1. Physics Lab. at Giessen University
Detlev Hofmann and Christoph Knies
Physikalisches Institut
Tel.:
Fudan Univ.
Shanghai
Dec. 2007
Univ. Main Building

2. experimental training
physics Lab. or
Praktikum
experimental training
practical course
hands on training
Why do we do it ?
Who are the students
we teach ?
When do we teach
them ?
What do we teach ?
Where ?
Physics
Institut
and
Workshop
Buildings

3. Why do we do it ? General level:
scientific theories and ideas need the justification by reality
Normal level:
To show that physics is nice and useful
Personal Level:
We like to educate and to work with young people

4. - + +/- - + Who are the students we teach ? Motivation Education
Number
physics students:
bachelor, master,
teachers - +
+/-
Other students:
medicine, biology,
chemistry, and others…. -
+/- +
German Barbeque
Lecture Hall

5. When do we teach them ? Basic Physics Lab.1 + 2 + 3 Physics Lab.
Bachelor of physics students:
after first, second, and third semester,
in a block of 2 weeks
Basic Physics
Lab
all other students:
in parallel to the “experimental physics lecture”
first, second semesters
Electronic
Work place
Physics Lab.
Advanced
1 + 2
Master students (after Vor-Diplom):
Semester 5, 6 (third year)

6. What and how do we teach ?
Basic Physics Lab : in total about 32 Experiments
Mechanics
density of matter
elasticity
torsion
…..
Optics
microscope
refractive index
polarization
…….
Bachelor students:
all experiments
All other students:
a number out of these
experiments
Electricity
current / Voltage
Wheatstone
capacity and induction ……
Thermo.
heat capacity
temperature m.
heat conductance
…..
Experiments should be simple
Basic physical understanding
No fancy things or computer stuff
Connected to “normal” life
Modern Physics:
-ray absorption
Lifetime of Ra
Diffraction of x – ray
…….

7. Basic Physics Lab. Lab.1 + 2 + 3
What and how do we teach ?
Students in groups of 2 persons
Start: Manual for each experiment
a interview before doing the experiment
to do the experiment takes about 2 h
End: a written report from the students
Basic Physics Lab.
Lab
The report is evaluated by the supervisor
Supervisors are:
researchers (staff) or master or phd students

8. Advanced Physics Lab. 1 Students in groups of 2 persons
about 12 basic experiments out of all fields of physics,
including modern measurement techniques
Students in groups of 2 persons
Start: Manual for each experiment ( 8 exp. / semester)
a interview before doing the experiment
to do the experiment takes about 4 h
End: a written report from the students
The report is evaluated by the supervisor
Supervisors are:
researchers (staff) or phd students
Final interview of each group by the Prof.

9. What and how do we teach ? Advanced Physics Lab. 2
Students in groups of 2 persons
Electron Microscopy
Start: Manual for each experiment
( 8 exp. / semester)
a interview before doing the experiment
to do the experiment takes about 6 h
End: a written report from the students
experiments in the research groups
using research equipment
Supervisors are mostly independent:
researchers or phd students

10. Why, Who, When, What of the physics lab. at Giessen University
Tel.:
Detlev Hofmann and Christoph Knies
Physikalisches Institut
Castle
Giessen Station
Botanical Garden
Fudan Univ.
Shanghai
Dec. 2007
Today afternoon, I will give a brief talk on my research topic
on ZnCoO spintronic material