Catalog Description:  A laboratory course in advanced selected experiments. A written report on each experiment is required. Prerequisites: PHYS252L. Offered in the Spring semester of odd numbered years. One semester; two credits.

Text:  Lab Manual for Advanced Physics Laboratory (available from instructor)

Prerequisites by Topic:
vector algebra, differential equations, calculus (including vector calculus)
classical mechanics, relativistic mechanics, waves, electromagnetism, quantum physics

Goals:
This laboratory course supplements the introductory and advanced courses that you have taken, so it is designed to assist you in reaching and reinforcing the goals of those courses.  The additional goals of this course are:
1. To investigate in more detail topics discussed in previous physics courses by direct, hands-on observation.
2. To test the models developed to describe different physical phenomena in the real-world environment of the laboratory. To see how well the models work and to find their limitations.
3. To increase the qualitative understanding of physical phenomena by directly seeing how physical quantities affect each other.
4. To see how the process of measurement affects experimental results through measurement uncertainty.
5. To gain independence in setting up and performing advanced experiments.  To gain familiarity with experimental equipment.

Topics:

Course instructor webpage:   Dr. John Varriano