PHY 12  Introductory Physics Laboratory I  (1)

Instructor:  Alvin Kanofsky

Current Catalog Description
A laboratory course taken concurrently with PHY 11.  Experiments in mechanics, heat, waves, and DC electrical circuits.  One three-hour laboratory period per week.  Prerequisite: PHY 10 or PHY 11, preferably concurrently.  Kanofsky (NS)

Textbook
"Laboratory Instruction Booklet for Physics", Revised Spring 2008

References
None

Course Outcomes
Students will:

1. Perform mechanical, wave, and thermodynamic experiments that help the students understand the principles and applications taught in Physics 11.
2. By doing the experiments in the same way as in a research laboratory, the students learn how research is done. We require the students to record what they do, not just the data, in a laboratory notebook in enough detail so that they can redo the experiments later in a lab exam, as described below.
3. Some of the experiments are designed to familiarize the students with circuit techniques, computer-assisted data talking, and spreadsheet data analysis.

Relationship between Course Outcomes and Program Outcomes
None

Prerequisites by Topic
1. Mechanics and thermodynamics (Physic 10 or 11, preferably concurrently)

Major Topics Covered in the Course
(Each laboratory project is one week unless specified)
Exp 1: Measurement accuracy and the falling body
Exp 2: Least squares fit and the falling body (1.5 weeks)
Exp 3: Wavelength and speed of sound
Exp 4: Balance of force vectors (0.5 weeks)
Exp 5: Collision of air-supported pucks
Exp 6: Period of pendulum
Exp 7: Rotational dynamics, moment of inertia, and conservation of angular momentum (2weeks)
Exp 8: Basics of electrical circuits
Exp 9: Series of parallel electric circuits
Exp 10: Heat transfer rate (2 weeks)
Exp 11: Specific heat of water
Exp 12: Special project (See Assessment Plan below)

Assessment Plan for the Course

Every student is required to submit at least eleven written reports of typically six pages. These are graded and returned. In addition, there is a "special project" asssessment at the end of the semester. By random selection, each student is assigned to do one of the eleven experiments (modified slightly) again without the use of the lab manual. Instead, they must rely on their own lab notebook. They will do well if they have properly recorded their previous attempt during the semester. In this way, they learn how to record an experiment.