PHYS 401 :: Physics Illinois :: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Home page
Welcome to Physics 401: Classical Laboratory!
We are excited to have you in Physics 401! Whether you are preparing for research, graduate school, or industry, this course will help you build the technical, analytical, and communication skills that are essential for success.
What to Expect
-
Explore Advanced Concepts: Go beyond introductory physics and apply core ideas to real systems. You'll engage with topics such as Fourier domain signal analysis, synchronous detection, wave propagation in transmission lines, and magnetic hysteresis, etc. These concepts will come to life through hands-on experiments.
-
Master Research Methodology: Learn to systematically plan, execute, and analyze experiments, developing the critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential for research.
-
Achieve Technical Proficiency: Get hands-on experience using tools such as oscilloscopes, lock-in amplifiers, and more.
-
Excel in Quantitative Analysis: Understand how to handle uncertainties, manage noise, propagate errors, and apply statistical rigor to derive meaningful insights from your data.
-
Polish Communication Excellence: Develop the ability to present your findings professionally through well-organized lab reports and engaging oral presentations.
Getting Started
First Lecture
Our first lecture will be on Monday, 25 Aug in 222 Loomis. We'll be going over how the course works, and preparing for the first lab activity.
Preparing for Week 1
- Please read the Course Description and Class Policy before the first lecture!
- LAB: Lab will meet the first week. Be sure to check which section time you're registered for.
- Check out the Computing Tools page and start preparing some of the basics you'll need:
- Origin Pro and/or Python for data analysis (use of other tools is welcome, but not as well-supported).
- Optional: Python may also be used for remote equipment control in some lab activities.
Students interested in this feature are encouraged to set up their Python environment early. - Campus VPN access is required for off-campus access to lab software and shared files.