safety instructions and heed + them. Also, if a piece of equipment isn’t working even after you + have followed all the instructions, be careful what you fiddle + with! Some fiddling is good, but if you are planning to do anything + major (like take a piece of equipment apart), it is best to ask an + instructor first. Also, it is generally good lab practice not to + eat or drink in the lab. It keeps crumbs and liquid out the + equipment, and prevents you from eating or drinking something you + didn’t intend to. + + +\item Keep a good laboratory book and record your data and the steps you + take! It is recommended you buy a separate notebook to keep as a + laboratory journal. Don’t scribble inledigbly on pieces of scrap + paper you will only lose later. When conducting an experiment, + right down what you did, how you setup the equipment and if + anything unusual happened. Write down data in a neat and organized + way. The goal is to read and understand what you did after you + leave the laboratory. Don’t think this is trivial! Major scientific + discoveries were made because of some anomaly in data, which + scientists were able to exactly repeat because they had recorded + exactly what they did! If you are a research scientist in a + corporation and you make a discovery like this and couldn’t repeat + the conditions under which it was found- you would be in big + trouble! + +\item Related to the last point: don’t leave this laboratory for the day +without making sure you understand your data. You won’t be able to go +back and redo the experiment- so it is best to check your data and +make sure it is reasonable. 4. +Do not fudge data! If your data is +off and you admit it and speculate why it is off, you will be given +credit for this. Everyone has a bad day. Forging data not only breaks +the Honor Code but is also a very, very bad habit which can have +serious consequences in the future. Some sceintists have been tempted +under pressure to do this. Those who did were usually found out and +the ramifications are very serious. Not only does it hurt society, but +the scientists found doing this ruined their careers. See the book, “” +for further discussion of this problem. + +\item Treatment of errors/curve +fitting + +\item How to Write a Lab Report + +\framebox{You are not writing a laboratory report just for a grade! It is +important that you learn how to communicate your findings. In reading +your report, someone should be able to understand: your hypothesis or +theory, 1) how you did the experiment, 2) what equipment you used 3) +did anything unusual happen? conditions? data – in table and graph +form, analysis you did, conclusions, If anything strange happened- +mention it! If someone cannot tell what you did or gather useful +information, your paper is worthless!} + +\begin{description} + +\item[TITLE OF EXPERIMENT] +\item[LIST PARTNERS by name] + +\end{description} + + +The components of your laboratory report shall include: + +\begin{description} +\item[INTRODUCTION]: Briefly state objective(s) of experiment +\item[THEORY]: Introduce important equations or at least restate in +your own words; + Specify any "Working Eqs.", defining the variables involved. +\item[PROCEDURES] : + Describe in terms of equipment and layout diagrams, + Describe important steps in producing data, + Describe variables to be measured. +\item[DATA / ANALYSIS TABLES]: + Present data in spreadsheet form (rows \& columns which are +clearly defined). + Analyzed results can be listed in the same spreadsheet. +\item[DATA ANALYSIS]: Carry out explicit "sample calculations" to show how +results are produced +Results can appear in DATA / ANALYSIS TABLES +\item[CONCLUSIONS]: Conclusions should be developed; attempt to put them in +quantitative terms + +\end{description} +\end{enumerate} + +\fbox{this is some text.} +\newpage + |