Main Page/Phys 4210/Oral Exam

Overview

The oral exam will cover the first three lab reports. You will be questioned on background theory, experiment operation, data collection techniques, results, and interpretation of results. The examiners will be the course director, and the TAs. Each oral exam will have be scheduled for 1 hour, however the exam itself will likely take around 30-40 minutes. The available time slots for the oral exam will be sent in an email and posted here, and sign-up will be through the online sign-up system.

The oral exam will take place in one of the labs, and you may be asked to go to a particular experiment and to describe the various components and how they were operated.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: Don't I get to choose which labs I am to be examined on?

  A: No. You will examined on your first three lab reports.

• Q: Will you have to know all the derivations which appeared in the introduction in your reports?

  A: No, but you should know the main formulas, and relationships between variables which govern the effect you where observing.

• Q: What from my results do I have to know?

  A: You should be able to reproduce the graphs you presented, labeling axes, and explain what those results told you about the phenomenon under investigation

• Q: What if the posted times conflict with my other exams?

  A: The available time slots for the oral exams will be spread over a number of days, including mornings and afternoons. If there is really a direct conflict with all of the posted exam times, please see me and we will arrange another time slot.