- Course Code
- PX 2505
- Credit Points
- 15
- Course Coordinator
- Dr R Macpherson / Dr J Duncan
Pre-requisites
PX 2013 or the approval of the Head of Physics.
Overview
The course is evenly divided between an introduction to the fundamentals of digital electronics and optical experiments illustrating theory discussed in the PX 2013 course. The first six weeks of twelve are spent doing electronics, the remaining weeks are for optics.
The electronics begins at the level of specifying the behaviour of the basic logic gates and the construction on a breadboard of simple circuits from circuit diagrams, covers Boolean algebra and ends with using Karnaugh maps to develop fairly complex circuits from a set of desired behaviours.
The optics covers: interference effects, such as using Newton's rings to determine the radius of curvature of a lens and then the refractive index of water; polarisation, including optical activity and Brewster's angle; the function of lens systems, from finding focal to length to determining the six cardinal points of a telephoto lens; and laser diffraction from various different gratings and objects.
The optics experiments include a number of places where digital photographs are taken of an optical effect (the ring system for a lens on an optical flat, the Peacock's eyes from the aser beam) and used, particularly in the former case, to make measurements.
Structure
2 three-hour labs a week. The first hour of the first lab is a lecture introducing digital electronics. One lab, towards the end of the six weeks spend on electronics, is in a computer room and covers MultiSim.
Assessment
1st Attempt: In-course assessment (60%) and assessment of laboratory reports (40%)
Resit: Same, with resubmission of reports.
Formative Assessment
The demonstrators assess lab performance. Students keep a lab manual, which is submitted at the end of the week and returned at the beginning of the next lab session, with a mark and brief comments from the demonstrators.
Feedback
Lab books are graded and returned weekly, marks for the experiments are made available to the students.
The students submit one lab report on a self-selected electronics experiment and one on an optics experiment, due roughly one week after the completion of the topic. These are then marked and returned within a fortnight.