In continuation of the success achieved by the Physics Department in conducting graduation projects outside the university, eight students from the department started their academic research and internship at Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization. The work commenced at the beginning of the second semester of this academic year 1436/1437 A.H. under the supervision of H.E. Dr. Raed Ibn Hussein Al-Hathlool, Vice-Dean of the College of Science for Development and Quality and faculty member.
This project is the third of its kind at both college and department level. It came after the success of the department first project where ten female students from the department completed their graduation projects at the National Center for Nanotechnology at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) during the first semester of this academic year 1436/1437 A.H. under the supervision of Dr. Raed Al-Hathlool from the Physics Department, and Dr. Marzouk Al-Shammari from KACST (news link). The second project, which coincides with this project, includes six female students conducting their graduation research at the research center in King Faisal Specialist Hospital under the supervision of Dr. Raed Al-Hathlool (news link).
Preparations for this project have begun in the first semester of this academic year with H.E. Dr. Raed Al-Hathlool' s initiative. A delegation from the department headed by H.E. Dr. Ahmad Al-Qaoud, Head of the Physics Department, H.E. Dr. Ibrahim Al-Hamarneh, deputy-head of the department, and H.E. Dr. Raed Al-Hathlool, Vice-Dean of the College of Science for Development and Quality and a faculty member made a visit to the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization last semester (news link). The visit was followed by bilateral meetings between Dr. Raed Al-Hathlool, representing the College of Science and the Physics Department, and H.E. Dr. Masad Al-Mutairy, Supervisor of the Studies and Research Center at the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization., These efforts were finally fruitful, by Allah's grace.
In his talk to the website of the college, Dr. Raed Al-Hathlool expressed his thanks to H.E. Dr. Muhammad Babtain, the Dean of the College of Science, and H.E. Dr. Ahmad Al-Qaoud, Head of the Physics Department, for their encouragement and support of the project. Dr. Al-Hathlool extended his thanks also to H.E. Dr. Saad Ibn Uthman Al-Qasabi, Governor of Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization, and Dr. Masad Al-Mutairi, Supervisor of the Studies and Research Center in the organization for their support in paving the way for the success of this project. Dr. Raed Al-Hathlool also expressed his deep thanks to Dr. Shada Al-Rumhi and Dr. Muhanna Areeb, supervisors of the students from the Research Center, for agreeing to supervise the students.
It is worth mentioning that this project will last the whole of the second semester of this academic year 1436/1437 A.H. Eight students participated in this project from the department, and the total training hours that they will spend in the organization will be around 50 hours of training in addition to other educational hours outside the center.
The students of the Physics Department who participated in this project and happened to be in the third group of graduation projects conducted outside the university were: Ahmad Ibn Abdulmuhsin Al-Maliki, Sultan Ibn Saleh Al-Duraibi, Salah Ibn Marzouk Al-Resheedi, Abdelhadi Ibn Muhammad Al-Ghamdi, Issa Ibn Salman Al-Mutairi, Fahad Ibn Nasir Al-Qareeni, Muteb Ibn Turki Ibn Rubean and Wael Ibn Hamed Al-Anzi.
Dr. Raed Al-Hathlool noted that the research topics that will be tackled in standards organization are:
- The effect of the ambient temperature change on the accuracy of calibrating gauge blocks.
- Time interval measurement
- The effect of different methods of cleaning on the measurement of weight mass. .
- Testing and calculating the energy efficiency of home appliances (air conditioners, washing machines and refrigerators)
It is noteworthy to mention that the student researchers received training in safety and security in research laboratories before starting the project in order to ensure the safety of students, researchers and research laboratories.
On the other hand, the application (Google-Classroom) has been utilized to follow up the academic progress of the researchers in the project, and to coordinate between the Physics Department and Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization. Some of the programs that the students will be trained on to analyze results and graphs, and to solve mathematical equations are: (Excel) and (Origin). They will also be trained in writing scientific research and research reports as well as in using a program called (Endnote) for writing, managing and indexing references.
In this project, the Physics Department aims to positively impact on the students' academic and practical paths, which will have obvious benefits which meet the objectives of the department, some of which are:
· Increasing physical information and applying it in the real world.
· Caring about time management and project management professionally.
· Gaining experience in dealing with research team members, and teamwork.
· Learning from teamwork, as the most distinctive feature of the graduation project is collective work involving two students in each project cooperating to complete a specific job.
· Learning new technical skills like research writing skills and public speaking skills.
· Gaining experience by handling advanced research devices in the laboratories of the organization, unlike theoretical projects, which characterize the majority of graduation projects carried out at the university due to the lack of research capabilities.
· Learning to read scientific papers and using data analysis programs skillfully.
Members of the Physics Department prayed to Allah, the Almighty, that this rich experience would be beneficial to everyone, and would open up broad prospects for the students after graduation, and give other students an opportunity for admission in similar projects in subsequent classrooms. The department expressed its thanks to all those in charge of the program and to all those who contributed to the success of this initiative, addressing special thanks to H.E. Dr. Ahmad Al-Qaoud, Head of the Physics Department, and H.E. Dr. Raed Al-Hathlool, Supervisor of the project, for their encouragement and efforts in paving the way for the success of this distinctive experience, Allah be praised. Thanks also to the supervisors from the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization headed by Dr. Masad Al-Mutairi, Supervisor of the Studies and Research Center, who have had outstanding contributions to the success of this project.
Finally, the department deeply thanks its research students from the Physics Department for their clear efforts in representing the department appropriately, and for the discipline and seriousness they showed from the first day of starting the project wishing them a bright future.
Below is a brief overview of the parts of the four research projects underway:
1. The effect of ambient temperature change on the accuracy of calibrating gauge blocks
The aim of the experiment: is to calibrate gauge blocks in a specific way and to study the effect of temperature on the accuracy of measurements.
The knowledge that the student will gain from this experiment includes:
· * Getting acquainted with the principles and concepts of measurement and calibration.
· * Training the student on the method of performing calibration to gauge blocks practically in more than one way.
· * Studying the effect of the ambient temperature on the accuracy of measurements.
· * Making necessary calculations, analyzing results and issuing calibration certificate.
2. Time interval measurement
The aim of the experiment: is to determine the accuracy and consistency of measurement and the effect of using different measuring devices on the results.
The knowledge that the student will gain from this experiment includes:
· * Getting acquainted with the principles and concepts of measurement and calibration.
· * Getting acquainted with the method of measuring time, and determining the national time scale.
· * Being introduced to the mechanism of comparing countries' time scales and the Coordinated Universal Time.
· * Performing uncertainty calculations, analyzing results and issuing calibration certificates.
The Scientific Methods Used:
· Oscilloscope 50GHZ.
· Electronic digital measurement device.
3. The Effect of Different Cleaning Methods on the Weight Mass Measurement
The aim of the experiment: Calibration of a number of weights in a comparable way and studying the effect of cleaning method on the accuracy of measurements.
Knowledge that the student should acquire:
· * Identifying some of the basic concepts in Metrology, such as (Metrology and its sections, Traceability, Uncertainty Calculation, Types of Standards, and others).
· * Knowledge of different methods of weight calibration.
· * Knowledge of weight classifications according to international standards.
· * Identifying the best practices in conducting measurements and calibration.
· * Performing necessary calculations, analyzing the results, and issuing calibration certificate.
4. Test and Calculate the Energy Efficiency of House Appliances (Air Conditioners, Washing Machines, and Refrigerators)
The aim of the experiment: Calculation of energy efficiency of house appliances using standard specifications.
Knowledge that the student should acquire:
· * Identifying the concept of energy efficiency of house appliances.
· * Familiarity with using standard specifications.
· * Identifying the mechanism of conducting measurements and analyzing results to calculate the energy efficiency of appliances.
· * Calculating uncertainty values in the measurements and issuing test reports.
