Questions tagged [experimental-physics]
for questions about design, process, data, or analysis of experiments and observations.
0
votes
0answers
13 views
Stale file handle error
I am doing particle physics. I am running code on monte carlo samples. I am getting the "Stale file handle" error only when I run on one specific sample. The rest of them is OK. A screen shot of ...
0
votes
1answer
35 views
As cathode rays are -ve charged then It should hit the anode and not just go straight?
If I am not wrong what I am have mentioned with A is anode and C is cathode . As cathode ray is a negatively charged and consists of electrons, it should move towards the anode.
If we replace the ...
1
vote
1answer
12 views
Relationship between concentration and resistance of aqueous solutions
I'm a senior physics/chemistry student working on a practical assignment where I am trying to identify the resistance of CuSO4 in solution (distilled water). I have recorded my data and determined it ...
0
votes
1answer
39 views
Does an antiparticle leave a different (from the normal particle) mark in a bubble chamber experiment
Experimentalists usually have experiments where they scatter particles superheated transparent liquid, thus checking for the particle's traces.
These particles can be for example quarks, and ...
0
votes
0answers
18 views
Determine the mass and radius of colloidal particles through centrifugation [on hold]
This exercise was given to me recently as homework:
A centrifuge is used to determine the mass $m$ and radius $R$ of spherical
colloidal particles. By rotating the centrifuge at an angular velocity $...
13
votes
3answers
3k views
How much radiation do nuclear physics experiments expose researchers to nowadays?
I am curious about how much radiation do experimental nuclear physics researchers/students suffer in nowadays research environment. I know this may be a dumb question, but I have can found answer ...
1
vote
2answers
48 views
Axis of rotation of the earth
It is known that the axis of rotation of earth is tilted with respect to the perpendicular to the plane of orbit. Is there a way to measure this tilt from earth without the aid of pictures taken from ...
1
vote
2answers
60 views
Does Michelson-Morley experiment really disprove the existence of aether?
In the MM experiment, the speed of one light beam was supposed to slow down as it moved against the flow of aether, but when it bounced off the mirror, it would be moving in the opposite direction--...
2
votes
2answers
78 views
Question about Earth being round, and whether a hypothetical scenario could be true [on hold]
I am in no way, shape or form a physicist. This is a question I was debating in my head, and has nothing to do with flat Earth or protesting the Earth is not indeed round. I have a simple question ...
2
votes
1answer
28 views
Arrow of time and CPT symmetry
It's been a few years since my physics degree. But I've been wondering: if you look at pictures of collisions at CERN, isn't it obvious which way time flows - simply on a probability basis? The ...
0
votes
2answers
175 views
Is ʻOumuamua hollow? [on hold]
It is known that we only managed a to get a glimpse of ʻOumuamua and had to resort to light curve data to show its approximate dimensions. Is there a way to find conclusively identify if it was a ...
6
votes
1answer
137 views
How did the first image of a black hole test the general relativity?
Recently, the event horizon of the black hole at the center of M87 was directly imaged by the EHT.
My college professor said this could serve as another test of the accuracy of general relativity. ...
0
votes
2answers
25 views
Differential pressure sensor applications
I have two differential sensors and in my experiment I wish to measure the air pressure from below and on top of the ball that is levitated by air. These are my 3 possible setups. Considering the 3 ...
2
votes
0answers
51 views
In what ways can gravitational wave research help particle physicists? [closed]
Old content (put on hold as too broad) I was massively ill-informed about the experiments that shape the modern particle physics research. For example, I believed that most of the information that ...
1
vote
0answers
45 views
Photoelectric effect - the reason for exponential graphs and a misconception about the concept of intensity
We have this basic PASCO Photoelectric Effect equipment in our lab and there are two things I would like to ask about the experiment.
We keep either the area apertures or wavelength filters fixed and ...
1
vote
0answers
38 views
Interesting astro/particle/quantum/experimental physics investigations for gifted pre-calculus students? [closed]
TL;DR
What are interesting applications that I could work through with pre-calculus level students? I'd like to go from pop science explanations to an actual building of physical intuition and ...
1
vote
0answers
72 views
How can theories about 1D or 2D systems be generalized for 3D systems?
I was watching a lecture video from MITx $^\dagger$ by professor Barton Zwiebach. He proved a pretty cool theorem "every attractive 1-dimensional potential has a bound state"; however, that only holds ...
0
votes
0answers
33 views
Half thickness of lead using a Ba-133m source, references?
I carried out an experiment to calculate the half thickness (half value layer) of lead.
The experiment was done using what i believe to be a Ba-133m source on this software: https://radiation-lab....
0
votes
2answers
24 views
Vortex tube without compressed air
I am looking for an apparatus to cool/heat air without moving parts and using only a pressure source. From this, I came to a "vortex tube". However, all practical implementations are based on ...
0
votes
1answer
78 views
Is it possible to create a black hole in the lab?
https://www.livescience.com/65113-fastest-camera-captures-speed-of-light.html
This is what light looks like when captured by a camera at 10 trillion fps. Interesting. You can find this YouTube video ...
0
votes
2answers
39 views
Why is it important to measure permittivity and permeability complex of materials?
I know that in general, $\epsilon(r,\omega)$ and $\mu(r,\omega)$ are complex tensors, so now how do you resolve maxwell equations?
I don't understand why there are techniques to measure them if you ...
7
votes
4answers
1k views
How do I fit a resonance curve?
In an experiment, I collected data points $ (ω,υ(ω))$ that are modeled by the equation:
$$ υ(ω)=\frac{ωC}{\sqrt{(ω^2-ω_0^2)^2+γ^2ω^2}} \,.$$
How can do I fit the data to the above correlation? And ...
2
votes
1answer
63 views
How would you calculate the half-life of a source with one long measurement?
I'm working on a project, and I understand that half life of a source is typically calculated with time intervals (eg 5 sec intervals for 20 minutes) and then using that data to find the decay ...
1
vote
1answer
72 views
Is it true that in practice quantum fields are *always* measured by means of coupling to particle detectors?
I'm watching some lectures on Relativistic Quantum Information and in one of them - available here - the instructor is talking about measuring quantum fields.
He then says basically that in real ...
3
votes
2answers
41 views
The force of wind on baseball
Does anyone know of an equation that I would be able to use for the force of wind acting upon a baseball? I am working on the projectile motion of a baseball with air and wind resistance. I have the ...
0
votes
0answers
21 views
Pump Probe Spectroscopy Zero Delay
I am setting up a Non Degenerate Pump Probe Experimental Setup, in my lab, as part of my Master's Project. Due to the constraints of the way the lasers have been set up in the lab, I am unable to ...
0
votes
0answers
15 views
Can Kundt's tube be used for detection of ultrasonic of wavelength of order of mm
A Kundt's tube is an experimental used for detection of ultrasonic waves. It is usually used for ultrasonic waves with a little larger wavelength but since it is an instrument that involves the use of ...
-1
votes
2answers
69 views
How to prove that shadows in the cave aren't talking? [closed]
If a physicist (who have never seen people) is constantly watching on shadows and hear voices behind, will he make a statement that shadows are talking? I'm talking about physical experiment in terms ...
3
votes
3answers
283 views
Energy of the particles in the particle accelerator
Recently I came across something and I was surprised. I always thought that huge amount of energy is required to accelerate particles in the accelerator in the particle physics.But looks like no. The ...
1
vote
0answers
21 views
Error in FFT (Sectrum) analyzer Instrument
Recently I performed an experiment on finding the natural frequency of vertical cantilever. I used accelerometer and FFT analyzer instrument for measuring it. First I kept the accelerometer near the ...
13
votes
3answers
2k views
Why, precisely, is argon used in neutrino experiments?
Why is argon used in neutrino detectors? Other than liquid argon being denser than water or oil, what are its advantages?
0
votes
0answers
19 views
Finding the inductance of a laser given things like wire length, peak power, and peak current
I am operating an RCA GaAs diode laser operating near $904$ nm designed to be in pulse mode. The driver circuit for the pulsed diode laser is below:
With the repetition rate of the trigger set at ...
6
votes
1answer
127 views
Does the Planck Spacecraft end the question of sterile neutrinos?
The 2015 results of the Planck satellite only found evidence of 3 neutrino's with the 4th (sterile neutrino) unlikely.
However, in May 2018, physicists of the MiniBooNE experiment reported a stronger ...
0
votes
1answer
20 views
Clarification on the three omega method for measuring thermal conductivity
I've recently come across the $3\omega$-method for measuring thermal conductivity in materials. Now I'm told that we use a lock-in amplifier to measure the 3rd harmonic in the voltage across the metal ...
0
votes
0answers
33 views
Rydberg Blockade's experimental mechanism
This idea for an experiment is for a high school competition (bl4s).
Utilizing a positron beam,can we knock out gas which has been energized to its Rydberg state.I plan to do this to verify when the ...
1
vote
4answers
69 views
How did Coulomb measure charges?
I was studying some Electrodynamics when suddenly this question popped into my mind :
The whole of Electrodynamics is based on the Coulomb's Law. There is no derivation of this law because it is an ...
1
vote
1answer
67 views
Has the “osmium spheres” gravity example ever been done?
Calculating the motion of two dense spheres (in a frictionless vacuum) due to gravitational interaction is a classic physics problem that has come up numerous times.
Has any real-world space mission ...
1
vote
0answers
42 views
How is it possible that unrolling scotch tape in a vacuum causes X-rays? [duplicate]
A fun kind of question...
In 2008, researchers at the UCLA's Department of Physics and Astronomy found that unrolling of scotch tape in a vacuum caused X-rays to be created. First, energetic ...
0
votes
1answer
39 views
Can any body suggest me a set up that I can build it up to study the surface roughness of transparent polymeric fibres? [closed]
I need to study the surface of nylon-6 blank fibres with a thickness of nearly 40 micrometre. I work in optics lab with many optical components such as beam splitters, lenses, mirrors, etc; can I ...
1
vote
1answer
27 views
Why is the transverse Doppler shift “difficult to measure”?
I'm currently reading a book on optics, and have encountered a curious section:
$$\nu = \nu'\sqrt{1-\frac{u^2}{c^2}} = \nu'\left(1-\frac{u^2}{2c^2}+\ldots\right)$$
This is the formula for the ...
1
vote
3answers
82 views
Particle accelerators and the amount of radiation they emit
Do particle accelerators emit a lot of radiation? If they do, can someone give me a rough estimate of how much?
I'm also curious as to what kind of radiation they give off.
0
votes
0answers
67 views
Why do we believe local gauge invariance (that tells us photons are exactly massless)? [duplicate]
There are experimental upper limits on the photon's mass, but they are finite. I heard that the reason we know that photons have exactly zero rest mass (and thus travel exactly at the universal ...
1
vote
0answers
38 views
Why does a cooking thermometer show different temperatures when touching the container of a liquid?
I have a cooking thermometer that looks like a 10-15 cm long metal rod, that can be inserted into the thing you want to measure the temperature of:
When inserted into boiling water, I observed that ...
6
votes
3answers
83 views
Can this be considered the Newton's rings?
It can be made by pointing a laser pointer directly to a mirror at low angle and observing the reflection behind the laser pointer. No convex or concave lens needed unlike the Newton's ring experiment ...
6
votes
1answer
69 views
Experimental tests of Schrodinger evolution, position distribution, in square well and other simple systems?
Have the energy eigenfunctions in position space ever been experimentally tested for the simplest system undergraduates encounter when learning quantum mechanics, the square well? If not, what is the ...
0
votes
0answers
21 views
Which device to measure UV lamp wavelength with high precision
Which techniques and devices are able to measure the wavelength/frequency of a UV lamp within the wavelength range of 50nm - 300nm?
Is a VUV Optical spectrometer the right device for this?
0
votes
2answers
55 views
what are the sources of energy loss for a ball rolling down slope?
I am experimenting in lab with an iron sphere rolling down a smooth aluminum ramp.
The final velocity is smaller than the one predicted assuming energy conservation (see calculations below), which ...
0
votes
0answers
16 views
Magnetic force and work done [duplicate]
If magnetic force do no work at all then how do magnets attract or repel each other?
0
votes
0answers
23 views
The droplets size of different liquids?
Does the size of a droplets depends on the size of the opening of the burette or pipette, would increasing the rate by which the droplets are falling would change the size of the droplets?
Or does ...
0
votes
1answer
26 views
What's “bimodal” about BEC velocity distributions?
I was just reviewing some papers discussing Bose-einstein condensation, specifically "Creation of a Bose-condensed gas of 87Rb by laser cooling" by Hu et al., and I saw repeated references to the ...
