Details of PH1102 (Autumn 2014)

Level: 1 Type: Laboratory Credits: 3.0

Course CodeCourse NameInstructor(s)
PH1102 Physics Laboratory I Arindam Kundagrami,
Bhavtosh Bansal,
Rangeet Bhattacharyya,
Rumi De

Preamble
The principle of science is the following: the test of all knowledge is experiment. Experiment is the sole judge of scientific truth. - R. P. Feynman

Introduction: This is a tow-semester long laboratory course in physics for the first year BS-MS students. The course aims to develop general experimental skills such as taking and recording data accurately, analyzing and presenting data through use of tables, chart and graphs, etc. Concepts of error analysis, precision and accuracy of data, significant digit etc. will be taught. Students are expected to enjoy doing things by their own hands. They will perform simple but interesting experiments to verify various concepts of physics that they have learnt in the classroom lectures. Successful students are expected to develop critical thinking skills such as being able to make reasonable predictions and hypotheses from known facts, being able to see the relationship between experiments and equations and seeing how they apply to the real world. This laboratory course is designed to be beneficial to all students irrespective of whether they choose to major in physics or not.

Syllabus
Course Outline:
1. Introduction to data recording, tabulation, graph plotting, data fitting, error analysis.
2. Experiments from mechanics and properties of matter concepts of force, acceleration, linear and circular motion, oscillatory motion, resonance, viscosity, surface tension, elasticity.
3. Thermal physics experiments - concepts of mechanical equivalent of heat, temperature measurement, thermal expansion, heat capacity, ideal gas laws.
4. Electricity-magnetism concepts of electric charge, potential, field, current, circuit element such as resistor, capacitor, inductor and their response to direct and alternating current.

Detailed list of experiments:
1. Verification of Newtons second law
2. Study of projectile
3. Determination of gravitational acceleration using reversible pendulum
4. Study of coupled pendulum
5. Study of forced oscillation using Pohls pendulum
6. Study of centrifugal force
7. Molar specific heat of metals and Dulong-Petits law
8. Verification of equation of state of gases
9. Study of linear thermal expansion in metal rods
10. Study of mechanical equivalence of heat
11. Mapping of equipotential lines and electrostatic field lines
12. Study of magnetic field in Helmholtz coils
13. Study of Wheatstone bridge circuit
14. Study of mutual inductance
15. Concept of series/parallel connections using a cube of resistances
16. Construction of one Ohm resistance
17. Study of resonance in series LCR AC circuit
18. Determination of Youngs modulus of a metal bar using flexure method
19. Torsional pendulum and determination of rigidity modulus
20. Determination of Viscosity of a liquid using stokes law
21. Determination of Surface tension of liquid
22. Study of Doppler effect of sound

Prerequisite
None.

References
1. Manual for 1st year physics lab prepared by IISER faculty

Course Credit Options

Sl. No.ProgrammeSemester NoCourse Choice
1 IP 1 Not Allowed
2 IP 3 Not Allowed
3 MR 1 Not Allowed
4 MR 3 Not Allowed
5 MS 1 Core
6 RS 1 Not Allowed
7 RS 2 Not Allowed