Undergraduate Course: Practical Physics (PHYS08048)
Course Outline
| School | School of Physics and Astronomy |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course is designed for pre-honours physics students. It provides an introduction to computer programming, data analysis and experimental laboratory techniques. It serves both as a preparation for further practical work in physics-based degree programmes, and as a stand-alone course for students of other disciplines, including mathematics, chemistry, geosciences, computer science and engineering. The course consists of laboratory sessions and workshops to develop understanding, familiarity and fluency. |
| Course description |
Scientific Programming
- Introduction to python programming, basics of Linux, executing programmes
- Data types, variables and operators
- Command line and file input and output
- Conditional statements, loops and lists
- Importing and using python modules, mathematical functions, simple graphs
- Introduction to functions
- Reusable code, finding and fixing bugs
Data Analysis
- Uncertainty, accuracy and precision
- Mean value; standard deviation; error on the mean
- Using a spreadsheet for data analysis
- Combining uncertainties
- Graphs and graph plotting
- Least squares methods
- Application to a real-world problem
Experimental Laboratory (Experimental Physics 2)
- Introductory lecture on research methods, keeping a lab book, and writing reports.
- Two 3-week experiments chosen from Compound and Kater Pendula, Radioactive Decay, Atomic Spectroscopy, Michelson Interferometer and Geometric Optics.
- One 3-week experiment on digital and analogue electronic circuits
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Appreciate the relationship between experiment, theory and computation as scientific techniques, and assess whether an experimental result (in conjunction with an estimated error) or output from a computer program is physically reasonable
- Explain the importance of reproducibility of scientific work, and the role that laboratory notebooks and quantitative statements of confidence in results play in achieving this
- Apply standard practical techniques (e.g., routine handling of common laboratory equipment, linear least-squares fitting and writing short, procedural computer programs) as directed in a lab script to achieve a stated goal
- Present a record of an experiment or computation in an appropriate, clear and logical written form (e.g., lab notebook, lab report, fully documented computer code), augmented with figures and graphs where appropriate.
- Take responsibility for learning by attending laboratory sessions and workshops, and completing coursework
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | PracPhys |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Malcolm McMahon
Tel: (0131 6)50 5956
Email: M.I.McMahon@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Yolanda Zapata-Perez
Tel: (0131 6)51 7067
Email: yolanda.zapata@ed.ac.uk |
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