Labs:
You will be working in groups on most lab activities. Your log book (lab book or lab journal) does not have to be "neat" but it must be organized. Make sure to put all pertinent information in your log book. Staple or tape graphs or data that you have printed so that they do not fall out. If you do not know how a particular piece of apparatus works read a Lab Equipment Manual or ask [other groups are great resources too!].Date |
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Lab Activities
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Simulations from PhET | ||
Tuesday Jan. 11 |
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Thursday Jan. 13 |
1
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Oscillations - Springs and Swings The first lab is available on-line to read or print. Use the link above. |
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Tuesday Jan. 25 |
2
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Useful Oscilloscope and Function Generator knobs |
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Tuesday Feb. 1 |
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Lab Combine #1 Damped and driven harmonic oscillator. |
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Tuesday Feb. 8 |
3
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Light Spectra You may find the experimental tutorial for the Ocean Optics Spectrometer useful. External references on illumination and spectral lines can be useful. Determine the primary additive and subtractive colors. |
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Tuesday Feb. 15 |
4
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Refraction (Snell's Law) |
Useful demos: Dispersion through a Prism | ||
Tuesday Feb. 22 |
5
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Lenses
Determine the focal length of a simple lens. |
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| Tuesday March 1 |
Lab Combine #2 Compound lenses (systems of lenses) |
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Tuesday March 8 |
6
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Static Charges and Electrostatic Force
Investige Coulomb's Law. Use the simulator to learn how to control the charged puck using the electrostic forces. |
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| March 14 - 18 | No School - Spring Break | ||||
Tuesday March 22 |
7
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Potential Lines Investigate voltage (aka potential difference). Use the simulator to determine the relationship between electric fields and voltage. |
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Tuesday March 29 |
8
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Resistors (Ohm's Observations) Investigate Ohm's observation. Use the circuit simulator you used for the capacitor lab to explore resistance in circuits. |
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Tuesday April 5 |
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Circuits Complex Use the circuit simulator to explore more complex DC circuits. Investigate the difference between resistors in series and in parallel. |
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| Tuesday April 12 |
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Lab Combine #3 E-field and Capacitance of the Earth. |
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Tuesday April 19 |
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Thursday April 21 |
10
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Capacitors
Determine the RC time constant for a circuit. Use the simulator to investigate current flow and voltage in a circuit. Make an electromagnet |
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| Tuesday April 26 |
11
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Magnetism and Induction Use the faraday simulator to explore magnetism.
Useful Oscilloscope and Function Generator knobs
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| Tuesday May 2 |
Post-tests etc. |
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Auxiliary |
X
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LCR You need AC voltage to appreciate how an LCR circuit can resemble a simple harmonic oscillator. |
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| C-level: Conceptual
diagram and summary due on lab day. Students must receive a 3 (out of 4) on
the C-level to move on to the B-Level. B-level: Basic lab must be checked on lab day for A-level work to earn credit. Edited lab summaries due by following Tuesday (best to get feedback on lab day). Students must receive a 2 (out of 4) on the B-Level to move on to the A-level. A-level: Advanced lab summaries due by following Tuesday. |
| Labs are evaluated on 0=not present, 1=poor, 2=needs improvement, 3=meets expectations and 4=exceeds expectations. |
| Your percent lab grade is given by %=(5*C + 3*B + 2*A + 42)/82*100%. You may find it easier to look at a table of scores. |