University Physics Labs

Appendices

Appendix A: Basic Concepts of Error Analysis and Error Propagation
- Significant Figures
  
  The laboratory usually involves measurements of several physical quantities such as length, mass, time, voltage and current...
- Types of Errors
  
  Every measurement has its error...
- Mean and Statistical Deviation
  
  Let's assume that both the systematic and personal errors can be eliminated by careful experimental procedures, then we can conclude that the experimental errors are governed by random statistical errors...
- Reporting of Results
  
  Typically, in the laboratory, one will be asked to make a number of repeated measurements on a given physical quantity, say x...
- Propagation of Errors
  
  The mean value of the physical quantity, as well as the standard deviation of the mean, can be evaluated after a relatively large number of independent similar measurements have been carried out...
- Percentage Discrepancy and Percentage Error
  
  Sometimes we want to know how an experimental value relates to the value you expect it to be (known as a constant or a calculated value)...
- Relative (Fractional) Uncertainty
  
  Relative (fractional) uncertainty is used to indicate how precise measurements are...
Appendix B: Photogate and Picket Fence
- How does the photogate measure velocity?
  
  Given that the picket fence, and whatever it's attached to, are both moving at constant velocity, the methods by which the photogates measure velocity are fairly simple...
- Picket Fences
  
  For the picket fence in Fig. 2, the laser beam is interrupted and starts the timer eight times...
Appendix C: Additional Instructional Videos

Laboratories

Measurements of a Table
- Objectives
  
  to practice the concepts of significant figures, mean value, standard deviation of the mean, and normal distribution by making multiple measurements of the length and width of a table...
- Equipment
  
  20-cm wooden rod, laboratory table, measuring tape or 2-m metric ruler, Graphical Analysis (GA) or Logger Pro Software...
- Introduction and Theory
  
  Physics is largely a science of measurements...
- Video
  
  View the video below prior to beginning your lab...
- Procedure
  
  Open the Graphical Analysis (GA) program...
- Worksheet
  
  Please print the worksheet for this lab. Answer all the questions on the Lab Worksheet prior to submitting the Inlab in WebAssign...
Linear Motion
- Objectives
  
  to compare the relationship between position vs. time and velocity vs. time for different types of linear motion
- Equipment
  
  battery-powered constant speed cart, masking tape, cardboard, PASCO motion sensor, fan cart, track,...
- Introduction and Theory
  
  Kinematics is the area of physics that studies types of motion without specifying what caused it...
- Video
  
  View the video below prior to beginning your lab...
- Procedure
  
  On the lab worksheet, sketch the graphs you expect to be produced by the cart moving toward the motion sensor with constant speed...
- Worksheet
  
  Please print the worksheet for this lab. Answer all the questions on the Lab Worksheet prior to submitting the Inlab in WebAssign...
Projectile Motion
- Objectives
  
  to test the validity of the kinematics model for simple projectile motion...
- Equipment
  
  inclined plane, guided track, Science Workshop interface,...
- Introduction and Theory
  
  Consider the projectile motion of a ball as shown in Fig. 3...
- Video
  
  View the video below prior to beginning your lab...
- Procedure
  
  The experimental setup is depicted in Figs. 1 and 2...
- Equations
  
  h = H₀ – h_i, where i = 1...4...
- Worksheet
  
  Please print the worksheet for this lab. Answer all the questions on the Lab Worksheet prior to submitting the Inlab in WebAssign...
Newton's Laws of Motion
- Objectives
  
  to validate Newton's Laws of Motion
- Equipment
  
  horizontal dynamic track, PASCO pass-cart, motion sensor connected to the Science Workshop Interface, lab stand, balance
- Introduction and Theory
  
  Newton's Laws are the essential part of Dynamics—the area of physics that studies the cause of motion experienced by an object...
- Video
  
  View the video below prior to beginning your lab...
- Procedure
  
  Measure the mass of the cart (M) and the mass of the hanger (m)...
- Worksheet
  
  Please print the worksheet for this lab. Answer all the questions on the Lab Worksheet prior to submitting the Inlab in WebAssign...
Hooke's Law
- Objectives
  
  to test Hooke's Law by measuring the spring constants of different springs and spring systems
- Equipment
  
  two nearly identical springs, long rubber band, support stand with a meter stick, 50-g mass hanger, set of masses from 100 g up to 600 g, balance scale, Science Workshop Interface with force sensor and rotational motion detector used as a linear sensor
- Introduction and Theory
  
  Elastic force occurs in the spring when the spring is being stretched/compressed or deformed (Δx) by the external force...
- Procedure
  
  The purpose of this part of the laboratory activity is to find the spring constant of the spring...
- Worksheet
  
  Please print the worksheet for this lab. Answer all the questions on the Lab Worksheet prior to submitting the Inlab in WebAssign...
Conservation of Momentum and Energy
- Objectives
  
  to investigate simple elastic and inelastic collisions in one dimension in order to study the laws of conservation of momentum and conservation of energy
- Equipment
  
  horizontal dynamics track, collision and dynamics carts with picket fences, photogates connected to the Science Workshop Interface, level, additional weights (masses)
- Introduction and Theory
  
  Collisions are an important way of studying how objects interact...
- Video
  
  View the video below prior to beginning your lab...
- Procedure
  
  The experimental setup is depicted in Figs. 1 and 2...
- Worksheet
  
  Please print the worksheet for this lab. Answer all the questions on the Lab Worksheet prior to submitting the Inlab in WebAssign...
Rotational Dynamics
- Objectives
  
  to explore the concept of moment of inertia
- Equipment
  
  data collection system, rotary motion sensor, mini rotational accessory, mass and hanger set, balance, super pulley with clamp, scissors, string, meter stick, stainless steel caliper
- Introduction and Theory
  
  Spinning and rotating objects are all around us...
- Relevant Equations
  
  This equation states that an unbalanced torque (or nonzero, "net" torque) will induce an angular acceleration...
- Procedure
  
  Measure the mass of each sliding mass and the rotating arm, and then measure the length of the rotating arm..
- Worksheet
  
  Please print the worksheet for this lab. Answer all the questions on the Lab Worksheet prior to submitting the Inlab in WebAssign....
Archimedes' Principle
- Objectives
  
  to confirm Archimedes' Principle for objects of different densities...
- Equipment
  
  force sensor, a beaker, a graduated cylinder, electronic balance, string, masking tape, overflow can,...
- Introduction and Theory
  
  When an object is immersed in a fluid, it feels lighter than when it is in the air...
- Video
  
  View the video below prior to beginning your lab...
- Procedure
  
  Place the force sensor on the horizontal rod that is attached to the vertical stand...
- Worksheet
  
  Please print the worksheet for this lab. Answer all the questions on the Lab Worksheet prior to submitting the Inlab in WebAssign...
The Pendulum
- Objectives
  
  to determine what characteristics of the pendulum change the period of oscillations...
- Equipment
  
  set of 6 identical washers that will act as the simple pendulum,...
- Introduction and Theory
  
  A simple pendulum consists of a point mass and a string...
- Video
  
  View the video below prior to beginning your lab...
- Procedure
  
  Open the preset experiment file: Desktop/pirt inst labs/PHY 113/PreSet Up Labs/Pendulum...
- Worksheet
  
  Please print the worksheet for this lab. Answer all the questions on the Lab Worksheet prior to submitting the Inlab in WebAssign...
Simple Harmonic Motion
- Objectives
  
  to define the characteristics that change the period of oscillation for a mass-spring system...
- Equipment
  
  collision cart of a known mass on a horizontal dynamics track oscillating by the means of springs in parallel,...
- Introduction and Theory
  
  If the hanging mass is displaced from the equilibrium position and released, then simple harmonic motion (SHM) will occur...
- Procedure
  
  In this experiment, you will verify if the period depends on the amplitude, and calculate the resonance frequency and spring constant of a system...
- Worksheet
  
  Please print the worksheet for this lab. Answer all the questions on the Lab Worksheet prior to submitting the Inlab in WebAssign...
Waves on Strings
- Objectives
  
  to measure speed of a transverse wave traveling in a Slinky...
- Equipment
  
  large Slinky, stopwatch, 30-m measuring tape, spring scale, PASCO vibrator powered by the variable frequency function generator,...
- Introduction and Theory
  
  Waves are one of the most important concepts in physics...
- Video
  
  View the video below prior to beginning your lab...
- Procedure
  
  In Part 1 of the Inlab, record the mass of the Slinky, which is given on the attached label...
- Worksheet
  
  Please print the worksheet for this lab. Answer all the questions on the Lab Worksheet prior to submitting the Inlab in WebAssign...
Speed of Sound - Resonance Tube
- Objectives
  
  to determine the speed of sound waves in air
- Equipment
  
  resonance tube, tuning forks, rubber mallet, measuring tape, thermometer
- Introduction and Theory
  
  A sound wave is a longitudinal wave in which the wave oscillates along the direction of propagation...
- Video
  
  View the video below prior to beginning your lab...
- Procedure
  
  You will be provided with two tuning forks of known frequencies f...
- Worksheet
  
  Please print the worksheet for this lab. Answer all the questions on the Lab Worksheet prior to submitting the Inlab in WebAssign...