Experimental Data Analysis
Yiping Zhao, Yoong Sheng Phang · SPIE eBooks · 2022
Scientific experiments are used to evaluate a hypothesis or to measure a certain scientific quantity. They are crucial in advancing modern sciences and technologies. In particular, physics experiments are usually employed to establish a quantitative relationship among different physical parameters (e.g., the Cavendish experiment for measuring the force of gravity between masses, the measurement of electrostatic force as a function of test charge, etc.), to prove or confirm a particular theoretical prediction or hypothesis (e.g., general relativity, the existence of black holes, etc.), or to measure important physical constants (e.g., the speed of light in vacuum, the charge of an electron, Planck’s constant, etc.). In the 400 years of modern science (since Galileo Galilei, 1564–1642), rigorous guiding principles have been adopted for scientific experiments.