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

Instructor: Prof. David Collins, Physics

Contact Information:

Classroom: Wubben Science 214

Prerequisites: Phys 111 (co-requisite).

Syllabus: Pdf Format

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 26 January 2015 Motion in One Dimension.
2 2 February 2015 Free Fall Motion.
3 9 February 2015 Vectors.
4 16 February 2015 Projectile Motion.
5 23 February 2015 Introduction to Forces.
6 2 March 2015 Newton's Second Law for a Single Object
7 9 March 2015 Newton's second Law: Atwood's Machine.
8 16 March 2015 Work and Kinetic Energy.
-- 23 March 2015 No lab
9 30 March 2015 Conservation of Energy.
10 6 April 2015 Conservation of Momentum.
11 13 April 2015 Rotational Motion.
12 20 April 2015 Equilibrium of a Rigid Body.
13 27 April 2015 Buoyancy and Density.
-- 4 May 2015 No lab



This page is maintained by David Collins
Last modified: 14 January 2015