Physics 326 - Fall 2011

Computer Based Experimentation and Physics Computing

 

 

Instructor:

Prof. Weida Wu

Office:

Serin W 117

Phone:

445-5500 ext. 8299

Web site

http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/~wdwu/

e-mail

wdwu@physics.rutgers.edu

Office Hour:

Wed. 3-4PM and Thurs. 3-4PM

 

Lab Assistant:

Jonathan Sloane

e-mail:

jonathan.d.sloane@gmail.com

Office Hour:

Arrange by e-mail

 

Lab Assistant:

Andrew Hogan

e-mail:

ahogan@physics.rutgers.edu

Office Hour:

Arrange by e-mail

 

Meeting Times: updated

Lecture       (Wu):

Wed. 6:40–8:00pm

SEC 203

Lab Sect. 3 (Sloane):

Monday (6:40-9:30pm)

Serin 101

Lab Sect. 1 (Hogan):

Tuesday (10:20am-1:20pm)

Serin 101

Lab Sect. 2 (Sloane):

Tuesday (3:20-6:20pm)

Serin 101

Lab Sect. 4 (Wu):

Thursday (6:40-9:30pm)

Serin 101

 

Textbook: “An Introduction to Error Analysis”, J.R. Taylor, 2nd Ed. University Science Books.

 

Web Site for Course:

http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/ugrad/326/

 

Lab Preparation:

Lab instructions are posted to the 326 web site. Each lab will be discussed in the Wednesday lecture before the lab. You are expected to download, print, and read these instructions before coming to lecture. In addition, you should understand what to do in the lab BEFORE coming to lab.

 

Lab Reports:

Lab Reports are to be prepared individually and handed in during the lab session of the week following the lab, i.e., you have one week to write your report. No late reports will be accepted. Copied lab reports will not be accepted. Do not write a report if you have not actually done the lab; it will not be accepted. Lab reports must be typed using WORD or LaTeX. No hand written report will be accepted.

 

Quizzes:

Short quizzes will be given occasionally during the lecture. Topics to be quizzed are lecture and lab contents, reading assignments, and homework. Make-up quizzes will not be offered unless you have a documented medical or religious reason for missing a quiz.

 

Grading:

The course grade will be based mostly on the lab reports (~80%), with the remainder determined by lab preparation and participation, quiz scores, and lecture attendance. You can view your grades of lab reports and quizzes at Gradebook.

Policy for absence: updated
Students are expected to attend all classes and labs; if you expect to miss one or two classes, please use the University absence reporting website https://sims.rutgers.edu/ssra/ to indicate the date and reason for your absence.  An email is automatically sent to me. Please provide documented evidence for making up labs or quizzes.

Students with Disabilities:

If you have a disability, you are urged to visit the following web site to make the necessary arrangements to support a successful learning experience:
http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/ugrad/disabilities.html


Course Schedule:

 

Week

Lectures (Wednesdays)

Labs

(Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays)

Aug. 29 - Sept. 2

 

No lecture

Sept. 5 – Sept. 9

Labor Day week

1st, (ppt, pdf) Sept. 7

No labs/only lecture

Sept. 12 – 16

2nd, (ppt, pdf) Sept. 14

1 - Propagation of Errors

Sept. 19 - 23

3rd a, (ppt, pdf) Sept. 21

2 - Wavelength of Light

Sept. 26 – 30

3rd b, (ppt, pdf) Sept. 28

3a - Distribution Functions

Oct. 3 – 4

4th,  (ppt, pdf)  Oct. 5

3b - Distribution Functions, cont’d

Oct. 10 – 14

5th,   (ppt, pdf)  Oct. 12

4 - Least Squares Fit

Oct. 17 - 21

6th a, (ppt, pdf) Oct. 19

5 - Damped Harmonic Motion

Oct. 24 – 28

6th b, (ppt, pdf) Oct. 26

6a - Forced Harmonic Motion

Oct. 31 – Nov. 4

7th, (ppt, pdf) Nov. 2

6b - Forced Harmonic Motion (cont’d)

Nov. 7 – 11

8th, (ppt, pdf) Nov. 9

7a - Fourier Analysis

Nov. 14 – 18

 

7b - Fourier Analysis (cont’d)

Nov. 21 - 25

 

No lab on Thanksgiving week updated

Nov. 28 – Dec. 2

 

8a - Onset of Chaos

Dec. 5 – Dec. 9

 

8b - Onset of Chaos (cont’d)

Dec. 12 – Dec. 16

 

All lab reports due; no class meetings