Physics 242 - Research in High Precision Spectroscopy

This course gives students a practical introduction to experimental atomic physics by having students do real, publishable research. While this course-based research program is focused on high precision spectroscopy, students gain skills that can be generally applied to investigational science in experimental design, experimental iteration and systematic error analysis, data analysis and writing scientific papers for publication. In addition, students learn about basic atomic physics and quantum mechanics, atom and light interactions, and optics, and they gain a basic understanding in how experiment and theory interact to further the knowledge of nature. Corequisite: PHY 242L. Enrollment limited to 12. (E)