Scientific Python
There are many packages for performing calculations, making plots of experimental results, manipulating and understanding physics using a computer. A powerful and free package used in the physics department is scientific python. Python is a programming language used significantly in information technology, it is simple, scripted and most importantly free. Python is just the language, to it is added scientific packages, for performing calculations and making plots
Together this is typically called SciPy. Obtaining SciPy is relatively straightforward, our suggestion in the department is to download one of the packages from
Enthought. The academic downing (which includes students) is found
here.
Here is a list of simple activities to get the uninitiated stared
- Starting python
- Load data (open a file with experimental data)
- Plot data (with labels, legends etc)
- Fitting