A.

Introduction

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1. First year physics laboratory
1.1 Introduction

The first-year physics experiments are aimed to give you an introductory grounding in experimental
physics. This requires thinking about the experimental strategy, collecting, recording and analyzing the
data and then writing them in a lab data report.

The following guidelines apply:

1. Read the relevant section(s) of the lab manual before the lab session starts and think about
objective of the experiment.
2. Think about the parameters or variables in the relevant experiment
3. Set up the apparatus and test whether or not it is working as expected.
4. It is often advisable to collect a set of ‘quick look’ data. Apply these data to any formula needed to
calculate the required quantity. Is the answer ‘about right’ or have you blundered somewhere?
Check the calculations.
5. Before collecting your serious data:
• THINK about systematic errors: e.g. is your scale set to zero to begin with?
• THINK about random errors: e.g. which quantity needs multiple measurements?
• THINK about the overall plan. For example, should the data be taken at regular intervals
in 𝑥? Is it better to concentrate on taking data at high values of 𝑥 or over a range as wide
as possible?
6. You might want to write down plan in your data report.
7. Perform the experiment as planned. Take your sets of data, including the measurements that you
need to estimate any uncertainties. Keep a well-documented data report.
8. Analyze your data for the results and for the uncertainties that may arise. Write down in your data
report.

There are 10 laboratory sessions in a term. In each lab session, you are expected to carry out the experiment
in group and share data within the group but taking notes in the lab data report is an individual task. The
completeness of lab data report will be assessed, and marks are counted towards the final grade. There will
be a formal report. The details of the lab data report and formal report are the same as what you found in
PHY191 General Physics Laboratory I.

By the end of term, we hope you will feel much more confident in your ability to
1. understand the physics related to the experiment.
2. perform experiments to measure a particular quantity or test a given theory.
3. keep efficient lab notebook.
4. use apparatus appropriately.

This lab manual does not attempt to reproduce theory which is readily available in textbooks. It is assumed
that you will be familiar with any theory you are trying to test. Preliminary reading before coming to the
laboratory is therefore helpful. You should never undertake elaborate measurements until you are sure
that you know exactly what you are trying to accomplish. Measurements without thought are a waste of
time.

1.2 Safety

Maintaining a safe working environment in the laboratory is paramount. The following points must be
considered.
1) It is your responsibility to ensure that at all times you work in such a way as to ensure your own
safety and that of other persons in the laboratory.
2) The treatment of serious injuries must take precedence over all other action including the
containment or cleaning up of radioactive contamination.
3) None of the experiments in the laboratory is dangerous provided that normal practices are
followed. However, particular care should be exercised in those experiments involving heat,
electricity and laser. Relevant safety information will be found in the scripts for these experiments.

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 4) If you are uncertain about any safety matter for any of the experiments, you MUST consult a lab
supervisor or teaching assistant.
5) All accidents must be reported to a laboratory supervisor or technician who will take the necessary
action.
6) Please inform your laboratory supervisor and teaching assistant of any medical condition (for e.g.
having a pacemaker) which may affect your ability to perform certain experiments.

1.3 Timetable

The general timeline for the course and the task for each week:

Week Session Task

Beginning Mon 16 Jan 2023 Lab 1-5 Submit a data report
Beginning Mon 23 Jan 2023 Lab 1-5 Submit a data report
Beginning Mon 30 Jan 2023 Lab 1-5 Submit a data report
Beginning Mon 6 Feb 2023 Lab 1-5 Submit a data report
Beginning Mon 13 Feb 2023 Lab 1-5 Submit a data report
6-10 March 2023
Practical Exam
Beginning Mon 13 Mar 2023 Lab 6-10 Submit a data report
Beginning Mon 20 Mar 2023 Lab 6-10 Submit a data report
Beginning Mon 27 Mar 2023 Lab 6-10 Submit a data report
Beginning Mon 17 Apr 2023 Lab 6-10 Submit a data report
Beginning Mon 24 Apr 2023 Lab 6-10 Submit a data report
8-12 May 2023
Practical Exam

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2. Multimeters
2.1 Analog multimeter

Figure 1 Figure 2

Reference table reading UN360-TR meter

Test Range position Scale to read Multimeter
(see Fig.1) (see Fig.2)
Resistance ×1 A ×1
×10 A ×10
×1K A ×100
×10K A ×1000
DC Volt DC 0.1 V B 10 ×0.01
0.5V B 50 ×0.01
2.5V B 250 ×0.01
10V B 10 ×1
50V B 50 ×1
250V B 250 ×1
1000V B 10 ×100
AC Volt AC 10V C 10 ×1
50V C 50 ×1
250V C 250 ×1
1000V C 10 ×1000
DC current DC 50 µA B 50 ×1
2.5 mA B 250 ×0.01
25mA B 250 ×0.1
0.25A B 250 ×0.001

Operating instruction:
Resistance measurement
• Plug the test leads into –COM and +sockets.
• Place the range selector to a prescribed rang position.
• Short the test leads and turn 0 Ω ADJ to set the pointer to zero position.
• Make sure that there is no voltage across the circuit to be tested.
• Connect the test there leads to the tested resistor. Read the scale in accordance with the
reference table.

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DC voltage measurement
• Plug the red test lead into the + socket and the black one into the COM.
• Set the range selector to a selected DCV range position.
• Connect the read test lead to the positive polarity of the circuit test and tested and the black one
to the negative.
• Read the DCV, A scale referring to the reference table.

AC voltage measurement
• Plug the red test leads into the+ socket and the black into the –COM socket.
• Set the range selector to a chosen ACV range position.
• Connect the test leads to the circuit being tested regardless of the polarities.
• Read ACV scale with the reference table.

DC current measurement
• Plug the red test lead into the + socket and the black into the –COM.
• Set the range selector at a selected DCA range position.
• Connect the red test lead to the position polarity of the circuit tested and the black into the
negative.
• Read the DCV, A scale converted with the reference table

2.2 Digital multimeter

Figure 3

Operating instruction (Fig. 3):

Resistance measurement

• Connect the red test lead to “VΩmA” jack and black test lead to the “COM” jack. (The polarity of
red lead is positive “+”.)
• Set the rotary switch at desired “Ω” range position.
• Connect test leads across the resistor to be measured and read LCD display.
• If the resistance being measured is connected to a circuit, turn off power and discharge all
capacitor before applying test probes.

DC voltage measurement
• connect the test lead to the “VΩmA” jack and black test lead to the “COM” jack.
• Set the rotary switch at desired DCV rang position. If the voltage to be measured is not known
beforehand, set rang switch at the highest range position and then reduce it until satisfactory
resolution is obtained.
• Connect the test leads across the source or load being measured.
• Read voltage value on the LCD display along with the polarity of the red lead connection.

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AC voltage measurement
• Connect the red test lead to “VΩmA” jack and black test lead to the “COM” jack.
• Set the rotary switch at desired ACV position.
• Connect the test leads across the source or load being measured.
• Read voltage value on the LCD display

DC current measurement
• Connect the red test lead to “VΩmA” jack and black test lead to the “COM” jack. For
measurements between 200 mA to 10 A, remove red lead to “10A” jack.
• Set the rotary switch at desired DCA position.
• Open the circuit in which the current is to be measured, and connect test leads in series with the
circuit.
• Read current value on LCD display along with the polarity of red lead connection.

3. Color code reading on a resister

Figure 4

Example:

The bands are yellow, violet, red and gold.

R = (Yellow: 4) (Violet: 7) ×(10red:2) ± (Gold: 5)%

= 47×102 Ω ± 5%
= 4700 ± 240 Ω

4. Oscilloscope

1. Power Cord (Fig. 5 left)

After inspecting the instrument and the accessories, connect the power cord as shown in the following
figure. Press the power key on the top of the oscilloscope. if the oscilloscope cannot be powered on, check
the power cord connection. If the oscilloscope still cannot start up after the inspections, please contact
RIGOL for help.
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 Figure 5

2. Connect the BNC (Fig. 5 right)

As shown in the following figure, insert the the BNC cable to the BNC conector on the front panel, rotate
clockwise to lock the BNC

3. Connect the Logic Analyzer, USB, and RS232 (Fig. 6)

DS1000D Series Oscilloscopes provide the Logic Analyzer to meet users’ requirement. Before connect the
logic analyzer, please turn off the power source to avoid any possible damage during the connection.

Figure 6

4. User Interfaces: DC/AC Coupling

The first thing to do with a new oscilloscope is to know its user interface (Fig. 7), front panel and menus.
This part helps you to be familiar with the layout of the knobs and buttons and how to use them.

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 Figure 7

Figure 8

Front Panel (Fig. 8); the knobs are used most often and are similar to the knobs on other oscilloscopes. The
buttons allow you to use some of the functions directly but also bring up soft button menus on the screen,
which enable the access to many measurement features associated with advanced functions, mathematics,
and reference or to run control features.

This series oscilloscopes offer dual channels. Each channel has an operation menu and it will pop up after
pressing CH1 or CH2 button. The settings of all items in the menu is shown in the table below.

DC/AC Coupling
A sine wave signal with DC shift is input to the system.
Press CH1→Coupling→DC, to set “DC” coupling. It will pass both AC and DC components of the input signal.
The waveform is displayed as Fig. 9 left

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 Figure 9

Press CH1→Coupling→AC to set “AC” coupling. It will pass AC component blocks the DC component of the
input signal. The waveform is displayed as Fig. 9 right