Laboratory Notes

You will find hints and notes here on labs and class activities.

 Last update was June 9, 2010 .

Physics labs stress the art of thinking critically. Make no mistake, "critical thinking" hurts the brain! You will here from me" Gee! I don't know!? What do you think?" This MEANS that I truly believe that you can think through the problem if you have more patience with yourself. I believe in you - believe in yourself!

All formal laboratory write-ups must follow the Laboratory write-up manual
Activity write-ups follow the Activity write up guidelines

You may submit labs early for review and improvement. Labs with a grade of 8/10 (B-) May be resubmitted with corrections for a maximum grade of 9.5/10 (A).

Do not use "Human Error" as form of error in your labs. It is too vague - be specific.

Grading rubric

• [ ] [2 lab hours] Dozer Challenge
• [ ] [1 lab hours] Graphing motion
• [ ] [3 lab hours] Cart on a ramp
• [ ] [1 lab hours] Acceleration due to gravity "Picket Fence Free Fall"
• [ ] [3 lab hours] Projectile motion; Shoot for your bonus
• [ ] [2 lab hours] Measuring mass in orbit
• [ ] [1 lab hours] Newton's first and Second Activity
• [ ] [2 lab hours] Newton's second law
• [ ] [1 lab hours] Terminal Velocity
• [ ] [2 lab hours] Static & Kinetic Friction (downloadable MS word document)
  •                            Friction data table file
• [ ] [2 lab hours] Impulse and momentum
  •                   Impulse and momentum data tables
• [ ] [2 lab hours] Momentum, Energy and Collisions
  •                   Momentum, Energy and Collisions data tables
  •                            Momentum, Energy and collisions Excel spreadsheet file
• [ ] [2 lab hours] Making the grade
• [ ] [1 lab hours] Your power
• [ ] [1 lab hours] Energy of a popper
• [ ] [3 lab hours] Work - Energy theorem
• [ ] [2 lab hours] Energy and momentum conservation
• [ ] [1 lab hours] Apparent weight and weightlessness
• [ ] [1 lab hours] What sign is my charge?
• [ ] [0 lab hours] Exploration: Electrostatics story board
• [ ] [2 lab hours] Investigating Static Electricity
• [ ] [1 lab hours] Sparky I
• [ ] [1 lab hours] Electric power utilized by a classroom
• [ ] [2 lab hours] Relating power and energy
• [ ] [0 lab hours] Simulation: Ohm Zone Link (background research)
• [ ] [1 lab hours] Magnetism learning cycle
• [ ] [2 lab hours] Visualizing Magnetic fields
• [ ] [2 lab hours] Catch a wave
• [ ] [2 lab hours] Ripple while your work
• [ ] [2 lab hours] Speed of sound
• [ ] [2 lab hours] Tones Vowels and telephones
• [ ] [2 lab hours] Law of reflection & the periscope
• [ ] [1 lab hours] Refraction activity
• [ ] [0 lab hours] Phet simulation of photoelectric effect, Work sheet here
• [ ] [2 lab hours] Radioactivity its relation to distance from the source
• [ ] [2 lab hours] Half-Life of Ba-137
  • Data file (Right click and "save link as")
• [ ] [0 lab hours] The Particle adventure