AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Acquisition of the basic methodologies of measurement of quantities and determination of the associated uncertainty.

Teaching methods

Lectures on the topics of the course and six laboratory work of about 4 hours each. The laboratory work will be preceded by a lesson in which objectives, methods and technical details are described. These end with the compilation of a report in which are drawn: the measurement methodology, the data acquired in the form of tables and graphs, the result of the measurement with the estimation of the uncertainties. Reports are evaluated and contribute to the determination of the final grade of the General Physics Laboratory module.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The experimental method in natural sciences: 1) scientific method; 2) experimental observations and theories; 3) scientific experiment and measurements.

The concept of measurement: 1) the measurable quantities; 2) the units of measurement; 3) measuring instruments; 4) general types and behaviours of measuring instruments.

The result of the measurements: 1) how to communicate the result of a measure; 2) uncertainty or error; 2) what types of measurement errors; 3) reproducibility and repeatability.

Analysis of measurement errors: 1) systematic and random errors; 2) elements of probability and statistics; 3) handling of random errors; 4) functions of physical quantities and error propagation; 5) determination of law from data affected by the error.

Laboratory activities.
Six small experiments selected to place the student in the condition of the experimenter who, in the complexity of the phenomena, must: 1) discern the details useful to the measure from the futile and negligible ones; 2) use the tools correctly; 3) carry out a measure or measures to describe a phenomenon quantitatively; 4) define uncertainties (errors) well; 5) communicate the final result of the experiment.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

An introduction to the analysis of errors", John R.Taylor

“Metodologie Sperimentali in Fisica”, Gaetano Cannelli, EdiSES

Exam Board

FLAVIO GATTI (President)

ALESSIO CAMINATA

PIETRO CORVISIERO (President Substitute)

STEFANO DAVINI (Substitute)

Teaching methods

Lectures on the topics of the course and six laboratory work of about 4 hours each. The laboratory work will be preceded by a lesson in which objectives, methods and technical details are described. These end with the compilation of a report in which are drawn: the measurement methodology, the data acquired in the form of tables and graphs, the result of the measurement with the estimation of the uncertainties. Reports are evaluated and contribute to the determination of the final grade of the General Physics Laboratory module.

LESSONS START

From 1 March 2021 (according to the timetable at https://chimica.unige.it/didattica/orari_CTC  e/o https://corsi.unige.it/8757 )

Exam description

Quiz written exam on the topics of the course and their applications. The score relative to the judgment of laboratory reports contributes to the grade, out of thirty.
The final grade of the course in General Physics with Laboratory is the average of the grades of Mechanics, Electromagnetism and Laboratory. The examination of the Laboratory module takes place jointly with that of the General Physics module.

Assessment methods

Degree of knowledge of the course topics and ability to apply them to simple cases proposed in the quiz exam test.