Describes and apparatus designed to generate and detect pulsed ultrasonics in solids and liquids over the frequency range 1-20 MHz. Experiments are suggested for velocity of sound, elastic constant and ultrasonic attenuation measurements on various materials over a wide temperature range. The equipment should be useful for demonstration purposes.…

Describes a combined demonstration and student experiment course to illustrate fundamental techniques, instrumentation, and concise report writing. Describes experiments including tensile tests, heat treatment, equilibrium diagram, microexamination, strain measurement, and recrystallization. (GH)

Discusses the theory and experimental procedures for using Young's eriometer to determine the diameters of blood corpuscles, lycopodium powder, and wool fibers. (CC)

Describes use of a Fresnel biprism to demonstrate double-slit interference with polarized light. Discusses polarization and phase properties of a randomly polarized gas. (JM)

An advanced undergraduate laboratory experiment in inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy is described. Tunnel junctions were fabricated, the tunneling spectra of several molecules absorbed on the surface of aluminum oxide measured, and mode assignments made for several of the prominent peaks in spectra using results obtained from optical…

Describes a low-cost instrument using a solar cell as a sensor to measure both instantaneous and integrated value of solar flux. Constructing and calibrating such an instrument constitutes an undergraduate experimental project, affording students an opportunity to examine a variety of aspects associated with solar energy measurements. (Author/SK)

Describes an experimental procedure to measure the specific heat of a gas. Discusses equipment, setup, and procedures and provides sample values obtained for air, propane, helium, carbon dioxide, and argon. (JM)

Describes an experiment on a coupled system in which accurate timing is carried out using a Light Activated Switch (LAS) technique. LAS can be used for a wide range of periodic phenomena, provided the amplitude is sufficiently large to interrupt a light beam. (Author/SK)

A description is given of an inexpensive nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer suitable for use in advanced laboratory courses. Applications to the nondestructive analysis of the oil content in corn seeds and in monitoring the crystallization of polymers are presented. (SK)

Studies the polarization effect on water by cations and anions. Describes an experiment to illustrate the polarization effect of sodium, lithium, calcium, and strontium ions on the water molecule in the hydration spheres of the ions. Analysis is performed by proton NMR. (MVL)

Describes an advanced NMR project that can be done with a 60-MHz continuous-wave proton spectrometer. Points out the main purposes are to give students experience in second-order NMR analysis, the simplification of spectra by raising the frequency, and the effect of non-hydrogen nuclei on proton resonances. (MVL)

Describes a simple method for determining self-inductance of non-ferromagnetic rings. Suggests fitting the ring with an auxiliary coil and using a solenoid driven with a known frequency alternating current. Amplitude change and phase shift can be measured and used to calculate inductance. Material list, calculations, and sample results are given.…

Contends that the nature of physics has been misrepresented by blurring or ignoring important distinctions between "errors" and "discrepancies" and that dealing with these and related problems can improve students' enjoyment of labs and understanding of physics. Nature of physics, role of experiments, experimental errors, and error analysis are…

Describes a technique for separating samples that range over 15 orders of magnitude in molecular weight. Discusses theory, apparatus, and sample preparation techniques. Lists several types of field-flow fractionation (FFF) and their uses: sedimentation FFF, thermal FFF, flow FFF, electrical FFF, and steric FFF. (ML)