Physics

Role within programme and connections to other courses. Understanding circuits and basic electronics is essential for any physicist who will develop or simply use measuring devices. This course moves beyond the simple DC circuits involving resistors and capacitors seen in introductory physics. It introduces the basic elements of the many electronic devices which we use every day, then shows how to combine these elements when designing simple circuits. This topic is particularly well-suited to hands-on learning. The course is experiential in design with more time devoted to manipulations than to lecture. Through the experimental work involved in learning about basic electronics, we are introduced to and become comfortable with essential measurement apparati (multimeters, oscilloscopes, etc). The understanding of basic electronics and measuring devices gained from this course will serve to enhance all future laboratory work: the equipment will not distract us from the physical phenomena which we are studying and we will understand how to best use the equipment and appreciate its limitations. This course also introduces some computational techniques for circuit analysis e.g. in the solution of simultaneous linear equations. Content. AC circuits, operational amplifiers, diodes and other pertinent topics.