This introductory course in physics experimentation has been redesigned in 2020. Many of the experiments were redesigned and the ‘old’ manual (written in Word) was converted to a LaTeX pdf. In 2025 the materials have been converted into an Open Interactive Textbook.
Licenses¶
This book is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License: Copyright Delft University of Technology, CC-BY-NC-4.0
Figures & videos¶
All figures and pictures have been made by the team of authors except for:
- the cover drawing which is published in Leerboek Natuurkunde; Horn & de Gast N.V. Joh. Ykema’s Uitgevers. Den Haag - 1934
- the schematic https://
contemporary -physicslab .github .io /TN2985 /millikan - ...
- the introductory youtube clip on diodes
Your contribution¶
An absolute advantages of Jupyter Online Books is the ability to have readers contribute. If you see a typo, if something is not clear, or anything needs to be adjusted, click the FEEDBACK button at the top of the screen and open an issue (you need to have a github account though).
Authors & contributors¶
Experiments: Many of the experiments are based on materials originally developed by colleagues and former instructors of this course (mostly dr. Ad Verbrugge and Em. prof. Erik Lagendijk). All descriptions have been thoroughly rewritten in 2020 and redesign and extended in 2024.
Python: The chapters on Python have originally been written by prof. Gary Steele in 2019. These notebooks have been adapted ever since. A specific section on the origin of these notebooks are included
Safety: The chapters on safety have been adapted from the materials provided by the faculties Health, Safety and Environment department.
About the author¶
 | Freek Pols (1986) is an assistant professor in the Science & Engineering Education group at the Faculty of Applied Sciences at Delft University of Technology. After his study in Applied Physics, he worked as a secondary school physics teacher for 10 years. Since 2019, he has been working as a practicum coordinator at TU Delft’s Engineering Physics program. In 2023 he obtained his PhD on practicum education, specifically on teaching scientific inquiry. His research remains directed at the development of experimental physics education, but now with a focus on university level. |
How to cite this book¶
C.F.J.Pols, Introduction to physics experiments, TU Delft Open, 2025. [DOI]