Modern Apparatus for Teaching Physics
("MATPHYS" LLC) is a small company dedicated to the design, development
and manufacturing of laboratory instruments for the advanced
undergraduate physics laboratory. Our emphasis is on the education of
physicists and not technicians. MATPHYS is run by two practicing
experimental particle physicists (Thomas Coan and Jingbo Ye) who also
teach at the university level.
MATPHYS
LLC
6551 Patrick Dr.
Dallas, TX 75214-2528 USA
url: www.matphys.com
email: info AT matphys.com
tel: (+1) 972 971-8112
fax: (+1) 214-291-7218
Federal EIN: 71-0937607
Instruments
We currently have just a single instrument in production ("Muon Physics"). This device allows the
student to measure the muon lifetime in matter and to demonstrate the
time dilation effect of special relativity. The instrument is also
useful for collecting genuinely random numbers that students can
then use to explore the properties of various probability distributions
(e.g., binomial, gaussian, poisson). Finally, students can garner
experience with signal processing and data analysis techniques (e.g.,
curve fitting) using the readout electronics and the free data display
and analysis software routines. See our marketer www.teachspin.com for ordering
details. See us for technical questions at our above email address.
A picture of the complete instrument, a
concise technical
description (also published at Am. J. Phys. 74, 161 (2006))
and a users manual in pdf format (1.3
MB) are freely available. You can also download the free software for the instrument. (This
is the same software that comes on the CD included with the
instrument.)
Helpful Physics/Mathematical Links
www.arxiv.org
www.cern.ch
www.fnal.gov
www.interactions.org
The standard atmosphere
A
numerical integrator
