Experiments Definition and 478 Threads

An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when a particular factor is manipulated. Experiments vary greatly in goal and scale, but always rely on repeatable procedure and logical analysis of the results. There also exists natural experimental studies.
A child may carry out basic experiments to understand how things fall to the ground, while teams of scientists may take years of systematic investigation to advance their understanding of a phenomenon. Experiments and other types of hands-on activities are very important to student learning in the science classroom. Experiments can raise test scores and help a student become more engaged and interested in the material they are learning, especially when used over time. Experiments can vary from personal and informal natural comparisons (e.g. tasting a range of chocolates to find a favorite), to highly controlled (e.g. tests requiring complex apparatus overseen by many scientists that hope to discover information about subatomic particles). Uses of experiments vary considerably between the natural and human sciences.
Experiments typically include controls, which are designed to minimize the effects of variables other than the single independent variable. This increases the reliability of the results, often through a comparison between control measurements and the other measurements. Scientific controls are a part of the scientific method. Ideally, all variables in an experiment are controlled (accounted for by the control measurements) and none are uncontrolled. In such an experiment, if all controls work as expected, it is possible to conclude that the experiment works as intended, and that results are due to the effect of the tested variables.

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  1. DrChinese

    A How do entanglement experiments benefit from QFT (over QM)?

    I should first acknowledge 2 important points. I don't read papers on QFT, and therefore barely know how to spell it. And second, although I read many papers on entanglement (theory and experiment) I don't know if I have ever seen much reference to anything I might label QFT (that being...
  2. entropy1

    I (In)dependence in entanglement experiments

    If an entanglement experiment, whereby an entangled pair of particles is measured at both ends, is independent of the next entanglement experiment with another pair of entangled particles, how can there be a correlation? It seems that each independent run does not influence the next run, but...
  3. D

    Why is a two-layered design recommended for heat insulation experiments?

    I'm doing some experiments on heat insulation with a model house (made of styrofoam, 3cm), heated with a 25W light bulb. In some papers I have read that it's important for the box to be two-layered, with only the outer layer being styrofoam and the thin inner layer consisting of material with a...
  4. F

    I Why are there so few experiments in the foundation of physics? Or am I wrong?

    Sabine Hossenfelder has a recent thread on her blog about experiments in physics, talking about how much money is spent on dark matter and what not. I actually wanted to open a thread even before that. My observation is that the field of experimental physics in foundation seem to be so thin and...
  5. T

    Why is the final answer for the micrometer measurement 3% instead of 2.9%?

    I thought that since he micrometer is to 2 significant figures (0.35 and 0.01mm) that the final answer should also be to 2 sig.figs, thus answer A. But the final answer is C, 3%. Can someone explain why?
  6. O

    Tips - physics video experiments

    Hello. In my bachelor thesis I make motivational video experiments in physics (for high schools). I want to mention some already existing videos. I know videos from our country or channels from YouTube. However if I'm looking for some videos from Universities or professional organizations...
  7. G

    Request about experiments on the linear-motion Faraday paradox

    The Faraday paradox is a very curious example in the topic of relative motion. An experiment demonstrating the curious results is shown in the video below: This has made me curious about the linear version of the Faraday paradox. A conductor placed atop a magnet, both at rest in one scenario...
  8. Fabrizio Vassallo

    Schools Recommendations of experiments to a high school student.

    Hello! First of all, thank you taking the time to read this. I'm a high school student currently about to begin my last year (I'm from Argentina so here we start in March) and would like to study physics in 2020. Because of that, I contacted a university here and they told me that if I wanted...
  9. A

    I Coherence, Young's double slit experiments.

    In most textbook/internet explanation of light coherence, it gives two conditions 1) monochromatic light, same frequency. 2) light in phase or constant phase difference. Only with the two conditions can light interference pattern be observed in the double slit experiment. But this cannot be...
  10. Isa

    I Question about noise in entanglement experiments

    Hi everyone While learning about quantum mechanics, I became curious about the real-life experimental data. Wikipedia says that entanglement experiments require coincidence counters, because the majority of the signal received by detectors is noise. It further says, that coincidence counters...
  11. Dr. Courtney

    Insights An Accurate Hooke's Law Laboratory - Comments

    Greg Bernhardt submitted a new blog post An Accurate Hooke's Law Laboratory Continue reading the Original Blog Post.
  12. Sandeep T S

    I Diffraction experiments with one particle at a time?

    Is anyone did experiment on diffraction with single particle at a time? Do they get diffraction pattern? I referred particle as both electron and photon And I want to know any experiment( classical, or single particle at time) don't show any diffraction pattern in single slit experiment.
  13. N

    B How slow can Gedanken experiments be theoretically?

    New techniques are slowing down light. Spacial separation is used in Wheeler’s delayed-choice Gedanken experiments to increase the time between aspects of the experiments. Potentially, could new techniques slow the experiments down much further, and, if so, within reason how much slower could...
  14. DLeuPel

    I Measuring the Effects of Dark Energy on Bound Objects: An Experimental Study

    I’m thinking about modifying some force related equations to include dark energy in them for an essay on physics. My reasoning is that if it can separate galaxies the objects in our day to day lives must also have a small tendency to move apart. To do so, I have to dispose of an already done...
  15. Machine1701

    I Why doesn't decoherence apply to unobserved experiments?

    This is based on the Hugh Everetts interpretation of quantum mechanics, where the waveform never collapses but the observer becomes a part of it, thus experiencing decoherence of the wave form from their point of view. So, let's say someone is doing the two-slit experiment. The particles going...
  16. C

    Quantum What Are the Best Books Linking Scattering Theory to Experiments?

    I’ve been self-studying quantum mechanics for a while, and currently looking at scattering theory, using chapters in books by Shankar, Sakurai, and John R. Taylor’s Scattering Theory text. But was wondering if there are any good sources that relate the theory in these books to actual experiments...
  17. Euthan

    I Self-interference in double-slit experiments

    In a double-slit experiment, if a beam of photons is fired, an interference pattern composed of photons will result. But, if photons are fired one at a time, an interference pattern will still result. Why is this? The only explanation that I've seen is that the photon interferes with itself. I...
  18. F

    Experiments about impact of mass in different areas

    There's important experiments showing the equivalence of inertial mass and gravitational mass ( the Eotvos experiments), but I couldn't really find many that show the equivalence of mass (or the stress-energy tensor) in other contexts. These are some of the variants of mass I'm interested in...
  19. Dennis Plews

    A Reproducing Quantum Experiments

    The Nature (Sept 4, 2009), (Science News, Oct. 24, 2009) article on the violation of Bell’s Inequality in Josephson phase quibits exquisitely demonstrated by Dr. John Martinis with his Martinis Group at UC Santa Barbara and Dr. Chris Monroe’s “Schrödinger’s Cat” demonstration with a Be+ ion...
  20. R

    A Null measurement in the which-path experiments

    Say we set up a which-path experiment in which there is a detector at only one of the two slits ("Slit A"). In the case of a null measurement, where an electron arrives at the ultimate screen without triggering the detector at Slit A, is there any physical interaction between that electron and...
  21. Sandeep T S

    B Experiments to Measure Speed of Light

    Any one please tell,all experiment attempt to find speed of light
  22. R

    Physics Is a career in string theory worth pursuing without experimental proof?

    We know the fact that we physicists are now understanding physics only mathematically(string theory) , there is not even a single physical variable(except time, space) in the equations. Yes, obviously, it had to happen because how much far can my eye see? It had already started from quantum...
  23. kvothe18

    I Linear fitting in physics experiments with errors

    Hello! I have a question that maybe has to do more with Mathematics, but if you do experimental physics you find it quite often. Let's assume that we want to measure two quantities x and y that we know that they relate to each other linearly. So we have a set of data points xi and yi...
  24. accelerandom

    Fun experiments to disprove Flat Earth

    Hi everyone, I work at a small high school that does one-on-one teaching with students who often have some kind of attention related learning difficulty or have trouble in a large classroom. The physics and chemistry courses I have been teaching have very inadequate lab sections and we have very...
  25. tinocasals

    Nuclear physics interesting experiments and activities

    Hi there, I'm looking for some interesting activities regarding nuclear physics in high school. I already have: - building a cloud chamber with dry ice or peltier modules - simulating radioactive decay with dice - simulating Rutherford's experiment hitting with glass marbles a hidden target...
  26. P

    I Measuring particles through experiments

    How is it reliably ascertained that the "particles" 'measured' can be "proven" to have "traversed the experiment" and are not just conveniently (or inconveniently depending on perspective) incident / external? Is this obtained through statistical analysis from a large number of repetitions...
  27. MichPod

    I What is the value of "delayed choice" experiments?

    What is the value of "delayed choice" experiments? Disclaimer: I do realize that nearly any experiment deserves to be performed even to make sure the QM theory predicts the results of such experiment right. So I have no objections to the work of people which implemented these sorts of...
  28. O

    Physics videos to popularize physics - any good ideas?

    Hello. I will make some physics videos for children to bachelor thesis to popularize physics. I have a lot of ideas. However, I want to make same experiments more interesting. But I don't have any good idea right now. I think that there is a lot of creative people which could help me and give me...
  29. Q

    News What experiments did Newton conduct to determine his Laws of Motion?

    Hello Everyone ! I am interesting to find descriptions of the series of experiments that Newton made for determining the laws of motion. In English of course.
  30. ISamson

    Experiments with Hydrochloric Acid (not really concentrated) at home

    Hello, I have recently realized, that I had just made hydrochloric acid (HCl) (not really concentrated) at home by mixing NaCl with vinegar . I am interested in some experiments than I could easily conduct at home. I am interested in making ions or pure substances. Do you have any advice or...
  31. C

    Never-ending experiments in MWI

    I'd like to see an instance where experiments can end in mwi because it seems it never ends... example.. if the radioactive source emits alpha, it triggers an explosion and Schrodinger is dead. If it didn't he is alive (we often use Schrodinger's Cat example with the consequence we never think...
  32. Gary Smith

    Exploring Consciousness: A Non-Scientist's Perspective

    Hi, I am Gary. I like to stretch the limits of my conceptualizing, and catch up to it with experiential awareness. This characteristic leads me to write a blog of experiments, realizations and experiences, such as having a conversation with a stone about 'cooperative networks of conscious...
  33. S

    I Do Bell experiments disprove local realism?

    Why or why not?
  34. F

    Theory behind gas tubes in lab experiments

    For chemical experiments that involve gases as reactant and products, gas tube are used for their transport. Q1. Why are there differences in length of gas tube when in a round flask. In most case, entering tubes are longer than exiting tubes? Why is that? Q2. Why is sometimes the entering...
  35. Sophrosyne

    I New experiments supporting Bohmian mechanics?

    I recently read this article about recent experiments which seems to be resurrecting the idea of a Bohm-deBroglie interpretation of quantum mechanics over the Copenhagen one. Is this legit, or pseudo-science hype? https://www.wired.com/2014/06/the-new-quantum-reality/
  36. A

    A NMR Experiments: Why Do I Need a Broadband Probe Head?

    Hello I have to do an nmr experiement. Why do i need a broadband probe head? I have a magnet with 2 tesla. and modulation coils on it with a frequency of 50hz. For example i have a resonance frequency at 50mhz. i hope you can pelp me.
  37. pchu

    Casimir force experiments under environmental EM noises?

    I've always been curious about how rigorous are the Casimir force measurements carried out, because a couple of years ago I read some news about people inventing perpetual motion machine which turned out to be draining power from environmental EM noises, say, radio station, wifi, 3G/4G that keep...
  38. M

    I Some said 1000's of experiments support superposition but

    In another thread, that is now closed, someone said that 1000's of experiments support the proposition that a particle can be in two, mutually exclusive states at the same time. The results of experiments show just the opposite. The measured result is not a superposition state. They never...
  39. DreadyCrocker

    I Maglev experiments and questions that could be answered

    Hey all, I have a group project for a Physics II course and the group I ended up with is wanting to do maglev as the focus of our project. I thought the girl that decided to do the maglev project had an idea of what questions she wanted to answer and experiments to perform based on her time in...
  40. T

    Awesome free way to learn physics through experiments

    There are 100s if not 1000s of experiments that teach many physics topics. Learn physics by experimenting. Just choose a category from the many. Most of the experiments have a Youtube demonstration too (when scrolling down click "one minute film". http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/toys-from-trash.php
  41. J

    I MWI proven wrong by penning trap experiments?

    Just a reminder to you all, I am just a layman... These experiments were both done is what is called a penning trap. I think this only proves the version of MWI where the universe doesn't actually split. The "bare" theory, where no new matter is created. According to MWI an electrons...
  42. D

    Huge and complex experiments -- validity

    How blindly theorits trust the data comming from huge and complex experiments such as the LHC CERN? Is it possible for one person to understand the whole experiment mechanics and still be able to come up with theoretical freamworks describing the data behaviour? Is it possible even to...
  43. pioneerboy

    Wind Flow Experiments: DIY Tutorials and Ideas

    I'd like to experimentally simulate air flow turbulences around obstacles. Building the obstacles in one thing, but providing a well characterised flow (and mix it with something visible like smoke...) is something else. In general, I think the whole idea is easier to acomplish compared to fluid...
  44. megk

    Physics Outreach: Experiments & Equipment Ideas

    I am trying to build up our physics outreach in uni by taking a team of people out 'science busking' on the streets. Has anyone got any experiments or good equipment (preferably physics) which would be exciting enough to attract attention and get people more excited about physics?
  45. A

    Revolutionary Physics experiments that changed the world

    I am student of bsc.(hons.)physics..i need to discuss any of the experiment that changed the world..i have tried but i need some more suggestions..some of the experiments i found revolutionary are listed below.. 1. henery cavendish weighing the earth 2. young's double slit experiment...
  46. S

    I Exploring the Experiments & Interpretations of Quantum Physics

    If you were to explain what quantum physics is by first introducing the historic experiments/observations undertaken by scientists and then explain the different possible accepted interpretations and theory... How many experiments would you need at least? Which ones? Double Split Experiment...
  47. H

    A Hall coefficient's finite temperature experiments in metals

    There are lots of measurements showing strong temperature ($T$) dependence of Hall coefficient ($R_H$) in correlated materials (eg. cuprate superconductors and other oxide materials) and such plots are available in many recent experimental papers. However, I could not find any $R_H$ vs $T$ plot...
  48. DjMadness

    Magnets -- Experiments with sheets and particles

    Hello I have magnetic sheets A4 sized that could be bent but not enrolled, having a thin thickness. I want to cut them in a circular shapes. The idea, is there any possibility to make one of them (or other material same physics) positively charged and second negatively charged; then have...
  49. Auto-Didact

    A Experiments probing the macroscopic limits of QM

    This thread is to serve as both a compilation and ground of discussion of key experiments, both historical and planned, which attempt to probe possible macroscopic limits of QM, taking into account e.g. some particular gravitational/optical/mechanical/superconducting/etc aspect and/or...
  50. qnach

    I Original references for Hertz's experiments

    There are many website about the apparatus of Hertz's experiments, i.e. http://www.sparkmuseum.com/BOOK_HERTZ.HTM http://earlyradiohistory.us/1901hz.htm http://people.seas.harvard.edu/~jones/cscie129/nu_lectures/lecture6/hertz/Hertz_exp.html There are many pictures showing the apparatus of...
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