Basics Physics Lab Courses (Bachelor of Science in Physics)

Content

The beginners lab courses in the Physics bachelor's program consist of three parts, each with a different focus.

Physics Lab Course 1 (PP1)

In the first part, the fundamentals of experimental work are established. The focus is, on the one hand, on the physical principles of mechanics, electronics, and optics, and, on the other hand, on the independent planning, setup, and execution of experiments and the associated measurement techniques. For the latter, in addition to standard measuring instruments such as multimeters, oscilloscopes, and function generators, a wide variety of sensors are available that can be read directly via the computer. This combination of fundamental physics knowledge, paired with self-designed experiments involving digital data acquisition and analysis, provides a solid foundation not only for advanced lab courses but also for scientific research projects.

Physics Lab Course 2 (PP2)

In the second part of the beginners' lab course, students consolidate and expand their knowledge of measurement techniques, methodology, experimental setups, and data analysis. For this purpose, they conduct a selection of pre-assembled experiments covering topics such as measurement uncertainty, oscillation and resonance, optics, and more. These experiments are not only relevant to physics, but also provide an opportunity to collect larger and more complex datasets, which are then analysed using Python. Another focus is on presenting scientific data and documenting scientific work. To this end, students are introduced to LaTeX and BibTeX in order to produce professional documentation that meets scientific standards.

Physics Lab Course 3 (PP3)

The final part takes the form of a project-based practical course. The focus here is on studying one of several available topics in depth, or possibly a topic proposed by the students. The entire semester is available for planning, conducting, evaluating, and documenting the work. Whether it involves detecting an exoplanet using the university observatory, building a seismograph or spectrometer, or measuring the speed of light as accurately as possible, the project course allows students to fully pursue their curiosity and passion for research.

The hands-on approach provides a realistic first impression of scientific work in the laboratory. Because of the many tasks involved in the project, students develop teamwork skills, time management, self-organization, and critical thinking, while also reinforcing their knowledge of data processing and documentation. The project-based course is thus the ideal starting point for more complex experiments in subsequent laboratory courses.

Organisation

The lab courses take place weekly during the lecture period. 

• PP1 : summer term
• PP2 : winter term
• PP3 : summer term
  

For all further information, please refer to the relevant elearning courses.

Contact 

Dr. Thorsten Schumacher
Physics beginners lab courses

room:   1.0.01 (building BGI)
phone:  +49 921 55-3805
email:  thorsten.schumacher@uni-bayreuth.de