Physics 1101 lab will cover fundamental processes of introductory experimental physics. Topics:
measuring position versus time and extract velocity and acceleration from those measurements.
how the velocity and acceleration relate to Newton’s laws of motion, conservation of momentum, and conservation of energy.
Vectors, torque, circular motion, simple harmonic motion, and standing waves are also studied.
Understanding how graphical analysis
What you need
Below are items you will need for lab. These items can be bought on campus. However, you may find these cheaper on sites like Amazon. Included are Amazon links to these or similar items.
Calculator (link) - scientific calculator is needed for calculations on quizzes. Some labs have calculations that need to be turned in before leaving.
General Physics Laboratory Manual - Volume One Lowell T. Wood and Sladjana Maric
Physics Textbook (link) - textbook for physics 1301
What to expect
Lab is a different animal. You must utilize knowledge to understand what to expect and then do actual experiments that may or may not yield those expected results. You are then give a reasonable explanation to why they were or were not what you expected. Here are some things to know or look out for.
Bottlenecks
Many experiments are limited by equipment availability. This will prevent you from moving on. Because of this, it is essential to read the procedure ahead of time, understand what you’re doing, and identify parts that may be potential bottlenecks. This will enable you to finish the experiment efficiently and give you more time to ask questions regarding the post-lab or calculations. For each experiment, we have provided some bottlenecks you may encounter and ways to work around them.
Grading
Labs are known to curve based on the average of the section compared to the overall average of all sections. This means that if your TA grades you harder and results in a lower average, your lab section may receive a curve to makeup for the difference. Lab only awards 1 credit hour, but you may find that the amount of work required for an A is much higher than many lecture courses.
Try to maximize your grade by getting full points in areas that are “freebees”. Lab reports/assignments (pre-lab, datasheet, postlab) are generally consistent. That is, students usually score in a predictable range. Quizzes, however, are where scores vary widely and can be the determining factor for your final grade.