Experimentation on stochastic trajectories: From Brownian motion to inertial confined dynamics

Statistical physics courses typically employ abstract language that describes objects too small to be seen, making the topic challenging for students to understand. In this work, we introduce a simple experiment that allows conceptualizing some of the underlying ideas of stochastic processes through...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of physics 2024-04, Vol.92 (4), p.280-289
Main Authors: Brigante, Azul María, Révora, Corina, Volonnino, Gabriel Fernando, Perez, Marcos Damián, Pasquini, Gabriela, Capeluto, María Gabriela
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Estimating techniques
Physics
Statistical analysis
Stochastic models
Stochastic processes
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Summary:Statistical physics courses typically employ abstract language that describes objects too small to be seen, making the topic challenging for students to understand. In this work, we introduce a simple experiment that allows conceptualizing some of the underlying ideas of stochastic processes through direct experimentation. Students analyze stochastic trajectories of beads in a bouncing bed of smaller beads subjected to an external periodic drive. The analysis of the trajectories involves the application of a vast toolkit of statistical estimators that are useful in many fields of physics. Editor's Note: This paper shows how colliding beads can be used to demonstrate stochastic trajectories. While the experiment is simple, students can analyze the trajectories using techniques with a range of sophistication, making the experiment appropriate for students at a wide range of levels.
ISSN:0002-9505
1943-2909
DOI:10.1119/5.0146444