CSUSB PHYSICS
223 Lab
Fall
2015
Timothy D. Usher, Ph.D.
Office: PS-115
Telephone: 880-5410
E-mail: tusher@csusb.edu
Web Site: http://physics.csusb.edu/~tusher/
Office Hours: Monday 4-6 and
Wednesday 1-2 and 4-6
Main Physics Office: PS-119, Telephone: 537-5397 www page "http://physics.csusb.edu"
Required Textbooks: Physics 223 lab manual; provided in digital form as part of your lab fee.
Recommended Textbook: An Introduction to Error Analysis
by John R. Taylor. The introduction is particularly recommended.
Computer software: Graphing software is available in PS 104. Other
software is also available. In addition, the internet can be accessed from
PS104.
Corequisite: Physics 223
(class)
Note: An F in laboratory results in an automatic F in
class!!!!
General course goals: My
goals as your professor are as follows:
1. Help you build conceptual tools and basic knowledge of Physics.
2. Help you improve your ability to think.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE: We will begin with experiment number 1 and proceed in order through experiment number 9.
GRADING
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU ATTEND EACH AND EVERY LABORATORY
!!!! A TOTAL OF THREE OR MORE MISSED LABORATORY REPORTS RESULTS IN AN F
FOR THE LAB!
If you do not attend a laboratory, you cannot hand in a laboratory report and you will receive a 0 for that report. A total of three or more missed laboratory reports results in an F for the lab regardless of the average and an F in laboratory results in an F for the overall course!!
The laboratory equipment is taken down each week so there are no make-up labs after the equipment has been taken down!
Pre-Lab quiz (20%): It is
important that you read each lab manual write-up before coming to lab. A lab quiz will be given at the beginning
of each lab to determine if you have read the lab write-up before coming. This
will determine 20 percent of your grade.
FINAL (25%): A lab final will be given on the last week of class (NOT during finals week). This final will
determine 25% of your laboratory grade. The final will cover all of the labs
during the quarter, so don't just do them and forget them! Some students have a
tendency to just run through the motions without really thinking about the lab.
One purpose of the lab final is to encourage students to THINK about the
labs. The lab final often determines the grade distribution because students
tend to get similar grades on labs.
Worksheets (55%) The
worksheets are due the same day. Even though you will work on the
labs in pairs, each student will hand in a separate spread sheet.
It is generally expected that students do well in laboratory and that this will help improve the course grade. You may find it quite easy to get a C or D on lab reports; however, the reports must be outstanding in order to receive a 100. The final numeric grade will be reported to your instructor with a copy of this grading scale. It is ultimately up to the lecture instructor to determine how to incorporate this final grade into your overall grade.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- SAFETY FIRST!! Always be very careful. If you are unsure, ASK!
- Keep this handout!
- Thoroughly read each lab before coming to lab! Some labs will require graph
paper or you may use the graphing software in PS104.
- A simple calculator with the following functions will be of use: sin, cos,
and square root.
- If you have a laptop, it might be
useful to bring it.
- It is important to be on time. Critical instructions are given at the
beginning of each lab!!!
- Honesty is expected. Dishonesty will be dealt with harshly. Cheating, or any
other form of dishonesty will result in an F for the lab!
- You will work with a lab partner. It is expected that each person contribute
equally. I will check to see that this is the case. Of course, your data will
be the same. I suggest that you check each other's calculations and discuss the
questions posed in the lab manual. You will turn in separate lab reports. The
lab reports must not be virtual duplicates. If this happens, both
reports may receive a zero.
- For labs 6 and 8, I strongly recommend that you complete as much of the
lab as possible during the lab period for a number of reasons. 1) I am readily
available to consult with you. A student who rushes through a lab and then
spends the rest of the week trying to figure out what she/he did. 2) The longer
you wait to write-up the lab the more difficult it is to write-up. 3) The
laboratory equipment is moved around, changed or even put away after you leave,
making it impossible for you to finish the lab if you forgot to make one small
measurement. 4) You should at least calculate a final answer and check to see
if it makes sense before leaving. Remember, you must have me initial your data
sheet before you leave anyway. A late lab (one that is not turned in at the
beginning of the meeting) will have 10 points deducted from it. A lab that is
over one week late may not be accepted at all!!!!
- I strongly urge you to keep a laboratory notebook, a sort of a diary.
Many laboratories require this. It is much more difficult to lose a lab
notebook than lose scraps of paper.
- Save all of your returned lab reports.
- Notice that most of the equipment has been well maintained; please help us
keep it that way so we can help keep education cost down. Anyone caught
defacing or intentionally damaging or stealing laboratory equipment or furnishings
will be reported to the department chair.
- Be sure to ask questions. The only dumb question is the one left unasked.
- We are all human and deserve to be treated as such, so, if you have any
problems please see me about them.
- If you have a concern about your grades, be sure to speak with me before
taking any drastic measures.
- Audio/Visual aids (films, videos, computer programs, etc.) are available.
- Many services are available at the University:
- The laboratory should be a very enjoyable experience. The atmosphere is more
relaxed than in a classroom. In fact, I feel that the laboratory experience
most closely resembles what Physics is supposed to be. One seeks understanding
from Nature itself.