PHYS 310 - Experimental Physics

Course Information

• Syllabus
• Schedule of Experiments
• Expectations for Lab Notebooks
• Calendar
  • Semester
  • Month by Month

Homework

• Homework 1 (due 9/3): Assignment, (211 Lab Manual Appendix)
• Homework 2 (due 9/10): Assignment | Solutions
• Homework 3 (due 9/17): Assignment | Solutions
• Homework 4 (due 9/24): Assignment | Data | Solutions
• Homework 5 (due 10/1): Assignment | Paper X | Abstract tips
• Homework 6 (due 11/5): Assignment

Mathematica Notebooks

• Introduction/Basics: Simple examples (from PHYS 221)
• More on plots:
  • Options for nicer plots
  • Plots with error bars
  • Log plots
  • Exporting graphics
• Tools for Statistics:
  • Random Numbers
  • Tools for Distributions
  • Histograms
• Curve Fitting Basics
• Examples from class
  • Tuesday September 3: Coin Flipping "Experiment"
  • Tuesday September 10: Error Propagation: Three Approaches
  • Tuesday September 17: Intro to Fitting
  • Tuesday November 12: Intro to Nonlinear Fitting

Handouts

• Ising Model
  • Monte Carlo Simulation of Phase Transitions
  • Python/SciPy Tutorial
  • scipy array tip sheet

Scientific Papers:

• The Art of Scientific Report Writing (Oxford)
• Ten Steps to Writing an Effective Abstract
• Preparing a Manuscript for Publication (Journal of Undergraduate Research In Physics)
• Physical Review Style and Notation Guide (includes information on formatting references)

Scientific Talks:

• Talk about Scientific Talks
• Talk Examples:
  
  • Selforganized Criticality with LJ (KVL, Swarthmore 2007) ,
  • SiO2 (KVL, BU 2009) ,
  • SiO2 (KVL, Rome 2009) ,
  • Granular Gas / Hydrodynamics (APS 2011)
    
  • Light Propagation in Negative-Index Materials (ML, SUNY Stony Brook 2010) ,
  • Two-Photon Interference (ML, Bucknell 2011)
• Latex Beamer:
  Latex Beamer Example(pdf), Sourcefile (tex) which also needs, fig1.eps, fig2.eps, fig3.eps
  For the compiling see header of beamer_example.tex.

Literature Search Tools

• ADS Streamlined Search, ADS Original
• Web of Knowledge
• BU pages:
  • Library & IT , Databases
  • Books: BU Library Catalog, Worldcat
  • Physics Sources: APS Journals, arXiv

Computer Information

• xfig
  • xfig Users Manual
  • xfig Tutorial (pdf)
  • Using LaTeX within xfig
  • Graph 1
  • Graph 2
  • NSF Logo
  • Poster
  • Model
  • EM Pulse

• Brief Emacs Summary

• Brief Unix Summary

• Getting Files Across the Windows/Linux Divide
  
  • From a Bucknell Windows machine: go to "Computer," (formerly "My Computer" and in the address space enter \\unixspace, and then navigate to your Linux filespace. You can make your Linux filespace show up permanently as a Network Drive under "Computer" if you click on the "Map Network Drive" tab.
  • The Red Hat Gnome Desktop on networked Linux computers should show an icon connecting you directly to your Windows netspace.
  • Use any browser to go the URL ftp://username@ftp.netspace.bucknell.edu
    You will be asked for your password. Once you're in, navigate to the appropriate folder, and drag files as needed. (Only works from on-campus computers.)
• Using XManager to access the Linux network from a Windows Machine
  • From Task Bar: Start --> Programs --> XManager Enterprise 3 --> Sessions
  • Select the computer and kind of session you would like, e.g., "Linux Remote 1 Terminal" will give you a simple text terminal session; the Graphical option will get you the full desktop.

• gnuplot
  • gnuplot Manual
  • A Brief Introduction to gnuplot
  • gnuplot FAQ
  • gnuplot tips (not so frequently asked questions)
  • gnuplot Central (official web site for gnuplot)
  • Other gnuplot Information
  • Fitting Command: fit [x1:x2] f(x) "file.dat" via a,b,c
    where x1 and x2 give the range of data to be fit, f(x) is a previously defined function (or the function itself), file.dat is the data file, and a, b, and c are the parameters to be fit.
  • Making an EPS version of a plot:
    • set term postscript eps
    • set output "filename.eps"
    • replot
    • set term x11
    The instructions above make a plot with lettering that is the appropriate size for a plot that is meant for your lab notebook. When a plot is scaled down for inclusion in a paper, you probably want to increase the relative size of the lettering. You can do this by changing the first line above to something like
    • set term postscript eps 28
    where the number at the end of the line can be adjusted to give the right size.

LaTeX

• Simple Paper Template:
  Download the files template.tex, samplefig.eps, and samplefig2.eps. After processing these files you should generate output that looks like this: template.pdf.
  OR
  Download the files template2.tex, samplefigA.pdf, and samplefigB.pdf.

• Sample file containing many more sophisticated examples of how to typeset a physics paper:
  This file apssamp.tex generates the output displayed here: apssamp.pdf. Comparing these files side-by-side is a good way to learn lots about typesetting papers.
• APS homepage for RevTeX (including links to documentation)

• Tutorials (A random sampling of many that you can find online):
  • Getting Started with LaTeX
  • Beginning LaTeX
  • A beginner's introduction to typesetting with LaTeX

• Reference materials
  • The Not So Short Introduction to LaTeX 2e (or LaTeX 2e in 157 minutes)

• Outline of steps for paper production using LaTeX. (The % signs represent the command line prompt in a unix/Linux terminal session.)
  • Copy template template.tex to a working file, say paper.tex:
    % cp sample.tex paper.tex
  • Edit paper.tex:
    % gedit paper.tex &
  • Compile the tex file:
    % latex paper.tex
  • Compile the tex file (again):
    % latex paper.tex
  • View the .dvi file:
    % xdvi paper.dvi &
  • You may edit, save, and recompile without closing the xdvi viewer; it will update the displayed version automatically.
  • To make a pdf file (paper.pdf):
    % dvipdf paper.dvi

• Outline of steps for paper production using PDFLaTeX. (The % signs represent the command line prompt in a unix/Linux terminal session.)
  • Copy template template.tex to a working file, say paper.tex:
    % cp sample.tex paper.tex
  • Edit paper.tex:
    % gedit paper.tex & (or use your editor)
  • Compile the tex file:
    % latex paper.tex
  • Compile the tex file (again):
    % pdflatex paper.tex
  • View the .pdf file:
    % xpdf paper.pdf & (or use your favorite viewer)
  • You may edit, save, and recompile without closing the xpdf viewer; it will update the displayed version when you hit CTRL L.

• Projected Talks
  • Beamer User's Guide, v3.01
  • Example latex source
  • Example PDF

Data Analysis

• Marty's Data Analysis Materials