Year:11/12
Department:Physics
Level:Part I
Learning Hours:80
Credit Points:8
Weight:0.2
Course Convenor:Dr ND Drummond
Status:Live
Assessment Rules
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- 30% Exam
- 70% Coursework, Optional, Default
CMod description
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A survey of the use of optical measurement and
instrumentation. After a brief introduction on basic optical phenomena, a
range of important instruments will be described microscope, telescope,
interferometers, fibre optic applications.
Communication skills will be introduced through
talks and feedback given by students, involving class discussion on the
contact, level and presentational format.
Curriculum Design: Outline Syllabus
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Lecture component:
The nature of light. Coherence. Reflection, refraction, dispersion, polarisation. Geometrical optics. Lenses and mirrors.
Instruments. Microscope. Telescope. Camera. Resolving power. Aberrations. Basic principles and applications, especially telescopes.
Optical fibres.
Interference and diffraction. Michelson interferometer. Diffraction grating.
Chapters in Y&F 34-38.
Practical component:
Experimental laboratory III to illustrate physical principles described in lectures, and to develop skills of measurement and use of common instrumentation.
A final laboratory where a further range of experiments is available which will allow the development of data taking, analysis and deductive reasoning skills. Familiarisation with different instruments and techniques will occur through the varied range of experiments.
Curriculum Design: Pre-requisites/Co-requisites/Exclusions
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Part I Entry Requirements
Any Science A Level
Educational Aims: Subject Specific: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills
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Lecture component:
To teach the principles of geometrical optics and apply these to various instruments.
Practical component:
To teach further basic laboratory skills and illustrate physics topics.
Learning Outcomes: Subject Specific: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills
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Lecture component:
On completion of the module, students should be able to:
-
appreciate general of optical phenomena
-
display a facility to use the methods of geometrical optics to analyse optical systems
-
understand the functions and basic principles of operation of some important optical instruments and applications
Practical component:
On completion of the module, students should be able to:
- display a knowledge of instruments used in making electrical measurements and other applications
-
exhibit practical experience of using common instruments and experimental equipment
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have developed skills of making experimental measurements, recording and analysing data and writing reports.
Curriculum Design: Select Bibliography
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H D Young & R A Freedman University Physics, Addison-Wesley, 11th Ed.
