FIRST YEAR PHYSICS LAB

(PH 117)
Orientation Lecture
S. Dhar
Dept. of Physics, IITB

Contact details:
Subhabrata Dhar
Course Instructor In-charge (CII)
Phone No. 7578
Email: dhar@phy.iitb.ac.in
Vijay Wagh vvwagh@phy.iitb.ac.in
Snehal Narvekar i14103@iitb.ac.in
Ph. 4599

About the lab:

Location : First floor of the pre-engineered
building in hill side (beside Vihar house) The entry is by the
staircase opposite to the Vihar house wall perpendicular to the main road
to the hill side (from the market gate). Chemistry lab is just below us.
Total No. of experiments to be performed: 8
Lab runs in 6 sessions per week
Lab session starts on Monday, 11th Jan., 2016
First class is devoted for orientation (familiarization of experiments)
You have to bring the manuals when you come for the first class. Manuals will
be uploaded in moodle.
Experiments by cyclic order
No lab during the midsem exam week.

Your first experiment will be expt. No. 7, if your batch

number is written as P8/7. (P8 is your batch)

Rules and regulations

Read the file error_analysis.pdf [uploaded in moodle server] carefully

Instruction manuals are also uploaded in moodle server
Read the instructions manuals carefully.
Late coming is not allowed.
You have to bring paper file cover (once), physics journal sheets,
Graph sheets, calculator, pencil, scale, eraser
No repeat turn (except in emergency/medical cases)
No rough paper/rough data record
Recording of data with pen only
Copy of the instruction manual is not allowed during the lab hours
Journals to be submitted on the same day of the experiment.
Journals will be returned after correction on the next lab turn.
Look at the notice board in front of the lab for all announcements
MOBILE PHONES ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE LAB. BUT YOU
CAN KEEP THEM SWITCHED OFF INSIDE THE BAGS.

Time table
P11

THU

9.30 AM

P12

MON

9.30 AM

P13 & 14

TUE

9.30 AM

P1

FRI

2 PM

P2

TUE

2 PM

P3 & 4

THU

2 PM

What is expected from you

Fully prepared about the details of experiment
Honesty and sincerity both in data collection and
analysis
Careful handling of apparatus
Overall discipline and no malpractice

Objectives
To demonstrate theoretical concepts
Training on planning an experiment with
precision/accuracy.
Meticulous data collection
Estimation of the precision of the results.
Drawing correct conclusions.

Evaluation scheme
60 marks for insem
(avergae of 8 experiments)
40 for endsem

List of Experiments
1
2
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Diffraction of light
Grating spectrometer
Fresnels Bi-prism
e/m
Helmholtz Coil
LCR Circuit
Thermal conductivity by Lees Disc method
Centrifugal Force

About the journal

Preparation - Aim, apparatus, working formulae, diagrams

Data - In proper tabular form (only with pen)

Graph

Calculations

Fractional and absolute error estimation

Final result with the absolute error

About drawing graphs

Proper scale so that the area of the sheet is effectively used.

Label the axes
Write down the scales
Show the qualitative best fit line.
For calculating slope of straight lines, use a triangle as big as
possible. Also show the triangle.

Resistance vs. Temperature graph

30

Resistance (unit)

25

X axis scale : 1cm =------- units

Y axis scale : 1cm =------- units

slope =BC/AC=......

20

15

10

Temperature (unit)

Significant digits and accuracy

1

The least count of the scale = 1cm

The length of the rod is 4-5 cm
THE LENGTH OF THE ROD IS 4.50.5 cm
If the L.C. is 0.1 cm, then the probable answer can be 4.6-4.7 cm
Or 4.65 0.05 cm.
In this case, an answer like 4.648278 cm is just ABSURD.

Number of significant digits in 15.3754 is SIX

Number of significant digits in 15 is TWO
Number of significant digits in 15.0 is THREE
Number of significant digits in 12 x 1017 is TWO

Types of errors

Blunders

Systematic errors
Ignorance of correction factor between theory and expt.
Faulty apparatus
Experimenters bias

Random errors
Due to the random fluctuations in the system being measured.

In this course, you are expected to find out only the random errors. It is sufficient to
be aware of the systematic errors.

Estimation of random error (x) in the

measurement of x

Random error is measured by repeated measurements.

That is, for a large number of repeated measurements of x,

Average value,

1
x=
N

1
x Standard deviation, =
N

For just two measurements, x=

i =1

(xi x )

i =1

x1 x2

If the random error is less than L.C., x = L.C./2

1/ 2

Combination of random errors

f
f
xy
(f) = (x)+ (y)
c.x
f=c x
x/y or x.y
f x y
= +
f x y

c.xmynzp

x y pz
m + n +

x y z

f = ln x

f= x/x

f = exp (x)

(f/f)= x

 (f/f), (x/x), (y/y) etc. are called the

fractional errors
Absolute error in f or (f) = (f/f). faverage

Final result = (f f) units

Estimation of random error from the graph

Resistance vs. Temperature graph
45

X axis scale : 1cm =------- units

Y axis scale : 1cm =------- units

40

Resistance (unit)

35
30
25

S1

20

S= (S1~S2)/2

15

S2
S

10
5
0

Temperature (unit)

Final answer is (S S) units

10

Assume that wave length ( ) of light is being

measured using an experiment.
Let average = 5885 (May be from the best fit line)
Let (/) given by the calculator be 0.00357845.
(i.e. calculated using the slopes of the limiting lines)
= average . (/) = 5885 x 0.00357845 = 23.54783478

The final result is (5890 20)

Termination of decimal places in the final result

Consider an experiment to determine g
Calculation yields a value of g= 9.832648 m/s2.

Result

0.00041

(9.8326 0.0004)

0.00734

(9.833 0.007)

0.0243

(9.83 0.02)

0.2813

(9.8 0.3)

1.1325

(10 1) OR (9.8 1.1)

Finally, 9.8, 9.80 and 9.800 are all different!

In the manual, for each experiment, specific suggestions are

given regarding
* Quantities to be measured and evaluated
* Quantities to be tabulated
* Guide lines for the error estimation

References:
B. L. Worsnop and H. T. Flint (Advanced
practical Physics for students)
G. L. Squires (Practical Physics)