College Physics Labs - Electricity and Mechanics

Lab Resources

Laboratory Information
- Safety
  
  Students must follow all posted safety rules and precautions and those announced by the TA...
- Recitation and Lab Schedules
  
  The laboratory associated with this physics course consists of a recitation session (one hour) and a laboratory session (one hour and fifty minutes)...
- Lab Session
  
  Students must be prepared for every lab meeting...
- Lab Report
  
  You will be able to view the lab report template (worksheet) for the experiment you are to do before attending the lab as part of the lab preparation...
- Demo Labs/Exam Review/Problem-Solving Sessions
  
  The lab schedule may list several different types of sessions during the lab meetings...
- Missed Labs
  
  If a student misses a lab (or believes he/she will have to miss a lab due to a university-excused absence), that student should try to find another section during that same week to do the lab experiment...
- Feedback
  
  In order to continue making improvements to this lab manual, feedback from the students is important...
Appendix
- Using Excel to Fit Data to a Linear Equation
  
  In Excel, put values to be plotted along the x-axis in the rows of column A...
- Theory of Errors
  
  The measurement of a physical quantity can never be made with perfect accuracy; there will always be some error or percent uncertainty present...

Lab Manuals

Resistors in Series and Parallel
- Introduction
  
  Direct current (DC) circuits are characterized by the quantities current, voltage and resistance...
- Objective
  
  In this lab we will measure and analyze currents and voltages for circuits containing a single resistor and also for two resistors in series and for two in parallel.
- Apparatus
  
  0-40 volt DC power supply, 12 volt lightbulb and socket, 150 and 700 ohm resistors, Digital multimeter
- Procedure
  
  The power supply is a source of potential difference (voltage). Locate the DC power supply at your table...
- Worksheet
  
  You will use a hard copy of this worksheet to enter data as you work through the experiment. Print the worksheet and bring it with you to the lab...
Magnetic Fields and Forces
- Introduction
  
  Moving charges produce a magnetic field...
- Objective
  
  In this lab, we will determine the direction of the magnetic field at the ends of a solenoid wrapped on an iron core and compare the results to the predictions of the right-hand rule...
- Apparatus
  
  Electromagnet (long rod with wire winding on it), DC power supply, Iron filings (in a plastic tray), Compass, Two connecting wires with banana plugs
- Procedure
  
  Locate the DC power supply on your lab table but do not connect it to the circuit yet...
- Worksheet
  
  You will use a hard copy of this worksheet to enter data as you work through the experiment. Print the worksheet and bring it with you to the lab...
Induced EMF
- Introduction
  
  The magnetic flux through a small element of surface with area ΔA is ΔΦ_B = B cos ϕ ΔA...
- Objective
  
  In this lab, we will measure the direction of the induced emf in a coil when an electromagnet is inserted into the coil and when it is removed...
- Apparatus
  
  Electromagnet (long rod with wire windings on it), DC power supply, 200-turn pick-up coil, Galvanometer, Two sets of a pair of connecting wires with banana plugs
- Procedure
  
  Locate the DC power supply on your lab table but do not connect it to the circuit yet...
- Worksheet
  
  You will use a hard copy of this worksheet to enter data as you work through the experiment. Print the worksheet and bring it with you to the lab...
The Reflection and Refraction of Light
- Introduction
  
  A transparent material is characterized by its refractive index, n, where n = c/v...
- Objective
  
  In this lab we will verify the law of reflection and locate the virtual image formed by a flat mirror...
- Apparatus
  
  Optical bench, Incandescent light source, Ray table and base, Slit plate, slit mask and holder, Transparent square plate, Transparent triangular plate, Plane mirror, Protractor, White paper, masking tape and scissors
- Procedure
  
  The basic ray optics setup is shown in Figure 1...
- Worksheet
  
  You will use a hard copy of this worksheet to enter data as you work through the experiment. Print the worksheet and bring it with you to the lab...
Thin Lenses
- Introduction
  
  The thin-lens equation is 1/s + 1/s' = 1/f where s is the object distance (the distance of the object from the lens), s' is the image distance (the distance of the image from the lens), and f is the focal length of the lens...
- Objective
  
  In this lab we will apply the thin-lens equation to the measurement of the focal length of a converging lens and of a diverging lens.
- Apparatus
  
  Optical bench, Incandescent light source with cross arrow plate, Viewing screen and holder, Converging lens (marked
  75 mm) and holder, Diverging lens (marked –150 mm) and holder, Plane mirror
- Procedure
  
  Since the lens does not have zero thickness, all measurements should be made from the plane through the center of the lens...
- Worksheet
  
  You will use a hard copy of this worksheet to enter data as you work through the experiment. Print the worksheet and bring it with you to the lab...
Thin-Film Interference
- Introduction
  
  Interference occurs when the light of wavelength, λ, from two coherent sources arrives at the same point...
- Objective
  
  In this lab we will analyze thin-film interference data from an experiment done with a thin air wedge between two glass plates...
- Apparatus
  
  Paper, Calculator, Pencil
- Procedure
  
  You will be given representative data from the following experiment and will be asked to analyze it...
- Worksheet
  
  You will use a hard copy of this worksheet to enter data as you work through the experiment. Print the worksheet and bring it with you to the lab...
Photoelectric Effect
- Introduction
  
  The photoelectric effect is the emission of electrons (called photoelectrons) from the surface of a conductor when light shines on the surface...
- Objective
  
  In this lab we will analyze photoelectric data in order to calculate the work function of the surface, the value of Planck's constant, h, and the threshold frequency.
- Apparatus
  
  In-lab computers, Excel
- Procedure
  
  The following data is an example of measured stopping potential, V₀, as a function of the wavelength, λ, of the light...
- Worksheet
  
  You will use a hard copy of this worksheet to enter data as you work through the experiment. Print the worksheet and bring it with you to the lab...