phys 420 - Experimental physics
The field of physics consists of experimental, computational, and theoretical research. Each of the various physics disciplines, from astrophysics to quantum mechanics, make use of all three approaches. Increasingly, researchers must be fluent in more than one of these areas. In particular, computational methods are very often utilized by both experimental and theoretical physicists.
The focus in this course will be on experimental physics, although some of your experiments may need to incorporate computational modeling or numerical methods. While none of your projects will be purely theoretical, you are expected to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the underlying theory for each experiment. The goal of this course is to give you experience independently carrying out experiments from start to finish. This will include background research, planning the experiment and measurement techniques, choosing how to analyze and present your data, drawing reasonable conclusions, and describing your findings in a formal report.
The focus in this course will be on experimental physics, although some of your experiments may need to incorporate computational modeling or numerical methods. While none of your projects will be purely theoretical, you are expected to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the underlying theory for each experiment. The goal of this course is to give you experience independently carrying out experiments from start to finish. This will include background research, planning the experiment and measurement techniques, choosing how to analyze and present your data, drawing reasonable conclusions, and describing your findings in a formal report.