Module PHYS2561: ELECTRONICS AND PHYSICS LABORATORY

Department: PHYSICS

PHYS2561: ELECTRONICS AND PHYSICS LABORATORY

Prerequisites

• Discovery Skills in Physics (PHYS1101) AND (Fundamental Physics A (PHYS1111) OR Foundations of Physics 1 (PHYS1122)) AND (Single Mathematics A (MATH1561) and Single Mathematics B (MATH1571) OR Core Mathematics A (MATH1012) OR Maths for Engineers and Scientists (MATH1551)).

Corequisites

• Laboratory Skills and Practice (PHYS2551).

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• This module is designed primarily for students studying Department of Physics or Natural Sciences degree programmes.
• It aims to teach electronics as a theoretical and a practical subject, to provide experience of a long laboratory experiment in Physics and to focus students on an essay project in a tutorial environment.

Content

• The syllabus contains:
• Electronics lectures: Analogue Electronics: Components: Introduction to electrical circuit theory, networks, AC theory, passive filters, diodes, transistors; systems: noise, measurements, amplifiers, radios, lock-in amplifiers. Digital Electronics: components, DeMorgan's theorem, Karnaugh mapping, JK elements, counters.
• Electronics practical sessions.
• Performance of an extended laboratory practical at an advanced level.
• Writing of an essay and presentation of a talk on a topic of choice.

Learning Outcomes

• Having studied this module the student will understand the theoretical principles of basic electronics
• They will have formed a detailed appreciation of the physics underlying a particular project and be prepared to undertake and report on similar projects.
• They will have formed an appreciation of the physics related to a chosen essay topic.

• Students will have developed practical skills in electronics.

• Students will have developed their written and oral presentation skills sufficiently to be able to write a fluent and well-structured essay and to give a clear and convincing oral presentation.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Teaching will be by lectures, tutorials and practical sessions.
• The lectures aim to give a theoretical grounding in the elements of electronics – analogue and digital circuits, circuit logic and design – while the practical sessions provide a working knowledge of the subject.
• Regular problem exercises will give students practice in applying these principles.
• The skills covered form the foundation needed for the long experiment in the second term and for later practical work.
• Students will be able to obtain help and guidance from the laboratory scripts and through discussions with laboratory demonstrators.
• The tutorials provide support for research into a topic of choice and provide a forum for developing presentation skills. Students receive guidance and feedback on their essay and presentation to the tutorial group.
• Student performance is summatively assessed through a formal report for the practical sessions, through a formal report for the long experiment, through the essay and presentation and through exercises.
• The practical classes, tutorials and exercises provide opportunity for feedback, for students to gauge their progress and for staff to monitor progress throughout the duration of the module.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

One self-assessment progress report.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University