Physics Experiments Using PCs

Physics practical classes form an important part of many scientific and technical courses in higher education. In addition to the older standard experiments, such practicals now generally include a few computer-controlled experiments developed in association with the research groups active in the particular university or college. Since there is relatively little exchange of information between the teaching staff of different institutes, the personal computer, despite its ubiquity, is underexploited in this role as a teaching aid. The present book provides a detailed description of a number of computer-controlled experiments suitable for practical classes. Both the relevant physics and the computational techniques are presented in a form that enables the readers to construct and/or perform the experiment themselves.

Inhalt
I Mechanics.- 1. Fourier Analysis of Some Simple Periodic Signals.- 2. Point Mechanics by Experiments Direct Access to Motion Data.- II Thermodynamics.- 3. Application of PID Control to a Thermal Evaporation Source.- 4. Computer Control of the Measurement of Thermal Conductivity.- III Solid State Physics.- 5. Experiments with High-Tc Superconductivity.- 6. Computer Control of Low Temperature Specific Heat Measurement.- 7. Computer-Controlled Observations of Surface Plasmon-Polaritons.- IV Optics and Atomic Physics.- 8. Molecular Spectroscopy of I2.- 9. Optical Transfer Functions.- V Nuclear Physics.- 10. Nuclear Spectrometry Using a PC Converted to a Multichannel Analyser.- 11. Parity Violation in the Weak Interaction.- 12. Receiving and Interpreting Orbital Satellite Data. A Computer Experiment for Educational Purposes.