PHYS 309

I. Course Title: Electronics Laboratory

II. Course Number: PHYS 309

III. Credit Hours: 3 credits 

IV. Prerequisites: PHYS 112 or PHYS 222

V. Course Description: 

Building dc and ac circuits; microcontroller circuits applied to scientific/engineering tasks; theory and use of transistors and operational amplifiers; and the use of oscilloscopes, function generators and other professional electronic test equipment.

Note(s): Applied Learning designated course.

VI. Detailed Description of Content of the Course:

This laboratory course provides students with experience in building, testing, and troubleshooting electronic circuits used in industrial and research careers. Students communicate their observations, understanding, and professional applications for each circuit through regular write-ups that will form a reference library for their future professional use. 

The laboratory topics include the following: 

1. Oscilloscopes, multimeters, and function generators 
2. Characteristics of resistors, capacitors, and inductors 
3. Passive signal filters using combinations of resistors, capacitors, and inductors 
4. Microprocessors and their applications 
5. Diodes and their junction potentials 
6. Operational amplifiers 
7. Transistors 
8. Amplitude modulation transmission and reception 
9. Use of circuit-drawing software to produce professional-level write-ups.  

VI. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course:

Students will meet for instruction in the laboratory for three hours per week. Students will be expected to use additional self-directed laboratory time to complete weekly circuit assignments. In weekly write-ups, students will summarize their observations and understanding how each circuit works, and how each is applied in professional practice.

VII. Goals and Objectives of the Course:

By the end of this course students should be able to 

• Build signal filter circuits from passive electronic components.
• Analyze the actions of given circuits by using standard professional electronic test equipment. 
• Apply microcontrollers to govern other circuits in order to perform specified tasks.
• Apply microcontrollers to acquire electrical data from various circuits.
• Apply transistors and operational amplifiers to amplify smaller signals. 
• Create a circuit of their own design to accomplish an assigned scientific/engineering task.
• Create their own reference library for later use in their career through their circuit write-ups. 
• Understand the applications of electronics to a wide range of scientific/engineering tasks.  

VIII. Assessment Measures:

Students are assessed on their ability to apply electronics in scientific and engineering situations through various measures including some or all of the following: 

• Regular write-ups where students analyze the workings of their circuit as well as professional applications of each. 
• Hands on proficiency tests in the use of professional test equipment.
• Checks of the ability of the students’ circuits to perform specific tasks. 
• Final assessment to gauge understanding of standard electronic circuits. 
• Applied project where the students reflect on the individual circuits that they have built in order to create a circuit of their own design to perform a given scientific/engineering task. 

 

Other Course Information: None

 

Review and Approval

2013

March 01, 2021