Physics 4A - Lab

The following set of lab exercises provide a starting point for the exploration of lab processes in a physics environment. The exercises are not all necessarily just one week long; some may take two weeks or more. At the instructors discretion some labs may be deleted. The order of the labs may also be changed. This booklet is designed to be used in conjunction with the "LAB SKILLS MANUAL" which must be purchased separately. It is in the LAB SKILLS MANUAL that laboratory procedure is defined. This work is only a collection of experiments, not an explanation of techniques. The experiments should be read and studied by the student before the lab commences.

The first two labs (VERNIER and DENSITY) may be performed on the same day, time allowing. There is a detailed and substantial explanation of the air track before any of the air track labs. It is imperative that this introduction be thoroughly read and studied by the student and instructor before any air track labs are performed. Failure to do so may result in damaging the air track equipment. A short multiple choice quiz is available for the instructor to give to students to check their having read the air track introduction.

LAB EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS:

Every student must bring to the lab a minimum of required equipment:

1. A lab note book (which may or may not be kept in the laboratory for the entire quarter). The note book must be of the size: 10" X 7 7/8", be "quadrille ruled", and either one of two style numbers: 26-151 or 26-251 or 43-475.

2. A ruler. A #36 "C-thru" ruler (or anything else that is better) is acceptable.

3. A scientific calculator. Trig and log functions required. (Statistical functions up to standard deviation are recommended)

4. A pen and pencil.

5. The LAB SKILLS MANUAL  (not yet on line)

Please refer to the LAB SKILLS MANUAL for more detail about laboratory procedure.

Lab Book Evaluation Form

Old 4A Lab Manual

Enrollment, Lab Introduction, and:

1. THE VENIER SCALE

This lab has serveral pictures which have been lost. To see those pictures, you can download this pdf file of the 4A Lab Manual of several years ago.  Although some labs have changed, the Vernier lab, and the Behr Free lab below, have not.

Discuss uncertainties and:
2. DENSITY AND MEASUREMENT

3. THE BEHR FREE FALL EXPERIMENT

There are a couple of missing pictures here, but you can get them from the Old Lab Manual as a pdf file found above.

Lab Final

SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION AND A VERTICAL SPRING (not ready yet)  
SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION (NO AIR TRACK) (not ready yet)