Download Experiments for Physics 241

Experiments for Physics 241
The following is a list of experiments, most of which have been done in the past. A
question mark indicates an experiment which hasn't been tried yet, but for which I think
we have the necessary equipment. I've organized the experiments by general topic area,
and it would be a good idea to sample at least two different areas.
You are welcome to suggest experiments not on the list, and in the past, some of the
most successful experiments have been student-initiated. I will try to support your efforts
to carry out your idea, and I might be able to make suggestions about the equipment we
have on hand that could be used. The American Journal of Physics, available in the SMC
library, is a great source of ideas for experiments (this journal specializes in advice for
setting up experiments at the college-level, rather than reporting new research findings).
Although I might advise against doing particular experiments, given our time and
equipment constraints, it doesn't hurt to ask.
General advice
Meet with your lab partner as soon as possible to decide on an experiment and set
some times to meet together. Let me know as soon as possible what experiment you
want to try, and I'll try to find the necessary parts and get you copies of whatever
documentation I can find. It's very important to get acquainted with your experiment
early. If you need to take a break (and you will from time to time), do so after you have
gotten a feel for your next experiment. Finding references for the theory and even
experimental details can be very helpful: this is best done early too. The science library
and the American Journal of Physics are good starting points, although occasionally you
may want to request a journal article via interlibrary loan.
Experiments don't always turn out the way we expect, not only in the nature of the
results obtained but also in what turns out to be possible to measure. It is a good policy
to be flexible and open-minded as you work on your experiment: if it looks like you
won't be able to measure what you set out to measure, oftentimes it is possible to think of
some other attainable goal that is somewhat different, but still interesting. And in the
worst case, often even a failed experiment can be a useful learning experience.
Optics
Faraday effect (magnetic-field-induced rotation of polarized light)
Optical diffraction patterns
Poisson's spot
Gelatin photoelastic modulator
Coherence length of a laser or other spectral source
Magnetic-field-induced birefringence in a liquid crystal
Light scattering from a liquid crystal
Freedericksz transition (magnetic-field-induced reorientation) in a liquid crystal
Michelson interferometer
Newton's rings
Fabry-Perot spectrometer
?Deuterium-Hydrogen isotope shift
Mechanics
Coupled oscillations: Pendula with elastic coupling
Foucault pendulum: Measurement of earth rotation
Measurement of the gravitation constant G (Cavendish balance)
Crater formation
Rotational inertia of asymmetric body
Effect of air-resistance on projectile motion
Temperature dependence of viscosity
Wind tunnel experiments
?Capillary waves on a water surface
? Dynamics experiments on falling chains
? Elastic modulus of metals
Acoustics/Waves
Resonant modes of a pendulum chain
Vibrational modes of a rubber membrane, steel plate, or steel rod
Vibrational mode frequencies of a loaded string
Position detection by sonar
Multi-source interference patterns with ultrasound
?Acoustic modes of a resonant chamber [AJP 77 (10) 882 (2009)]
?Sound dispersion in an acoustic waveguide
?Elastic constant of air
Atomic/Nuclear
Millikan Oil Drop experiment
Absorption of radiation in matter
? x-ray diffraction
? Rutherford scattering
Thermodynamics
Heat flow along a rod (one-dimensional heat diffusion)
Temperature-dependence of the electrical conductivity of metals
Hall effect (magnetic-field-induced voltage during current flow)
Thermoelectric effect (Peltier device)
Thermal or blackbody radiation (Stefan-Boltzmann law)
Cooling of metals by forced convection
Temperature-dependence of diode behavior
? Mechanical equivalent of heat
? Thermal conductivity
Computer interfacing/Electronics
Resistor-capacitor-inductor resonant circuit
AC Bridge circuit for capacitance measurement
Stepper-motor-controlled scanner for laser beam characterization
Stepper-motor-controlled Hall-effect probe for magnetic field mapping
?Lock-in detection capacitance measurement
[P. Photinos, in Kumar, Liquid Crystals, Experimental Study of Physical
Properties and Phase Transitions, Cambridge, 2001]
? Position detection with ultrasound
? Computer-controlled temperature controller for melting temperature measurement