Laboratory Work
In the first and second years, laboratory work follows a programme of individual and group activities. Its purpose is to instruct you in the use of instruments and techniques, and to develop your understanding of good experimental methods while illustrating and, we hope, illuminating the content of lecture courses. In the first year there is a different activity each week plus a group project activity at the end of the second term. In the second year the experiments are more demanding and open-ended, and occupy two to three laboratory days.
Here are a few examples of experimental investigations that are typically conducted in Years 1 and 2:
- Properties of liquid nitrogen
- Determination of charge-to-mass ratio of an electron using a fine beam tube
- Laser interference patterns
- The Zeeman effect
- Compton/Rutherford scattering
A similar laboratory experience extends into term 1 of the third year for MPhys students with more advanced experiments. Students following the Theoretical Physics pathway have a specially-equipped computational laboratory of their own.
We also now offer the opportunity for you to learn how to construct experiments using the LabVIEW computer program. LabVIEW programmers are extremely sought after and some experience in this industry-standard application would be a great item for a CV.
