Details of PH2103 (Autumn 2019)

Level: 2 Type: Laboratory Credits: 3.0

Course CodeCourse NameInstructor(s)
PH2103 Physics Laboratory III Chiranjib Mitra,
Nirmalya Ghosh

Preamble
It doesnt matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesnt matter how smart you are. If it doesnt agree with experiment, its wrong - R. P. Feynman

Introduction:
This is a two-semester long laboratory course for the second year BS-MS students. The course aims to give the students hands-on experience with some of the experimental aspects of modern (twentieth century and beyond) physics, electrical, electronics and optics and, in the process, to deepen their understanding of the relationship between experiment and theory. The experiments for this course are divided in three categories (a) Modern Physics: The students will perform selected experiments of modern physics to observe and understand phenomena whose discoveries led to major advances in physics. The experiments are designed to cover principles and origins of Quantum Mechanics, studying the quantum structure of atoms, understanding the concept of wave particle duality of matter-energy and so forth; (b) Electrical and Electronics: The experiments are designed to cover fundamental electrical and electronic principles - basic laws of electrical phenomena and principles of semiconductor devices like transistors and diodes; (b) Optics: Experimental observation, measurements, understanding / interpretation of basic phenomena associated with electromagnetic (EM) wave nature of light - namely, interference, diffraction and polarization.

In general, this course follows the traditional laboratory course format where students reproduce classic experiments in physics while following fairly detailed instructions from a laboratory manual.

Syllabus
Course outline:

1. Modern Physics: Experiments involving determination of Plancks constant, study of atomic levels, electron diffraction, basic measurements and concepts in quantum mechanics, verification of the black body radiation law, measurement of elementary electric charge.
2. Electrical and Electronics: Practical usage of basic electrical / electronic components, voltage, current, resistance, and power measuring instruments, oscilloscope, signal generators etc. Experiments on LCR circuits, RC filters, diodes, rectifiers, transistors and measuring their characteristics.
3. Optics: The experiments cover concepts on fundamental properties of light (EM) wave and some basic phenomena associated with light matter interactions. The experiments involve- determination of wavelength / frequency, velocity of light; observation / understanding interference and diffraction phenomena concept of coherence of light; measurements of polarization characteristics of light and polarizing interactions with matter.
4. Along with the lab work, there will be lectures covering statistics (error analysis), data analysis, and physics behind some of the detectors and sensors used in the experiments.

Detailed list of experiments:
1. Determination of Plancks constant using photo electric effect
2. Study of atomic levels using Frank Hertz experiment
3. Study of Electron diffraction
4. Millikans oil drop experiment
5. Stern-Gerlach experiment
6. Verification of Stefan-Boltzmann law
7. Joule-Thompson effect
8. Verification of Coulombs law and determination of permittivity of air
9. Resonance in LCR circuit
10. Frequency response of RC filters
11. Diode characteristics and bridge rectifier
12. Transistor characteristics
13. Determination of e/m
14. Sensitivity of a Ballistic galvanometer
15. Measurement of thermo emf using potentiometer
16. Determination of velocity of light
17. Prism Spectrometer
18. Study of Diffraction of light (single and double slit)
19. Grating spectrometer
20. Polarimeter - optical activity
21. Newtons rings / Cornu interferometer
22. Michelson interferometer
23. Fabryperot interferometer

Prerequisite
None.

References
1. Manuals for 2nd year physics lab prepared by DPS faculty

Course Credit Options

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