Experimental physics Definition and 145 Threads

Hi, I'm looking to do an experimental physics PhD (currently on an experimental Masters program), and I was wondering what my chances of getting into investment banking (quant) are. I am aware that theoretical physicists are primed for such a position, but what about an experimentalist? I can't...

Hi, I've done a prac at school where we had to take an accelerometer onto a ride and obtain a graph in at duration. However, the data I've obtained (Acceleration in X, Y Z and resultant) is experimental data. I need to calculate theoretical data for certain segments of the ride. Assuming that I...

Homework Statement Hi everyone, I am doing a lab currently (and it looks like a few other people on here have had similar questions...) and I'm having trouble with one of the concepts. I had to drop a ball from a height and measure the movement with a motion sensor, which was graphed with the...

Next semester I will be taking Experimental Physics II. The gist of the class isn't to do an experiment per se, but to build a device which could be used in an experiment in Experimental Physics I. In the past, students have built things like an inverted pendulum, a magnetic pendulum, and a...

Hey! So I found this ( http://home.web.cern.ch/about/updates/2014/11/beamline-schools-competition-2015-launches-today ) and my high school's physics teachers liked the concept! So I've created a team to participate in this years contest. We were thinking to do something relevant with antimatter...

When we dissect the photon we find an electric field and a magnetic field according to Maxwell. In order to determine the propagation mechanism of a single photon through the fabric of space-time, is there an experimental apparatus designed to determine which field may plow the path, in order...

I am trying to convert galvanometer into an ammeter. But after finding Galvanometer resistance and shunt values, and cut a wire according to that thickness and connected. But still, the galavanometer reading is not similar to that of the standard ammeter reading connected in the circuit. Any one...

Homework Statement A series of 5 measurements of Y are recorded with increasing X. (i.e. gradient has units Y/X) The error in measurement of Y is ±0.05 The error in measurement of X is ±0.005. How is the error in the gradient calculated? Homework Equations - measurements[/B] Y | X...

As an experimentalist, I am very excited to be taking my first upper division physics lab next semester! The course covers basic electronics (filters, diodes, transistors, op-amps, analog & digital circuits, D/A conversion, and LabView Programming, etc.) and measurement techniques with an...

Hello Everyone. I'm pretty much a newb on the forum so please go easy :). My name is Mark, I'm from England, I'm in the late stages of my 15th age and I'm Home Educated. Now.. Where to start? I guess Primary School would be sufficient. Well, I started it as every other child does, however over...

Hey Everyone, I know that I enjoy physics and I enjoy research. My past research experiences have been in high energy theory and I worked on two different projects, and loved them! These experiences motivated me to pursue graduate studies in physics. I graduated from undergrad and I am...

Homework Statement I am writing a lab report for an X-ray diffraction. I have been attempting to come up with an equation for the error using formulas some people from college gave me and also some I found on wikipedia but I am quite sure I am doing it wrong. The only variable is the angle...

Is broadband field, a wave that contains a range of wavelengths? I can not find a good definition for it

I've been doing a bit of reading on bandgaps of semiconductors and alloys of semiconductors. I was curious to know is the bandgap of a material, say Silicon, determined or calculated experimentally? How do scientists usually determine this in the lab?

Hi everyone, I 'm doing a physics degree in Imperial College london, I have a tendency to do experimental physics research in the future, however, I applied to the theoretical physics course 3 years ago, which means (a year less labs than the experimental physicists, I made this decision because...

Good morning, I request the guide of Physicists with experience in the experimental physics. I'm in my fifth year of bachelor in physics, because in my country (Colombia), most Bachelor degrees have a duration of five years. My plans are to perform a master's degree next year, and then continue...

Hello everyone, i return to complete the final year of my degree in the next 12 months and go on to do further studies ie masters and phd depending on how long they will put up with me and all of my questions. I have had quite a long break, and have been continuing to study pure mathematics...

I'm studying Physics and I'm currently on my 3rd year. My aim is to work with theories, so I find mechanics, electrodynamics, quantum mehcanics and so on pretty interesting. Also I have a good math background, so I know advanced linear algebra, analysis, topology and differential geometry. The...

So I am almost done with my physics degree and I am taking a physics lab class this semester. I hate it. I don't learn anything on it. 90% of the time we're just working to get the equipment to function correctly and the other 10% deciphering the lab instructions. I resorted to just making...

Hi everyone I have a quick question in regards to an experimental report I'm writing for my year 11 Physics class. Basically we have to test different variables that could effect a bungee cord fiber in relation to stress and strain by increasing the weight force on the fiber until it snaps. For...

I'm in my last year of college as an undergraduate physics B.S. and have so far tried astronomy and materials science research internships and haven't liked either of them that much. I enjoy the theory behind astrophysics but don't enjoy programming all day. On the other hand, I like the...

Hey PF, quick question for you guys. I got offers (on the same day!) to work with a professor at my college (1.5 hours away from home), paid, to do some experimental work. I also was offered an internship at the Naval Undersea warfare center in Newport, RI (~40 minutes from home). I will be...

Enrico Fermi was a successful theoretical and experimental physicist. Is this still something that someone can do, or is it practically impossible today? If it is pissible how can someone achieve this?

Hi It is not seldom to hear about a physicist who did his/her PhD in theoretical high-energy physics/astro-physics/solid state, who then move on to a rather quantitative position in the industry, e.g. in a bank. I hear the same about people that did an experimental PhD, where statistics and...

Homework Statement We've been given an assignment to work out a formula for the period time of a compound pendulum. This is right in the beginning of an introductory physics course which means we haven't covered inertia or torque yet. So we're just supposed to find an approximate relation...

Homework Statement Errors that might arise through this experiment: A puck upon a air table which makes certain dots with a specific length in between each of them for a 50 g mass and a 150 g mass, we need to find the acceleration, which i did and the coefficient of the friction that they...

Hi, I have numerous questions concerning experimental physics.. If you want to be an experimental physicist what can you study? I would like to study particle physics and quantum mechanics.. are they well involved? Also does anyone know if experimental physicists have a good income? what's...

I work in a nano-optics group, and need an IR thermometer with certain specifications. Online I have only come across cooking thermometers and industrial thermometers, so I need help finding one for a physics experimental lab setup. Specifications: - high accuracy, and pin-point surface...

Hello all, I am a new member here and am currently doing my PhD in nanoscience related area. My husband is a successful phd and currently in academia. I joined phd right after my masters, and hence have no industry experience. However, I am keen to enter industry after I graduate...

whats the big difference to between a theoretical physicists and a experimental physicist? do they have or need different skills? would it be possible to become both?

Im a junior getting a BS in physics, and I am in the "what do I want to do with my life" phase of my college undergrad career. currently I am stuck between deciding between continuing physics, getting a PhD and focusing on experimental physics, or getting my BS and post bacc plus masters in...

Like many, I'm applying to graduate schools in physics this fall. My interests lie in experimental condensed matter/physical chemistry, although I think this question applies to any field. As we all know, modern science is big and expensive. I was considering some smaller schools, but was...

I'm doing an undergraduate in astrophysics at the moment. In Sept, I'll have to decide between continuing the single honours in astrophysics or doing a double honours in experimental physics and mathematical physics. My goal is to go on to do a masters, preferably in the UK, in quantum...

If I look at physics threads here, I can find hundreds of people who want to do theoretical physics but not so many want to do experimental. Why is that? Most of the beauty in physics has come through experiments, after all. I especially liked the Cavendish experiment which was an awesome...

Hello. I’m sure that this question has already has been asked, and if so, I would highly appreciate it if someone would link it to this thread. I’m torn between choosing a career of experimental physics or of engineering, and I’m wondering if there is any possibility of doing both. I have...

Experimental Physics Courses?? Hi everyone, I have some problems with Experimental Physics courses. I'm senior physics student and I have taken 2 experimental course (out of 3) so far. In my university we spend six hours doing one experiment and submit a report at the end of the lab. The...

I am currently a graduate student, have a MS in physics, and have passed my comprehensive exams. Most of my credits are done -- I only have my dissertation credits to do. So far all my work has been in experimental physics, in the region of plasma physics. I have recently realized that I...

It is my understanding that the world of physics is split by a fast chasm into experimental and theoretical physics. The first time I told my father I wanted to be a physicist, he asked me “experimental or theoretical physics?” I thought for a second and responded “both!” He went on to explain...

Hi everyone, I'm currently doing a joint Pure Maths/Maths Physics degree (I did Experimental Physics in first year of college), but am thinking I may have made the wrong choice. If I go on and finish it, what are my options for getting into Experimental Physics? Would I have to go back and do...

Which one is more favorable: theoretical physics, or experimental physics? In my opinion, theoretical physics is much better, because it leaves one to ponder the how the world works without having to do the all of the things that an conducting an experiment reuquires.

Homework Statement You have run an experiment and generated a histogram. Suppose you had 853 counts in the bin centered at 1.60, and 2,439 counts in the bin centered at 1.85. If you were to repeat this experiment (by measuring the same source for the same time period, delta t) you know...

I love the experimenting side of Physics. I know you can't actually major in Experimental Physics so out of a couple degrees which one is most likely to focus on Experimenting. Engineering Physics, Physics, Applied Physics, Engineering, Materials Science? Also, what part of Physics has a...

I want to see some results.

Hi, so I've just finished my final undergrad days in physics. I've decided to stay on to do an experimental phd in the same university, as I've a scholarship that will make it more financially viable. I sort of put off the decision so as to focus on the final exams, and now most people in my...

An experimantal study is possible provided that; 1) nature is invariant under space-time translations. (so that it is possible to reproduce the results) 2) nature is invariant under Lorentz's group. (and this establishes a possible causal connection between parts of experimental...