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Assorted Physics "Papers"

In the fall semester of 2021, I took Physics 3310 with Professor Carl Franck, where I learned a lot of how actual science gets done and how to write technically. These experiments I performed required writeups, and while the conclusions I drew in some of them are frankly quite embarrassing, they were still pretty cool!

By Jacob Kochian | September 23, 2025| 1 min read

1. Gamma Ray Attenuation

The first experiment I performed was measuring how well different materials blocked gamma radiation. In it, I verified the Beer-Lambert law for lead and aluminum, and failed to do so for Copper. I also got trained in the handling of radioactive material, which is a fun icebreaker!

2. Balmer Series of Hydrogen

The second experiment I conducted attempted to verify the Rydberg constant for hydrogen. By measuring the wavelength of visible spectra emitted, I managed to get somewhat close to the accepted value.

3. Solar Radiometry

The third and final experiment of the semester was attempting to measure the temperature of the microwave emitting region of the Sun using a radiometer. This involved me wheeling a cart of a DIRECTV Satellite Dish out to Bailey Plaza amid many gawking underclassmen and touring families. In the end, I was only 5900% off!