Lab section A:
Wednesday, 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Lab Section B:
Wednesday, 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Welcome to the Physics Lab page. Lab is an integral part of any introductory physics course. The labs we perform are basically exercises to reinforce what you are learning in lecture. It is hoped that you will gain hands-on knowledge of how things work and some of the principles of experimental design and data analysis.

Lab Etiquette

In lab you will work in groups of three at most, all sitting on the same side of the table for ease in working with the equipment. One person in the group will be responsible for the equipment. Everyone is responsible for cleaning up at the end of lab. Please make sure that any trash finds its way to the wastebasket.

The labs are designed to be completed in the time allotted. In general, we will use every bit of that time. We will spend some time near the end of lab discussing our results as a class. You are dismissed early only when I have given permission. No one may depart until everyone in your group is finished, your area is cleaned up, and you have turned in your report. If for some reason we don't finish on time, I will give instructions about five minutes before the lab period ends.

Common sense will govern most safety issues. It should go without saying, but please keep liquids away from the electrical outlets in the middle of the tables.

While you will take data as a group, unless otherwise instructed, each of you must do your own calculations. This insures that the calculations are not only double-checked, but triple-checked. Then each of you will write your own conclusions.

You are expected to bring your calculator and your book to lab. If you do not have your calculator, points will be deducted from your lab. These points will in turn be donated to the person who lets you use a calculator (a rental fee and payment for any inconvenience).

Because it is not expected that you always will get everything right the first time, I allow, encourage, and recommend that you do your labs in pencil. You are usually filling information in on a handout and it is generally neater to erase than to scratch through.