This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.

Undergraduate Handbook 2006-2007 (archived)

Module PHYS2561: ELECTRONICS AND PHYSICS LABORATORY

Department: Physics

PHYS2561: ELECTRONICS AND PHYSICS LABORATORY

Type	Level	Credits	Availability	Module Cap	Location
Open	2	20	Available in 2006/2007	None.	Durham

Pre-requisites

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 Combinations

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 and to provide experience of a long laboratory experiment in Physics.

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.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge

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.

Subject-specific Skills

Students will have developed practical skills in electronics.

Key Skills

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

Teaching will be by lectures 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.
Student performance is summatively assessed through a formal report for the practical sessions, through a formal report for the long experiment and through exercises.
The practical classes 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

Activity	Number	Frequency	Duration	Total Hours
Lectures	18	2 per week in term 1	1 Hour	18
Practicals	18	1 per week	3 Hours	54
Preparation and Reading				128
Total				200

Summative Assessment

Component	Component Weighting	Element	Element Weighting	Resit Opportunity
Practicals	80%	Long Experiment	50%	Resubmitted report
Practicals	80%	Electronics Practicals	50%	Written electronics exercise
Problem Exercises	20%	Problem Exercises	100%	Answering a sheet of problems during the vacation

Formative Assessment

One self-assessment progress report.

Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University.