Syllabus
PES 216 Advanced Physics Lab II
All lab sections will follow the same syllabus including the grading
policies! No exceptions will be allowed.
Course Objectives
In the real world of experimental physics the true answer is almost never known. The goal of any
experiment is to learn about the unknown. For most of you this is your first encounter with experimental
physics. Therefore, we need to concentrate on the techniques of performing experiments rather than on
performing cutting-edge research. The experiments you will be performing, this semester, will contain
known results. Be aware that this is not how it works in the real world.
Most experiments begin by identifying the goal of the experiment. This is not always an easy
thing to do. Some of the most important discoveries have arisen from accidents while trying to investigate
another result.
Materials
- Required Textbook:
- Calculator:
- UFP account:
PES 216 Laboratory Packets - found at this website.
Scientific calculators will be needed in lab. It should be able to
perform trigonometric, inverse trigonometric, power, exponential
and logarithmic functions as well as scientific notation.
You will need your account to access the lab computers and save data.
See the IT department to setup your account
Laboratory Groups
- You will be working in groups of 3 students. As a member of this group, you
are expected to participate in all aspects of the lab.
General Laboratory and Course Information
- Much of what you need to know is in the laboratory manual. The purpose of this course
is to provide you with the time, equipment, and guidance to explore the laws of
physics in a laboratory setting. Consequently:
- You are expected to read and understand the current week's lab before coming
to class. This will save you significant time in lab.
- At the beginning of each lab period, there will be a brief lecture over parts of
that week’s lab that I feel need some additional attention.
- Any student eligible for and requesting academic accommodations due to a disability is
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required to provide a letter from Disability Services within the first two weeks of class.
Disability Services is located in MH 105, 262-3354.
- Additional information on university policies may be found in the Schedule of
Courses/ Registration Instructions and the Course Bulletin.
Prelabs
- Prelabs will give you practice performing some of the skills that you will need for
that meeting’s lab.
- Prelabs are due at the beginning of the lab period of the corresponding lab. The first
prelab is due at the beginning of the first class session!
- Write all prelabs on a separate sheet of paper.
Laboratory Write Ups
- Lab write ups are due at the beginning of the next class meeting.
- Please see the document “Lab Write Up Guidelines” located on this website for additional
information.
Grading
- Your grade will be based on the 14 labs and prelabs you will do this semester. Each lab will be
worth 100 points apiece, and prelabs will be worth 30 points apiece. There will be no quizzes
or exams.
- Final grades are based on the standard scale:
100-90% = A
89-80% = B
79-70% = C
69-60% = D
59-0%
=F
Attendance
- This is a laboratory class. Consequently, attendance is required at every class meeting.
- You will be required to sign-in on the sheet provided by your instructor at the beginning of
every lab class. No assignments (prelab or lab report) will be accepted from anyone that did not
sign-in on the day of the lab.
- Do not miss class. Due to the nature of this course, no make-ups will be available!
- No late work will be accepted!
- One, and only one, lab and prelab will be dropped from the final grade due to an unforeseen
absence.
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