Spring 2012

Lab Sections

Physics 050, 101 and 150 labs will begin on Wednesday, January 18

Physics 051, 102 and 151 labs will begin on Monday, January 23

Each physics class is divided into smaller lab sections of approximately 15 students. Check your course schedule to determine when your section meets. Each experiment is completed throughout the "lab week". "Lab weeks" are defined below:

Physics 050, 101, 150: Wednesday to Tuesday of the following week
Physics 051, 102, 151: Monday to Friday of the same week

Lab Procedure

Students will work in small groups of about 3 students and complete an experiment during each lab meeting. There will be 10 labs total. Procedures for each lab can be accessed via your Lab Schedule or in the Experiments section. Please obey the following guidelines for each lab:

Leave the lab exactly how you found it! Other sections use the same rooms and equipment. Be considerate to students and lab staff by taking care of the equipment.
Report all problems/breakages immediately! Don't try to fix something yourself. You may not repair it correctly, which may result in taking data using broken or uncalibrated equipment.
Come to the lab prepared! Read the Lab Procedure ahead of time and complete the pre-lab exercises. Bring a scientific calculator and a notebook to each lab.

Grading Policy

Students must complete each lab in order to pass the course. Absence from a lab without permission could lead to an F or incomplete in the course. Each lab is worth 10 points. Each lab consists of the following:

Pre-lab Exercise (1 point)
These exercises are embedded within each lab procedure and are due at the beginning of each lab. Full credit will be given for honest attemps to complete each exercise.
Experimental Data and In-Lab Questions (4 points)
Each group will submit an electronic copy of their experimental data and in-lab questions by the end of the lab session.
Post-lab Quiz (5 points)
After completing the lab, each student will take a quiz consisting of multiple choice questions. These quizzes will be taken on your lab section's Blackboard site. Each quiz is due within 1 day of completing the lab. Quizzes not completed within this time frame will be worth zero points.