Complete Experiments: Quantum
Capstone 'EX' experiments include all the apparatus, sensors (when needed), manuals, and PASCO Capstone files you'll need in your student physics lab. For your convenience, we've listed all the downloadable files for each experiment below.
Grade Level: College
Subject: Physics
Activities
01) Atomic Spectra
The atomic spectra of hydrogen, helium, and mercury are scanned by hand using a grating spectrophotometer that measures relative light intensity as a function of angle. From the resulting graph, the wavelengths of the spectral lines are determined by measuring the angle from the central maximum to each line. First and second order lines are examined. The spectrum of helium is used to calibrate the diffraction grating.
02) Photoelectric Effect
The photoelectric effect is the emission of electrons from the surface of a metal when electromagnetic radiation (such as visible or ultraviolet light) shines on the metal. In this lab, you will study the effect varying the light intensity and frequency has on the energy of the emitted electrons and the magnitude of the photo-current. You will also determine Planck's constant.
03) Hall Effect in n-Doped Semi-Conductor
The Hall Effect experiment (conducted by Edwin Hall in 1879) determines the sign of the charge carriers in current flow. The conductor is immersed in a magnetic field, causing the charge carriers to be deflected, creating an electric field. The direction of the electric field will depend on the sign of the charge carriers, and the polarity of the Hall voltage across the semiconductor reveals this sign.
04) Franck-Hertz Experiment
Electrons are accelerated by applying a known potential between two grids inside the argon tube. When an electron has sufficient kinetic energy to excite one of argon’s outer orbital electrons and has an inelastic collision with an argon atom, the electron loses a specific amount of kinetic energy. This loss of electron kinetic energy causes a decrease in the electron current in the argon tube.
05) Zeeman Effect
In a magnetic field, the spectral lines of atoms split into a number of closely spaced lines. This is called the (anomalous) Zeeman Effect. The Zeeman Effect was very important in the development of Quantum Mechanics, especially Quantum Chemistry. It provided direct evidence that the orbital angular momentum of the atoms (or at least the magnetic moment of atoms) was quantized.
