Jake Bobowski
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PHYS 331
Mon. 08:00-09:30 (Lecture)
Tue. 09:30-12:30 (Lab)
My schedule

SCI 266
jake.bobowski@ubc.ca

Experimental Physics I
Room: ART 203
Room: SCI 239
Term 1

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Here are some general descriptions of what is expected from the work presented in your lab notebooks:

-Most importantly, your notes should demonstrate a clear and deep understanding of the material.
-The notes should be clear and easy to follow. The reader shouldn't have to flip around too much or spend a lot of time searching for things. You shouldn't refer the reader to a manual or to any of the supplemental material posted on Canvas. You shouldn't refer the reader to Wikipedia or to other online resources. If these resources have useful information, print them out and neatly insert them into your notebook using tape or glue. Your notes need not follow a rigid format, but the reader should be able to easily follow your train of thought.
-Although a rigid format is not required, you should provide a statement of the purpose of the experiment at the beginning of your notes.
-You should provide a neatly drawn schematic of the experimental setup.
-Tables of data without any comments or without an explanation of the experimental setup are not useful.
-Plots without labeled axes are incomplete.
-Print outs of plots and/or figures should be trimmed and taped or glued neatly into your notebooks. Loose pages and pages stapled in the notebooks represent sloppy/careless work and may not be graded.
-You should clearly explain how the data is being analyzed. For example, what, if any, approximations are being made? If fitting to a straight line, what does the slope represent? What does the y-intercept represent?
-You should explain how the uncertainties of measured values were estimated.
-Most numbers require units (an exception would be, for example, when you are taking the ratio of two voltages).
-Most often, fits to data should be weighted fits.
-There should be some kind of summary statement that reports the key results of the experiment (with uncertainties). Usually, there should be a comparison to theoretically predicted results.

Here's a link to some additional notes about maintaining a good lab notebook. There are also scanned pages from a high-quality notebook with additional comments from a "picky" TA.


Course Calendar


Note that, the calendar below is subject to change.


Tue, Sept. 05: Introductory lab used to introduce the course and show a deomonstration.
Will meet in SCI 239 from 11:00 - 12:30.
Mon, Sept. 11:
(Seminar) 
Groups of two are formed and Experiment #1 projects are selected.
Meet in ART 203.
Tue, Sept. 12: Experiment 1, week 1
Tue, Sept. 19: Experiment 1, week 2
Tue, Sept. 26: Experiment 1, week 3
Tue, Oct. 03: Experiment 1, week 4
Tue, Oct. 10: Experiment 1, week 5
Mon, Oct. 16:
(Seminar) 
Groups of two are formed and Experiment #2 projects are selected.
Meet in ART 203.
Tue, Oct. 17: Experiment 1, week 6
Tue, Oct. 24: Experiment 2, week 1
Mon, Oct. 30: Experiment 1 formal report due.
Upload pdf to Canvas by 23:59.
Tue, Oct. 31: Experiment 2, week 2
Tue, Nov. 07: Experiment 2, week 3
Mon, Nov. 13:
(Seminar) 
Midterm break, no classes
Tue, Nov. 14: Midterm break, no classes
Mon, Nov. 20:
(Seminar) 
Example presentation
Meet in ART 203.
Tue, Nov. 21: Experiment 2, week 4
Mon, Nov. 27:
(Seminar) 
Presentations
Meet in ART 203.
Tue, Nov. 28: Experiment 2, week 5
Mon, Dec. 04:
(Seminar) 
Presentations
Meet in ART 203.
Last PHYS 331 lecture/seminar!
Tue, Dec. 05: Experiment 2, week 6
Last PHYS 331 lab!
Mon, Dec. 18: Experiment 2 formal report due.
Upload pdf to Canvas by 23:59.


created by Jake Bobowski,
jake.bobowski@ubc.ca

last modified: October 10, 2023

URL:https://cmps-people.ok.ubc.ca/jbobowsk/phys331calendar.html

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