# Learner lab record: Material Casimir correction and residual audit

Course: Casimir physics and dynamical boundaries

Name: ____________________  Date: ____________________  Group: ____________________

## Investigation question

How do conductivity, temperature, roughness, and electrostatic backgrounds change the ideal parallel-plate prediction?

## Setup

Use the material Casimir laboratory. Record the ideal force, enable one material or geometry correction at a time, then add one conventional background and compare residuals.

## Variables

| Variable | Role | Unit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Separation and area | geometry inputs | nm and area |
| Material/temperature correction | model input | dimensionless |
| Patch or electrostatic background | nuisance input | force |
| Predicted force and residual | dependent | N |

## Predict before changing controls

1. Predict the ideal force response to a smaller gap.

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2. Predict whether a correction factor and an additive patch force enter the ledger in the same way.

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## Observation table

| gap | ideal force | material factor | corrected force | background | measured/model residual |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|   |   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |   |
|   |   |   |   |   |   |

## Analyze

1. Which assumption causes the strongest sensitivity?

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2. Why are multiplicative corrections distinct from additive backgrounds?

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3. What calibration constrains contact potential?

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4. Does agreement with Casimir theory demonstrate net cyclic energy output?

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## Evidence-bounded conclusion

At gap ___, the ideal prediction ___ became ___ after ___ correction; adding background ___ changed the residual to ___.

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