Fundamentals of Physics Laboratory I
PHYS 113 Fall 2009
INSTRUCTOR:
Staff
Office: CHCB
Office Hours: (and by appointment)
LABS:
T 11:10 – 1:00 PM, 1:10 – 3:00 PM or W 1:10 – 3:00 PM or
TH 11:10 – 1:00 PM, 1:10 – 3:00 PM, 3:10 – 5:00 PM
WEBSITE:
www.physics.umt.edu/labs/phys113/
MATERIALS (Document Download): Laboratory Techniques Guide
PREREQUISITES:
COREQUISITES:
Working knowledge of high school algebra
Phys 111 (Fund. Phys.)
OVERVIEW: The goal of this class is to give you a sound introduction to classical experimental
physics. This will include studying some basic concepts in physics, development of problem
solving skills, and learning of laboratory techniques. It is essential that you keep up from the
start as the concepts in this course build on each other.
LABORATORY: There will be 12 two-hour labs during the semester. 11 of those labs will
count towards your final grade. You will be required to attend the labs, take measurements, and
keep a notebook for each lab. Each week before performing the next experiment you will be given
an open notebook quiz on the previous week’s lab. In preparation for the course, you should go
to the course web site to download the document: (1) Laboratory Techniques Guide, which explains
how to handle error analysis, graphing, and other key issues that come up while keeping a
laboratory notebook. Each week, a few days before your lab, you should download and print a
copy of the current lab, read it and bring it with you to your lab meeting. Students are expected
to have read the instructions prior to arriving at the lab. Labs are held Tues 11:10-1:00 pm, 1:103:00 pm or Wed 1:10-3 pm or Thurs 11:10-1:00 pm, 1:10-3:00 pm, or 3:10-5:00 pm in room CHCB
225 or 229. Lab quizzes are due before beginning the next experiment. There will be no make-up
labs.
GRADING:
Laboratory Quizzes:
100%
(10 pts each)
This course can be taken for a traditional letter grade only
A = 90%-100%, B = 80%-89%, C = 70%-79%, D = 60%-69%, F = 59% or less
Physics 113 Laboratory
Course Schedule
Week
1. 8/24-8/28
Lab
12. 11/9-11/13
Measuring
Instruments
Measuring g
Equilibrium
Centripetal Force
Hooke’s Law
Elastic Collisions
Ballistic Pendulum
Angular Momentum
Archimedes’
Principle
Standing Waves
Mechanical
Equivalent of Heat
No lab
(Veteren’s Day–Wed)
(No class Tues.)
13. 11/16-11/20
14. 11/23-11/27
Thermal Expansion
No lab
(Thanksgiving)
(No class Wed. – Fri.)
15. 11/30-12/4
16. 12/7-12/11
Last Quiz
No lab
2. 8/31-9/4
3. 9/7-9/11
4. 9/14-9/18
5. 9/21-9/25
6. 9/28-10/2
7. 10/5-10/9
8. 10/12-10/16
9. 10/19-10/23
10. 10/26-10/30
11. 11/2-11/6