1. Department of Physics 1st year laboratory
Autumn 2005
Dr S P Tear
Introduction to the 1st year laboratory

2. Today 12:15 – 12:45 Intro to labs talk 12:45 – 1:30 Lunch
1:30 – 2:00 Intro to errors talk
2:00 – 5:20 Circus of activities
Introduction to the 1st year laboratory

3. Aims To develop skills in and acquire knowledge of:
Accurate record keeping
Planning and execution of experiments
Identification, assessment and analysis of errors, including their minimisation
Critical appraisal and discussion of your experiments
A range of experimental techniques and equipment
Communication and presentation of your results
Introduction to the 1st year laboratory

4. Safety FIRE Use equipment appropriately Please do not run
Please do not use mobile phones in the lab.
Specific safety advice on experiment scripts
Introduction to the 1st year laboratory

5. General rules Please Do hang coats on the hangers provided
Do put bags under the benches
Do Not tamper with equipment
Do Not eat or drink in the labs
Introduction to the 1st year laboratory

6. Laboratory programme Five modules
I: measurement and analysis of errors
II: set experiments
III: set experiments
IV: group project
V: set experiments.
Introduction to the 1st year laboratory

7. Who does what modules All do module I
All except PP & MaP do modules II - IV
EP, AP & PB do Module V
TP & CP do Fortran90 module
Option for EP & PB to do Fortran90 instead
Astrophysics have observational exercise – not in labs.
Introduction to the 1st year laboratory

8. Lab staff 6 Academic staff 9 Graduate demonstrators 2 Technicians
Drs Tear, Bentley, Cohler, Jenkins, Laird, & Thompson
9 Graduate demonstrators
2 Technicians
Peter Utley & Ian Helliwell
Introduction to the 1st year laboratory

9. Laboratory handbook
It provides valuable details and advice for your whole 1st year laboratory… and beyond.
Always bring it to labs. - it’s useful!
Section 4 on Errors
Section 6 on Easyplot
Introduction to the 1st year laboratory

10. Outside the allotted lab. sessions
We expect you to read around the laboratory activities, includes:-
reading the lab. script – be prepared for the lab.
reading lab. handbook, particularly errors
reading relevant sections of Young & Freeman
reading Squires “Practical Physics”
Introduction to the 1st year laboratory

11. Registration - important
Please sign IN at the start of labs and OUT at the end of labs. via computer log.
Inform me (by ) of absences and reason.
Introduction to the 1st year laboratory

12. During the lab. session Normally 12:15-12:45 is experiment planning
12:45-1:30 lunch
Ask for help promptly if the equipment seems not to be functioning correctly
Data books available – Kaye and Laby
Introduction to the 1st year laboratory

13. Your laboratory notebooks
All notes, results, analyses, and conclusions must be recorded in your hand-backed note book. ON SALE NOW for £1
Use LHS pages as rough; RHS for neat and proper record of data, analysis, etc. Only RHS is marked.
Permanently attach graphs to notebook.
Further guidance is in the lab. handbook.
Introduction to the 1st year laboratory

14. Lab. notebooks marked in lab. before you leave
Assessment
Lab. notebooks marked in lab. before you leave
Additional assignments depending on module e.g.
assignment on errors in II
formal accounts in I & IV
Observational assignment for AP in V
feedback will be given
Introduction to the 1st year laboratory

15. Partners Module I groups are already arbitrarily assigned.
Module II onwards normally work in pairs
It will be possible to consider named partners for module II onwards. In week 6 you can indicate your choice of partners if you wish.
Introduction to the 1st year laboratory

16. Summary
If in doubt, ask.
We hope you will enjoy the experience, and learn good experimental skills.
Buy your lab. book now and see you back here at 1:30 for talk on Errors!
Any questions?
Introduction to the 1st year laboratory