Monthly Archives: May 2025

Problem: Distinguish between the terms “intrinsic semiconductor” and “extrinsic semiconductor“. Solution: An intrinsic semiconductor is pretty much what it sounds like, i.e. a “pure” semiconductor material like \(\text{Si}\) that is undoped with any impurity dopants. An extrinsic semiconductor is then … Continue reading →

Problem: A vibrating string with displacement profile \(y(x,t)\) has non-uniform mass per unit length \(\mu(x)\) and non-uniform tension \(T(x)\) experiences both an internal restoring force due to \(T(x)\) but also a linear “Hooke’s law” restoring force \(-k(x)y(x)\) everywhere so that … Continue reading →

Learning physics is hard. The purpose of this post is to collect a bunch of techniques that can help to make the process of learning (and remembering!) new concepts easier. Trick #\(1\): Avoid always simplifying formulas as much as possible, … Continue reading →

The purpose of this post is to lay the foundations for what any experimental physicist should know when it comes to analyzing their experimental data in a rigorous and thoughtful manner. Problem: How does on reduce random error? How does … Continue reading →

Just as the fundamental theorem of single-variable calculus \(\int_{x_1}^{x_2}f'(x)dx=f(x_2)-f(x_1)\) is the key insight on which the entire subject of single-variable calculus rests, there is an analogous sense in which one can consider a fundamental theorem of classical computing to be … Continue reading →