2024 Faculty Courses School of Science Department of Physics Graduate major in Physics
Fundamental Physics Experiments
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Physics
- Instructor(s)
- Osamu Jinnouchi / Takashi Nakamura / Kentaro Somiya / Hiroyuki Fujioka
- Class Format
- Experiment (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-8 Mon
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- PHY.L412
- Number of credits
- 001
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 1Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
In this course students will work on three basic physics experiments. They will be performed once per two to three weeks, and students will be given a preparation period for each experiment in order to gain an understanding of the experiment details. Teams of two will be created for each experiment, which will be performed in cooperation (In this year, the experiment will be conducted individually). After each experiment, each student will create a report to submit.
In experiment A, students will use a spectrometer that functions due to diffractive grating, and a digital camera to measure lights from hydrogen and helium atoms, and the light from surrounding light sources. In experiment B, students will use a NaI scintillator to measure gamma rays. Students will also attempt the simultaneous measurement of 2 gamma rays in a measurement that uses cobalt ray sources. (Exp. C is not carried out in this term: In experiment C students will capture cosmic ray muons which are charged particles, measuring their life. Students will learn calculation methods for the kinematics of three-body decay and the basic coupling constants of weak interaction.) In experiment D, students will carry out the measurement of the temperature dependence of Refractive index of the crystal using Michelson interferometer.
The lecture is partially given in English.
Course description and aims
We will run three basic and important physics experiments, and consider the physical laws at play, getting a grasp on physics principles. In experiment A students will observe a light from the Balmer series hydrogen and helium, and compare them with calculations from quantum mechanics.
In experiment B students will use basic gamma ray measurements to understand the interaction between gamma rays and matter.
(In experiment C students will measure the life of cosmic ray muons, finding the fundamental constant of weak interaction. )
In experiment D students will learn the basic of the laser interference and gain the knowledge of the feed-back system.
Students will refine through practice their handling of experimental equipment and data processing technology they learned to use as an undergraduate, and learn central technology that will have applications for master's thesis research.
Keywords
physics experiment, data processing, gamma-ray measurement, cosmic-ray measurement, laser technique, feedback control
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
repeat the procedure three times i.e. preparation, carrying out experiment at Lab, summarizing in report.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Exp1) Spectroscopy of atoms and quantum mechanics (first half) | Learn the image analysis of the digital camera, examine the comparison between the results and the quantum mechanics calculation |
| Class 2 | Exp1) Spectroscopy of atoms and quantum mechanics (second half) | Learn the image analysis of the digital camera, examine the comparison between the results and the quantum mechanics calculation |
| Class 3 | Exp1) Reports (image analysis of the digital camera, comparison with the quantum mechanics calculation, consideration), preparation for the Exp2) | Learn the image analysis of the digital camera, examine the comparison between the results and the quantum mechanics calculation |
| Class 4 | Exp2) Gamma-ray measurements using NaI scintillators (first half) | Learn the energy spectrum analyses, and the coincidental measurement techniques |
| Class 5 | Exp2) Gamma-ray measurements using NaI scintillators (second half) | Learn the energy spectrum analyses, and the coincidental measurement techniques |
| Class 6 | Exp2) Reports (energy spectrum analysis, coincidental measurement technique), preparation for the Exp3) | Learn the energy spectrum analyses, and the coincidental measurement techniques |
| Class 7 | Exp3) Experiment using Michelson interferometer (first half) | Calibration, and control of the Michelson interferometer |
| Class 8 | Exp3) Experiment using Michelson interferometer (second half), Reports (obtain the open-loop gain, the temperature dependence of the Refractive of sapphire crystal) | Measurement of the open-loop gain, measurement of the temperature dependence of the Refractive of sapphire crystal |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend a certain length of time outside of class on preparation and review (including for assignments), as specified by the Tokyo Institute of Technology Rules on Undergraduate Learning (東京工業大学学修規程) and the Tokyo Institute of Technology Rules on Graduate Learning (東京工業大学大学院学修規程), for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
The textbook will be handed out, which includes the experimental procedure, the exercises for the reports.
The attendants are required to read through it before each experiment.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
"Jikken no saho to anzen", publisher : Yoshioka-shoten, author : Koji Nakai
Evaluation methods and criteria
based on the three reports handed in after carrying out the experiments
Related courses
- PHY.L202 ： Experiments in Physics A
- PHY.L203 ： Experiments in Physics B
- PHY.L201 ： Experimental Physics
- ZUB.L240 ： Experimental Physics II
Prerequisites
No condition applied (recommended also for the students in the theory groups)
Other
The experiments are conducted at the laboratory space after thorough countermeasures against the Covid-19.