Course Syllabus

Instructor: Weida Wu

 

Class meetings: Mon/Wed: 2:00 - 3:20 PM, Serin 133W 

Office hours: appointment based

Learning Management System: Canvas

Communication: Canvas and email

 

Course overview

The purpose of this course is to acquire hands-on experience with experimental aspects of modern physics and to deepen understanding of the relations between experiment and theory. Students will carry out experiments which, when first performed, led to seminal discoveries in physics. In the process they will acquire a set of basic skills essential to becoming an experimental scientist. They will learn to use advanced laboratory equipment and acquire computational skills necessary for data analysis and error estimation. In addition students will acquire the skills to produce credible records of scientific data and learn how to disseminate scientific findings through written reports and oral presentations. 387 and 388 are identical, and just offered either fall (387) or spring (388).

 

It is required for the professional and applied options. 

 

Learning goals

  • Acquire hands-on experience with experimental aspects of modern physics and deepen understanding of the relations between experiment and theory.
  • Learn to use advanced laboratory equipment and acquire computational skills necessary for deta analysis and error estimation.
  • Acquire the skills to produce credible records of scientific data.
  • Learn how to disseminate scientific findings through written reports and oral presentations.

 

These support two of the overall  https://physics.rutgers.edu/academics/undergraduate-program/learning-goals 

 

  • Top 25% of our Physics majors demonstrate mastery of basic Physics and the ability to solve essential problems appropriate for beginning graduate study in Physics.
  • All Physics majors demonstrate knowledge of fundamental Physics principles and are able to quantitatively analyze a broad spectrum of problems presented in a range of undergraduate Physics courses.

 

Course Structure

This class will meet in person two times a week in Serin 133W, each class being 80-min long.

Students with disabilities requesting accommodations, the procedures are outlined at https://ods.rutgers.edu/students/getting-registered. Full disability policies and procedures are at https://ods.rutgers.edu/.

 

Pre-requisites:  01:750:326, 327, and 361 (or 313)

 

Course Materials

Lab manuals provided in the lab and on the course website

 

Assessment (No exam)

 Class attendance: each unexcused absence carries a penalty of

 -10%

 Class punctuality: each unexcused late arrival carries a penalty of

 -5%

 Class work

 15%

 Preparatory questions and homework

 20%

 Notebook

 10%

 Lab reports 

 30%

 Oral presentation 

 25%

 

 Letter-grade cut-offs

A

B+

B

C+

C

D

90

85

80

75

65

50

 

Topics

In a group of two or three students, each group will carry out three experiments throughout the semester among Zeeman effect, Speed of light, Muon Decay, Gamma ray, Franck Hertz, X-rays, Photoelectric effect, Electromagnetic boundary conditions, Faraday rotation, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Modern interferometry, write a lab report for each experiment, and give an oral presentation at the end of the semester.  The detailed schedule can be found on Canvas.

 

Policies

Changes: The course schedule and guidelines are subject to change. I will communicate any changes promptly and clearly. Still, it is your responsibility to make yourself aware of any and all changes by attending class and maintaining communication with me.

 

Absences: Students are expected to attend all classes; if you expect to miss any class, you need to inform the instructor and your group mates via email immediately.  If you have been told to quarantine, or are experiencing symptoms of any transmissable disease, please do not attend the class and inform the instructor as soon as possible to discuss how to handle the absence.

 

Resources for Student Success

The faculty and staff at Rutgers are committed to your success. Students who are successful tend to seek out resources that enable them to excel academically, maintain their health and wellness, prepare for future careers, navigate college life and finances, and connect with the RU community. Helpful resources include the Rutgers Learning Centers and school-based advising (for SAS, SOE, SEBS, and RBS). Additional resources that can help you succeed and connect with the Rutgers community can be found at https://success.rutgers.edu .

 

Please visit the Rutgers Student Tech Guide for resources available to all students. If you do not have the appropriate technology for financial reasons, please email the Dean of Students (deanofstudents@echo.rutgers.edu ) for assistance. If you are facing other financial hardships please visit the Office of Financial Aid.

 

Academic integrity

Rutgers University takes academic dishonesty very seriously. By enrolling in this course, you assume responsibility for familiarizing yourself with the Academic Integrity Policy and the possible penalties (including suspension and expulsion) for violating the policy. As per the policy, all suspected violations will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct. Academic dishonesty includes (but is not limited to):

  • Cheating
  • Plagiarism
  • Aiding others in committing a violation or allowing others to use your work Failure to cite sources correctly
  • Fabrication
  • Using another person’s ideas or words without attribution–re-using a previous assignment Unauthorized collaboration
  • Sabotaging another student’s work

 

If in doubt, please contact me. Also review the Academic Integrity Policy and Academic Integrity Resources for Students.

 

Use of external website resources (such as Chegg.com or others) to obtain solutions to homework assignments or exams is cheating and a violation of the University Academic Integrity policy. Cheating in the course may result in grade penalties, disciplinary sanctions or educational sanctions. Posting homework assignments or exams to external sites without the instructor's permission may be a violation of copyright and may constitute the facilitation of dishonesty, which may result in the same penalties as cheating.

 

The Rutgers honor pledge will be included on all major assignments for you to sign: On my honor, I have neither received nor given any unauthorized assistance on this examination/assignment.

 

Almost all original work is the intellectual property of its authors. This includes not just books and articles, but the syllabi, lectures, slides, recordings, course materials, presentations, homework problems, exams, and other materials used in this course, in either printed or electronic form. You may not copy this work, post it online, or disseminate it in any way without the explicit permission of the instructor. Respect for an author’s efforts and intellectual property rights is an important value that members of the university community are expected to take seriously.

 

Student Wellness Services

The university provides a number of resources to support your physical and mental well-being. I list several valuable resources here and encourage you to contact me for more guidance about university resources.

 

Report a Bias Incident If you experience or witness an act of bias or hate, report it to someone in authority. You may file a report online and you will be contacted within 24 hours. The bias reporting page is here. Bias is defined by the University as an act, verbal, written, physical, psychological, that threatens, or harms a person or group on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, atypical heredity or cellular blood trait, military service or veteran status.

Click here to report a bias incident

 

Counseling, ADAP & Psychiatric Services (CAPS)

(848) 932-7884 / 17 Senior Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, http://health.rutgers.edu/medical-counseling-services/counseling/

CAPS is a University mental health support service that includes counseling, alcohol and other drug assistance, and psychiatric services staffed by a team of professionals within Rutgers Health services to support students’ efforts to succeed at Rutgers University. CAPS offers a variety of services that include: individual therapy, group therapy and workshops, crisis intervention, referral to specialists in the community, and consultation and collaboration with campus partners.

 

Crisis Intervention: http://health.rutgers.edu/medical-counseling-services/counseling/crisis-intervention/

 

Report a Concern: http://health.rutgers.edu/do-something-to-help/

 

Violence Prevention & Victim Assistance (VPVA)

(848) 932-1181 / 3 Bartlett Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, http://vpva.rutgers.edu/

The Office for Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance provides confidential crisis intervention, counseling and advocacy for victims of sexual and relationship violence and stalking to students, staff and faculty. To reach staff during office hours when the university is open or to reach an advocate after hours, call 848-932-1181.

 

Disability Services

(848) 445-6800 / Lucy Stone Hall, Suite A145, Livingston Campus, 54 Joyce Kilmer Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854, https://ods.rutgers.edu/

Rutgers University welcomes students with disabilities into all of the University's educational programs. In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, a student with a disability must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation: https://ods.rutgers.edu/students/documentation-guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with a Letter of Accommodations. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. To begin this process, please complete the Registration form on the ODS web site at: https://ods.rutgers.edu/students/getting-registered