| Code |
Title |
Description |
CDA |
SSA |
| AA |
Measurements & Uncertainties |
Students learn to make measurements
using meter sticks, micrometer and vernier calipers, and a beam
balance. Aspects of estimating uncertainties is explored. |
No |
No |
| AB |
Statistical Analysis of Data |
The concept of uncertainties is
expanded to include those associated with quantities that are
indirectly determined (calculated) from measurements. This lab includes
a tutorial on spreadsheet use and linear regression. |
Yes |
Yes |
| AG |
Velocity and Acceleration |
Using low friction cart and track,
students investigate motion at constant acceleration and learn how to
determine the signed component of the acceleration along the
track. |
Yes |
No |
| AM |
Position and Velocity |
Students learn how to use a motion
detector and investigate how their body motion can be displayed as
graphs of position vs. time and velocity vs. time and how they are
related. |
Yes |
No |
| AN |
Acceleration and Force |
Using an electronic force sensor and a
low friction cart and track, students investigate the dependence of an
object's acceleration on its mass and on the applied force. |
Yes |
No |
| AP |
Acceleration Due to Gravity |
Students investigate the motion of an
object moving with constant acceleration and determine $g$ the
acceleration due to gravity at the earth's suface. |
Yes |
Yes |
| AQ |
Impulse and Momentum |
A cart on a track is propelled into a
collision with various bumpers (spring, rubber, clay, and magnetic)
mounted on a force probe. The motion sensor is used to determine cart
velocities before and after the collision and a force probe is used to
measure the impulse. The cart mass, initial velocity, and the type of
collision (nearly elastic, partially and totally inelastic) are varied. |
Yes |
No |
| AT |
Atwood's Machine |
Using a pulley and hanging masses,
students investigate Newton's second law of motion and study the
dependence of an object's acceleration on its mass and on the applied
force. |
Yes |
Yes |
| AV |
Vectors |
Simple graph paper, ruler, protractor
experiment in which students learn polar/cartesian representations and
transformations, vector components, addition, and subtraction. |
No |
No |
| BA |
Force Table |
Students make measurements of forces
in equilibrium and verify vector addition relationships for forces. |
No |
No |
| BC |
Torques and Rotational Equilibrium |
Students hang masses on a meter stick
that is free to rotate about a pivot point. By varying the position of
the
pivot point and the positions and values of the masses while keeping
the meter stick balanced, they verify that the quantity relevant to
turning motion is torque---the product of force and lever arm. |
No |
Yes |
| BR |
Centripetal Force |
Using a mass on a specially designed
rotation platform the relationship F=mv^2/r is investigated. Force,
mass and radius are measured directly. speed is inferred from a
rotational period measurement and the radius. |
Yes |
No |
| CB |
Passive Forces |
Using the force sensor with a
two-sided block and various weights, strings, chains, rubberbands and a
meterstick, students investigate the properties of tension forces,
normal forces and frictional forces. |
Yes |
Yes |
| FA |
Simple Harmonic Motion |
The simple harmonic motion of a mass
on a spring is studied. The period of the motion is measured and
compared with theoretical predictions. The measurements are also used
to determine a value for the acceleration due to gravity. |
Yes |
No |
| GA |
Torsional Pendulum |
The rotational motion of a torsional
pendulum is investigated. The period of the motion is measured and its
dependence on the pendulum's moment of inertia is determined. The shear
modulus of the wire material is also determined. |
Yes |
Yes |
| HA |
Hooke's Law \& Young's Modulus |
By measuring the elongation of a thin
wire when subject to the stretching forces of hanging masses,
studentsverify Hooke's law and determine the wire material's Young's
modulus. |
No |
Yes |
| HC |
Standing Waves and Resonance
|
Resonance conditions for sound waves
in a variable length tube are measured. The wavelengths for several
frequencies are determined and the wave velocity is obtained. Students
also set up and measure traveling waves and standing waves on a coiled
spring. |
No |
Yes |
| IA |
Archimede's Principle |
Using graduated cylinder, water, beam
balance, sinking and floating objects and cartesian diver, students
compare the apparent weight of an object in air and underwater,
measure the displaced volume of water for a floating object and create
a neutral bouyancy condition. |
No |
No |
| JA |
Boyle's Law |
Students verify
Boyle's Law by measuring the volume of a fixed
quantity of a gas as they vary the pressure exerted on the gas. |
No |
Yes |
| KA |
Heat of Fusion and Heat of Vaporization |
Calorimetry measurements of the heat
of fusion and heat of vaporization of water using the method of
mixtures. |
No |
No |
| ME |
Ultrasound Wave Interference |
The interference of two ultrasound
waves is observed and the wavelength is determined. The frequency is
measured and the wave velocity is also determined. |
No |
Yes |
| NA |
Electric Fields and Equipotentials |
The relationship among equipotential
surfaces, the electric field and electric field lines are explored. |
Yes |
No |
| NC |
Electrostatics |
Using ordinary plastic tape and a
specially designed "Pie-plate Electrostatic Demonstrator," students
investigate the sign of electrostatically-charged objects, attraction
and repulsion of static charges, charging by induction and charge
transfer. |
No |
No |
| OA |
Ohm's Law |
Students investigate the behavior of
resistive elements in DC circuits such as current vs. voltage
characteristics for a carbon resistor and for a lightbulb. |
Yes |
No |
| OB |
Circuits |
Using a multi-lightbulb circuit board
and fixed DC supply, students study series, parallel, and
series/parallel arrangements using lightbulb brightness as a gauge of
current in the lightbulb. |
No |
No |
| OC |
Resistance and Resistivity
|
Students measure the dependence of
cylindircal resistances on the cylinder's length and diameter and on
the metal from which it is made. The resistivity of several
metals is determined.
|
Yes |
Yes |
| OE |
Resistor Capacitor Circuits |
Students investigate the charging and
discharging of RC circuits. |
Yes |
No |
| PA |
Magnetic Fields |
Students map the magnetic fields
around a
bar magnet and a current-carrying coil. |
No |
No |
| PC |
Tangent Galvanometer |
Students use a tangent galvanometer to
verify that the magnetic field of a coil at its center is proportional
to the coil current and the number of turns of the coil. The horizontal
component of the earth's field is also determined. |
Yes |
Yes |
| PE |
Electron Motion in a Magnetic Field |
Students measure the radius of the
circular orbit of electrons in a uniform magnetic field as they vary
the electron energy and the strength of the field. From this data they
determine the ratio of the electron's charge to its mass. |
No |
Yes |
| PF |
Induced Currents |
Students investigate currents induced
to flow in a closed circuit by a changing magnetic flux passing through
the circuit. |
No |
No |
| TC |
Reflection and Refraction |
Students verify the laws of reflection
and refraction and measure the index of refraction of a transparent
material. |
No |
No |
| TE |
Thin Lenses and Mirrors |
Students observe and measure the
imaging properties of lenses and mirrors. |
No |
No |
| TG |
Spectra and the Wavelength of Light |
Students observe and measure the
dispersion of light into its component colors using a diffraction
grating. The continuous spectrum of an incandescent lightbulb is
observed and the wavelengths in the discrete spectrum of a mercury arc
lamp are measured. |
No |
No |