Boddeker: Physics 131 Lab

CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY

POMONA COURSE SYLLABUS

Principles of Physics Lab Instructor: Steve Boddeker Email: PHY 131L-13: 1 Unit Co-requisite: PHY 131 [email protected] [email protected] CRN: 10563 Building-Room: 3-2618 Office/Phone: 8-212 / (909) 869-2893 Office M: 11:30 – noon; 2:30 - 3 pm; 7:15 – 8 pm W: 7:15 -8 pm Lab Time: M: noon - 2:30 pm Hours: http://www.csupomona.edu/~skboddeker/steve.htm

COURSE Physics 131L is the laboratory that accompanies Physics 131, the first course of a three-quarter, calculus-based DESCRIPTION introductory sequence in physics. The primary content of Physics 131L is mechanics, vectors, statics, uniform motion, accelerated motion, work and energy, momentum, and rotational motion.

TEXT(S)  The Physics 131 Laboratory Manual is available at the Bronco Bookstore.

COURSE Upon completion of this course, the laboratory should have provided students with the following: OBJECTIVES  An introduction to physics’ role as a basic science with hands-on experience regarding natural phenomena  To develop your skills in presenting the results from experimental work in the form of laboratory reports  Practical experience with measurements in experimental work including ► Graphing ► Uncertainty Analysis ► Calculations ► Error Analysis ► Correct use of units

LABORATORY Each week a new laboratory exercise will be performed with one partner. Although it is sometimes difficult to PROCEDURES fully understand the lab procedures until data collection begins, it is important to review experimental procedures and pertinent theory (formulas) associated with the lab exercises. If this is not completed before the lab period you may waste the lab period attempting to determine what needs to be completed DURING the lab period. Pre-Labs are designed to aid this review process.

Pre-Labs are designed to guide and to prepare the students for each lab. In some cases the Pre-Labs prepare the student with extra theory which aids in understanding. These Pre-Labs can be difficult since the student may need to consult alternate sources such as the lecture book, professors, or the internet.

Quizzes will be administered following lab introduction. The quizzes will include material that will be covered during the current lab period. *Also upon submission of the quiz, “notes” collected during the introduction will be submitted, graded, and promptly returned.

Each Laboratory is weighted 7%. Satisfactory data collection is 2%. Completing lab analysis (as indicated by the lab manual) is the remaining 5%. Each student is expected to complete the lab during the allotted 150 minutes or else before the next lab period. Most labs will be completed satisfactorily after being “checked off”. Few labs will actually be submitted, the exceptions will be due to  a complex analysis  a graph indicating uncertainty

EVALUATIVE  Satisfactory Laboratories 56 % Lab reports are evaluated upon the following CRITERIA  Pre- Laboratories 16 % o Laboratory skills (including quality)  Lab Quizzes 10 % o Data Analysis  Formal Laboratory (bonus) 6 % o Understanding of Physics Principles  Lab Final 18 % o Communication skills (oral & written)

GRADE Grade Numerical Grade Grade Numerical GRADING Points Equivalent Points Equivalent SYSTEM A 4.0 90-100 D 1.0 60-69 B 3.0 80-89 F 0.0 59 & below C 2.0 70-79 Course Syllabus - Page 1 of 2 1/11 CALPOLY Each Student: PHYSICS LAB  Completes all scheduled experiments, learning lab techniques with a variety of equipment COURSE  Documents with a written record of all experimental data and other relevant observations for each STRUCTURE experiment ( NEVER write a calculation with the original data documented on paper) o So how does one explain data sheets for in a lab experiment???  Perform calculations for each experiment and summarize results  Write sample calculations, record results, plots relevant graphs, and complete any other elements directed by the instructor  Maximizes the 2 ½ hours lab period as needed for data acquisition, analysis, and other elements of the experimental report, seeking the instructors guidance as needed Please don’t attempt to turn in a “group” lab. Occasionally, I will allow a “group” graph, but each student must ALWAYS include slope points, and all pertinent calculations in their own lab “write-up”.

PHYSICS LAB Department Policy: Students who miss 2 labs will result in a grade of an F. POLICIES Your lab ends 150 minutes (2 ½ hours) after start. All lab equipment must be replaced in original order NO LATER than this time.

GRADING & The overall class GPA will be maintained through a curve (usually adding a flat percentage to everyone’s DUE DATES grade) near the 3.0 GPA level. Plusses & minuses will only be assigned in borderline grades (i.e. 79 < C+ < 79.5 or 79.5 < B- < 80). Most students will complete the experiment the same day as data collection, but submission may be delayed to the following lab period. NO LAB will be accepted more than two lab periods after data collection.

If you do not complete the lab satisfactorily during lab time, you may have to complete a written lab Report (“write-up”) which should include the following (as with all labs, due the following lab period/class): “Write-Ups”  A statement about the purpose of the experiment in the Intro/Theory section  List of significant data & results in table format in the Data Table and Results Table sections  Quantitative conclusions (i.e. percent difference) based upon significant results  Explanation of the discrepancies with expected results

The formal lab is slightly different. You may follow one of two guidelines, either the format of a Senior FORMAL LAB Project, or a publishable journal article. In both cases, you can assume that you “wrote” the lab manual experiment as a proposal for “your” research project. This FORMAL LAB doesn’t raise your grade until after the 40% value, i.e. 50% adds 1%, 60% adds 2%, and 100% adds 6% to your final grade.

MAKE-UP WEEK Your make-up lab is a self-contained ninth lab and is completed only if you missed a lab during the regular term. Department policy will only allow you to complete ONE lab during make-up week. Do not move the equipment once you are in lab. The Lab Final is during this week & requires about 40 minutes.

ACADEMIC You are expected for follow the University Policy regarding Academic Dishonesty as described in the HONESTY University Catalog. The department takes this very seriously.

EMERGENCIES If any unforeseen events occur, please contact me immediately (preferably with email and if received, I will respond.)

Mon Notes Physics 131L 3-Jan Uncertainty Quiz 0 by Mallinckrodt (take home) Introduction 10-Jan Quiz 0 is now due Uncertainties in Measurements 17-Jan Holiday: Martin Luther King Vectors 24-Jan Constant Acceleration 31-Jan Uniform Circular Motion 7-Feb Atwood’s Machine 14-Feb Conserved Quantities 21-Feb Static Equilibrium 28-Feb Rotational Dynamics 7-Mar Make-up Week & Lab Final Make-up Week & Lab Final 14-Mar No Lab this week No Lab this week

Course Syllabus - Page 2 of 2 1/11