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David.R.Gilson's Documents
Using a Schering A.C. Bridge at low frequency to determine condenser properties
"This experiment was an exercise in balancing a standard Schering A.C. bridge circuit to determine unknown impedances. These circuits are very sensitive to noise and care had to be taken to earth out any noise. This was done by using Co-axial leads for the transmission lines and utilising the lead screens as a path for the noise current to go to earth. The exercise consisted of measuring four capacitances (and loss factors) and then similarly analysing a butterfly capacitor with two different dielectrics, Air and Medicinal Paraffin. The data from the Medicinal Paraffin was used to calculate the dielectric constant of the Paraffin. The calculated value was found to be 1.93±0.01. Which is close to the published value of 2.2." David.R.Gilson 1998
Category:School WorkReads:8,244Uploaded:09 / 10 / 2008ShareAdd to collectionExploration of a Photomultiplier tube
"This report details tests performed on a photomultiplier (PM) of unknown specification. The temporal response and signal amplitude are observed for various load resistances and anode capacitances. The built in capacitance is also determined. The spectral response is also investigated, which leads to a conjecture of the actual PM type and construction (according to specifications listed in the Electron Tubes Ltd/Inc "Photomultipliers and accessories" trade catalogue)." David.R.Gilson, 1998
Category:School WorkReads:2,155Uploaded:09 / 10 / 2008ShareAdd to collectionThe Weather Machine
A short essay about the function of the Earth's atmosphere. David.R.Gilson, 1997
Category:ScienceReads:1,821Uploaded:09 / 09 / 2008ShareAdd to collectionStellar Evolution
A short essay about the birth and life cycle of stars. David.R.Gilson, 1997
Category:ResearchReads:2,973Uploaded:09 / 09 / 2008ShareAdd to collectionTriangles and Time Warps
A tutorial sheet for 14-18 year-olds to develop their mathematics by re-discovering Einstein's time dilation. David.R.Gilson 2006
Category:How-To Guides/ManualsReads:1,529Uploaded:09 / 09 / 2008ShareAdd to collectionThe Ever Expanding Universe in Modern Cosmology
Abstract "An account of work done in modern times to determine the origin, behavior and fate of our universe from theory and observation. We begin at the beginning of modern cosmology, almost the beginning of this century with the publication of General Relativity. We swiftly work our through the corner stones of the century in modern cosmology up to current times with Alan Guth's theory of inflation and the miraculous observations made by Saul Perlmutter's group of many supernovae to infer universal expansion rates across the eons. " David.R.Gilson, 1999
Category:ResearchReads:3,514Uploaded:09 / 09 / 2008ShareAdd to collectionMolecular dynamics simulation of dipole interactions
This was written for my Master of Physics degree. Abstract: "This model investigates the rotation of a rigid body with the molecular dynamics (MD) method. Two ideal dipoles are modelled, both having their centre of mass (COM) fixed in space. One dipole is permitted to rotate about its COM the other is non-moving. Such a configuration leads to the moving dipole rotating under the influence of a dipolar electric field. The relative positions of the two dipoles are chosen such that the moving dipole may only rotate in one plane. This allows the use of a local Spherical Polar (SP) coordinate system (for measuring orientation in space). The mass and length of the dipoles were chosen to reflect atomic magnitudes. The dipole length was set to 5 Angstroms and monopole mass was 1.6•10-26 Kg. All monopoles are given the charge of ± ± 1 electron charge. Using a time step of 7•10-18 seconds and starting with zero kinetic energy, the simulation showed that the dipole was confined in a potential well of the dipolar field. This confinement caused an oscillatory rotation. The amplitude and period of the oscillation were due to the initial position of the two dipoles, which set the initial potential energy. Clearly, with zero kinetic energy, the initial potential energy is equivalent to the total system energy. The period of oscillation was found to be approximately 2 Pico-seconds for a system-energy of 0.77 eV (2 d.p.). The value of this period sets a limit on the time- step size for such models in the future. "
Category:School WorkReads:4,762Uploaded:09 / 09 / 2008ShareAdd to collectionAn Investigation of Surface Acoustic Waves
"This experiment investigates the surface ultrasonic properties of five different materials, primarily Aluminium. Using theory, it is determined which mode of bulk acoustic wave (longitudinal or shear) gives rise the surface (Rayleigh) acoustic waves. For aluminium, the wavelength of the surface acoustic wave (SAW) is determined by experiment. From this and the measured SAW velocity, the frequency of the SAW is calculated." David.R.Gilson, 1998
Category:School WorkReads:3,956Uploaded:09 / 09 / 2008ShareAdd to collectionDepletion Capacitance
"This is an experiment to investigate the properties of a PN junction capacitor. The experiment investigates the bias voltage dependent nature of the capacitance of the junction's depletion layer, and how for certain voltage ranges, the capacitance is, on average, constant. The experimental results are also used to calculate the unbiased junction potential." David.R.Gilson, 1998
Category:School WorkReads:3,818Uploaded:09 / 09 / 2008ShareAdd to collectionInvestigation of Magnetic Domains in Yttrium Iron Garnet
"This document is an account on a study of the behaviour of magnetic domains in Yttrium Iron Garnet (YIG). The sample of YIG was in the form a thin film, cut perpendicular to the material's easy axis so that the Faraday effect could be used for observations of the YIG hysterisic behaviour. Other observations made were in the form of photographic data taken from a microscope focused on the sample of YIG. These displayed the change in the domain configuration as a H-Field was applied parallel to the easy axis in varying field strengths. The field was supplied from a coil contained within the casing of the sample (the YIG sample was mounted on a transparent substrate of gadlin gallium garnet within the casing). A further study of the YIG magnetic domains was that of bubble domains. These are isolated, non- extended domains, the study of such domains demonstrated the elasticity of domain walls and the analogous behaviour with liquid surface tension." David.R.Gilson
Category:School WorkReads:2,843Uploaded:09 / 09 / 2008ShareAdd to collection
