Physics experiments for undergraduates

[Shreyas Shree]

I am a 1st year undergraduate student. I am in need of some fascinating applied physics/ engineering physics projects that two 1st year undergraduates can complete in about 10 working hours, and as such not very difficult. We would like a project that we could build inexpensively, and calculate and measure. Example would be like a cloud chamber.

 

[Dr. Courtney]

Experimental designs depend strongly on available resources.

With those time constraints and the resources of most well-stocked physics labs these days, you might consider using the Doppler effect to measure the speed of a resonating pendulum at the fastest point. You can sample with a microphone connected to a PC or a Vernier LabQuest or similar. Determine the frequencies using Fourier transforms of the sampled signal.

You will do better picking one of the higher frequencies in some resonating object like a metal plate or something.

 

[CWatters]

How measuring flame speeds? Easy to do for burning paper but perhaps you can think of something faster/harder? Not sure what but perhaps a mix of hydrogen and oxygen in a soap bubble? Too hard?