PHYSICS LABORATORY II A - L

Understand electromagnetic and optical phenomena from an experimental, practical perspective.

Become skilled in assembling electric circuits, in building electric, magnetic and optial devices, and in performing measurements of physical quantities and technical specifications.

Gain basic knowledge about the working priciples of instruments, master general methodes and develop skills useful in investigating electomagnetic and optical phemomena not necessarily alraedy presented in the Course.

Gain basic knowledge and develop skills useful in designing new devices in the concerned scientific field.

Gain the ability to correctly analize scientific data and to present an experiment in a good-quality scientific paper where the data are analyzed and results are presented and interpreted.

Gain the ability to communicate the results of a scientific measurement or experiment in an exhaustive, clear, efficient and correct fashion.

This course alternates 3 cycles of with 3 corresponding cycles of practical sessions in the Lab. The corse begins with a first cycle of lectures in the Classroom, which is followed by a corresponding first cycle of practical sessions in the Lab. Then we continue with the second cycle of lectures in the Classroom, and so on.

The classroom lectures introduce the working principles of scientific instruments and present the experimental setups of some experiments aimed at illustrating electromagnetic and optical phenomena, at verifying natural laws, and at measuring physical properties in the same fields. Procedures to analyze and ways to present the data that will be collected in the Lab are specifically highlighted.

During the cycles of practical sessions in the Lab the students actually perform the experiments and make the measurements previously introduced by the Classroom lectures.

During the periods devoted to lectures in the Classroom there are NO sessions in the Lab. During the periods devoted to practical sessions in the Lab there are NO lectures in the classroom.

Description and subsequent realization of about 30 experiments aimed to measure physics quantities and/or to verify physical laws in the fields of electromagnetism and optics. Analysis of the collected experimental data.

The detailed program is listed in the Section "Programmazione".

The teacher does not follow any textbook specifically, but utilizes material from different sources. Studying the slides shown during the lectures is normally adequate to pass the exam.

For the laboratory experiments, Instruction Manuals are provided. They can also be downloaded from the Course web site (in Italian only): Instructions.

For students who wish to dwell deeper into the subjects of the Course, the following list is a selection of textbooks and other material concerning data analysis methods, electrical and optical instrumentation used in this Course, and related experimental procedures.

1. A. FOTI, C. GIANINO: Elementi di analisi dei dati sperimentali, Liguori Ed., Napoli
2. J. R. TAYLOR: Introduzione all'analisi degli errori, Zanichelli Ed., Bologna
3. ISO(Int.Standard Org.): Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement, Ginevra
4. L. KIRKUP, B. FRENKEL: An Introduction to Uncertainty in Measurement, Cambridge University Press
5. L. G. PARRAT: Probability and Experimental Errors in Science, Wiley & Sons Inc.,N.Y.
6. F. TYLER: A Laboratory Manual of Physics, Edward Arnold Ed., London
7. M. SEVERI: Introduzione alla sperimentazione fisica, Ed. Zanichelli, Bologna
8. E. ACERBI: Metodi e strumenti di misura, Città Studi Ed., Milano
9. G. CORTINI, S. SCIUTI: Misure ed apparecchi di Fisica (Elettricità), Veschi Ed., Roma
10. R. RICAMO: Guida alle esperimentazioni di Fisica,Vol. 2°, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano
11. F. W. SEARS: Ottica Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano
12. G. E. FRIGERIO: I laser, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano