Course Catalogue

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To provide students with an opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of the key principles and applications of the Physics Group Project, and their relevance to current developments in physics.

Tuesdays and Thursdays 11am-5pm

This course is normally only open to students who meet the requirements for entry, or progression, for a degree programme which includes Physics Group Project as an elective or compulsory course.

Physics Group Project is a compulsory course for the following degree programmes:

BSc (Honours) Physics, MSci Physics

Physics Group Project is an elective course for the following degree programmes:

BSc (Designated) Physics, BSc (Designated) Combined Physics, BSc (Designated) Physics with Astrophysics

Physics Group Project is a prohibited course for the following degree programmes:

BSc (Honours) Combined Physics, BSc (Honours) Chemical Physics, BSc (Honours) Physics with Astrophysics, BSc Theoretical Physics, MSci Theoretical Physics, MSci Combined Physics, MSci Physics with Astrophysics, MSci Chemical Physics, MSci Chemical Physics with Work Placement.

Also students must normally have attended previously the following pre-requisite courses:

Honours Physics Laboratory

  Honours Computational Physics Laboratory, Theoretical Physics Group Project

Mathematical Methods 1; Waves and Diffraction; Circuits and Systems; Quantum Mechanics; Thermal Physics; Honours Physics Laboratory

25% individual report

25% group report

25% individual presentation

25% group presentation

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

To provide students with an opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of the key principles of experimental physics, and their importance for the planning and execution of experimental investigations of physical processes using both standard and more advanced laboratory equipment, working within the context of a group project. To develop students' group working and presentation skills.

By the end of the course, students will be able to demonstrate a knowledge and broad understanding of the key principles of experimental physics. They should be able to: programme straightforward procedures in a high level computer language; evaluate random and systematic errors inherent in experimental measurements; analyse and interpret experimental data and make a critical assessment and draw valid conclusions from the results of experimental investigations; apply computer software to analyse experimental data and to write scientific reports. They should be able to: make an appropriate safety assessment for experimental procedures; apply logical analysis to problem solving; interact positively with colleagues in a group context; apply team-working skills to address a complex physics problem and contribute significantly to the work of a group tackling such a problem, combining their own work constructively with the work of others; contribute to the management of a group engaged in project work; combine with colleagues to prepare and deliver a presentation and report of group work; appreciate open problems typical of business situations.

Not applicable.