Describes some undergraduate laboratory experiments in acoustics which involve the analysis of speech and musical instrument sounds and the general analysis of the frequency range of complex sounds. (HM)

This experiment uses the effect of the relativistic mass increase of electrons on the results of x-ray photoelectron spectrometry to obtain the rest energy of electrons. (BB)

Described is an advanced undergraduate physics laboratory experiment for determining an area, and bandwidth-independent parameter, D* ("dee star"), of an infrared detection devices' detectivity. (SL)

Presents the theoretical explanation of the observation that when a pen that is stuck in a hard rubber ball and dropped, the pen may bounce to several times the dropped height. Includes the procedure and models created to explain the observations. (DS)

Describes an experiment which makes use of a number of concepts from geometrical optics. The apparatus and method which is intended for students in elementary college physics classes are included. (HM)

Presents the results of the evaluation of a self-paced freshman physics laboratory and its assessment procedures used in the first-year physics course at the University of Adelaide, South Australia. (HM)

Describes an experiment to measure the thermal conductivity of some gases in an undergraduate physics laboratory using a hot wire method in the pressure range ten to one torr. (HM)

A gas pressure gauge has been constructed for use in a student experiment involving the law of atmospheres. From pressure data obtained at selected elevations the average mass of air molecules is determined and compared to that calculated from the molecular weights and percentages of constituents to the air. (Author/BB)

Describes a method of recording galvanometer deflections when using a d'Arsonval galvanometer to demonstrate forced, damped simple harmonic motion. (SL)

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 an advanced undergraduate physics experiment which permits the measurement of ultrasound velocity and absorption in liquid systems. A description of the tasks the student is expected to perform is also included. (HM)

Discusses a demonstration in which the near and far focusing distances of a student volunteer are measured and his or her glasses prescription is computed. (HM)

Describes a demonstration in which the local inertial frame of reference can be obtained in the laboratory by allowing a cage to fall freely without rotation under the influence of gravity. (HM)

Describes a method to determine the thermal diffusivity of a polymer, which is suitable for the undergraduate laboratory. It serves as a practical demonstration of classical Fourier theory. (Author/HM)

This procedure, using polystyrene spheres of specified diameter, renders the Millikan oil drop experiment more accurate than the conventional procedure of the polystyrene spheres, eliminates size estimation error, and removes the guesswork involved in assigning proper index integers to the observed charges. (MLH)