Course Description

Physics is an experimental science; that is, the nature and validity of the theoretical framework that physicists use is informed by the outcomes of experiments which can be performed repeatably.

Phys 111L is the laboratory accompanying Phys 111. In this course you will conduct experiments and make observation on various physical systems. There are two objectives in this component of the course:

  1. gain hands-on experience with physical phenomena and
  2. understand the relationship between experimental observations and the corresponding theory.

Course Number: PHYS 111L

Instructors: Dirk Terpstra, Michael Langston

Contact Information:

Classroom: Wubben Science 214


Course Structure

Class will meet once during each of the weeks listed below. During each meeting you will be given specific tasks and an assignment to complete. Some of the laboratories consist of traditional experiments in these you will set up an apparatus, gather and analyze data and reach conclusions about the underlying physics based on your analysis. In other laboratories you will conduct qualitative, computational or ``thought'' experiments these are accompanied by a worksheet consisting of a series of questions that you will answer.


Laboratory Schedule

Lab Number Dates Title
1 27-28 January 2014 Motion in One Dimension.
2 3-4 February 2014 Free Fall Motion.
3 10-11 February 2014 Projectile Motion.
4 17-18 February 2014 Introduction to Forces.
5 24-25 February 2014 Newton's Second Law: Two Connected Objects.
6 3-4 March 2014 Spring Forces.
7 10-11 March 2014 Work and Kinetic Energy.
8 17-18 March 2014 Conservation of Energy.
-- 24 - 25 March 2014 No lab
9 31 March-1 April 2014 Conservation of Momentum.
10 7-8 April 2014 Rotational Motion.
11 14-15 April 2014 Energy in Rotational Motion.
12 21-22 April 2014 Simple Harmonic Motion.
13 28 - 29 April 2014 Buoyancy and Density.
-- 5- 6 May 2014 No lab



This page is maintained by David Collins
Last modified: 14 January 2014