DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
Summer I 2012
July 2 - August 4
Physics 2BL: Physics Laboratory – Mechanics and Electrostatics
Course Web Site: http://www.physics.ucsd.edu/students/courses/summer2012/session1/physics2bl
Description: In this course you will perform physics experiments and test physical models. We will
explore different modes of scientific inquiry, from making observations to establishing relationships to
testing and refining models of the physical world. The principle objective of this course is for you to gain
some understanding of the methods scientists use to investigate nature, and to further your
understanding of mechanics and electrostatics through hands-on experience. Other important
objectives of this course include learning how to keep accurate records of lab work (i.e., your lab book),
and to assess errors in measurement. Labs will not meet on the day of the first lecture. On the day of
lecture 2, experiment 1 will be started. Each experiment takes two lab periods. The scientific inquiry (but
not necessarily the physics) becomes increasingly complex through these first four labs. Come prepared.
Meeting times & places:
Lecture: TuTh 8-8:50 pm, York 2722
Labs:
Course Coordinator: Patti Hey
Office: Mayer Hall Addition 2571
Section 747203 A50 TuTh 9-11:50 am
Email: plhey@physics.ucsd.edu
Section 747204 A51 TuTh 12-2:50 pm
Login to WebReg to add/change/drop without
a “W” (July 13th), last day to drop with a “W”
(July 31st)
Section 747205 A52 TuTh 3-5:50 pm
Instructor: Tera (Bell) Austrum,
Tutorial Center: 2702 Mayer Hall Addition,
Phone: 858-246-0100
http://tutorialcenter.ucsd.edu
Email: tbell@physics.ucsd.edu
Hours: see website
Office Hours: TuTh 6-7pm MHA 1642
Teaching Assistants:
Required Materials:
Hsi-Ming Chang h2chang@ucsd.edu
An Introduction to Error Analysis, J.R. Taylor, 2nd
edition, (University Science Books, 1997)
Forrest Sheldon fsheldon@ucsd.edu
Quad-ruled composition notebook
Daniel Walsh
dkwalsh@ucsd.edu
Scientific calculator, pens
Optional (for extra credit): registered iClicker
Lab TA Coordinator:
Chris Murphy
cwmurphy@ucsd.edu
Office hours:
M 10a-12p MHA 2722
Prerequisites: Physics 2B or 4C.
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
Summer I 2012
Course Grade:
Homework – should be completed before each
lab meeting, but will neither be collected nor
graded
Prelab Quizzes (20%) – Administered the first 15
minutes of the first meeting (A) of each of the 4
labs. Content includes the prelab questions and
the homework problems. Quizzes are open
book/open notes. No make-ups.
July 2 - August 4
Lab Reports (40%) – Due at the end of the
second meeting (B) of each of the 4 labs. See
rubrics for guidelines.
Final Exam (40%) – Administered during the 10th
lecture meeting (August 2nd, 8-8:50 pm, York
2722). No make-ups.
Extra Credit (up to 5%) – Extra credit will be
given for students who attend the lectures and
participate with registered clickers
Tardiness, Missed Labs and Other Issues:
Quizzes: If you are late for a quiz but the quiz is still on-going, you may take the quiz but must
turn in your quiz at the same time as everyone else (15 minutes after the start of lab). However, if you
arrive after the quiz has been collected then you will receive a zero and cannot make up the quiz unless
you have a legitimate excuse (for such cases, contact the LTAC with your documented reason for
missing the quiz).
Experiments: Each student must be present while the experiment is being conducted and
collect their own data. Even though students usually work in groups of 2-3 students and share data, it is
unacceptable for a student to arrive late and simply copy the data of their lab partners. Part of the
course is in conducting the experiments. If you are late by more than 15 minutes after the other
students have begun the experiment, you will be required to work independently on the experiment. If
there is not enough equipment, then you must e-mail the TAs of another section and ask if you can
attend their section. You will still be required to submit your lab report when lab reports are due for
your original section (not the makeup section you attended). Data must be signed by a TA before
leaving the lab room. Unsigned data will not be graded.
Lab Reports: Reports submitted after your lab session ends during the second meeting of each
lab is considered late. A report will be docked 2.5 points (out of a maximum of 10 points) for each day it
is late, so perform calculations before leaving the first lab section.
Lab Make-up: If you miss lab for a legitimate reason, you may make it up. To make up the lab,
you should e-mail the TAs of another section and ask if you may attend their section, based on the
number of students in their section and the amount of available equipment. However, you will still be
required to submit your lab report to your original TAs, at the time the lab reports are due for your
original section (not the section you attended to make up the experiment).
Re-grades: Will only be considered up to the following lab period after work has been returned.
After this, grades are final. (Re-grading allows for the possibility of additional point deductions.)
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
Summer I 2012
July 2 - August 4
Special Needs: Please contact the instructor at the start of the quarter for any help or adjustments you
may need.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
Please read "UCSD Policy on Integrity of Scholarship" in the UCSD General Catalog
(http://www.ucsd.edu/catalog/front/AcadRegu.html). These rules will be rigorously enforced. Any
confirmed case of cheating will result in an “F” grade in Physics 2BL and referral to the appropriate dean
for disciplinary action. For the purposes of this class, cheating includes submitting another person’s work
as your own, copying from another student on Quizzes or the Final Exam (or knowingly allowing another
student to copy from you), and turning in identical lab reports.
Throughout this course, you may have one lab partner as you conduct experiments unless instructed
otherwise by the instructor or TAs. As a result, you and your partner will have the same data. However,
you are expected to write your own reports. You are welcome to verify calculations with each other and
analyze the results together but you must write up the entire report in your own words. This means
calculations, analysis of calculations/results, answering of questions, conclusions, etc. must be
computed/written individually. We are aware that if you choose to analyze your result together, you will
likely have similar conclusions. However, while your conclusions might be the same, you must write
them in your own words in your report.
Lecture
Exp
Date
1
July 3
2
A
July 5
3
B
July 10
4
A
July 12
B
July 17
A
July 19
B
July 24
A
July 26
B
July 31
1
2
5
6
3
7
8
9
10
4
August 2
Lecture Topics
Course Overview
Discussion of Exp 1 – Goals, setup
(Deduce mean density of the earth)
Measurements, uncertainties.
Statistical Analysis
Intro to error propagation
Discussion of Exp 2 – goals, setup
(Deduction of mass distribution)
Histograms & distributions
The Gaussian Distribution,
Maximum likelihood,
Rejected data, Weighted mean
Discussion of Exp 3 – goals, setup
(Tune a shock absorber)
Fitting
Chi-squared test of distribution
Discussion of Exp 4 – goals, setup
(Calibrate a voltmeter)
Chi-squared
Covariance and correlation
Final Exam Review
Final Exam
8PM, York 2722
Assignment
Lab:
Taylor:
-Prepare for Quiz #1
-Read chapters 1-3, HW 1
Lab:
Taylor:
-Analyze data for Exp #1
-Read chapter 4, HW 2
Lab:
Taylor:
-Prepare for quiz #2
-Read chapter 5, HW 3
Lab:
Taylor:
-Analyze data for Exp #2
-Read chapters 6-7, HW 4
Lab:
Taylor:
Lab:
Taylor:
Lab:
Taylor:
Lab:
Taylor:
Lab:
-Prepare for quiz #3
-Read chapter 8, HW 5
-Analyze data for Exp #3
-Read chapters 9 & 12
-Prepare for quiz #4
-HW 6
-Analyze data for Exp #4
-Prepare for final exam
-Pick up graded work from TAs
-Pick up final from LTAC
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
Summer I 2012
July 2 - August 4
Grades:
An absolute grading scale is used in this course:
≥95%
≥90% & <95%
≥85% & <90%
A+
A
A-
≥80% & <85%
≥75% & <80%
≥65% & <75%
B+
B
B-
≥60% & <65%
≥55% & <60%
≥50% & <55%
C+
C
C-
≥40% & <50%
D
<40%
F
Quizzes
Lab reports
Final Exam
Total
(Extra credit
20%
40%
40%
100%
≤5%)