Physics 251L Syllabus
Enrollment, or a passing grade, in Physics 251 University Physics I is a requirement for this course.
This course is to supplement theory you learn in Physics 251 with experiments, and to develop technical communication skills and laboratory techniques.
- Required Text
- Ph251L ``Yellow Cover'' Manual.
- Notebook
- College ruled, or laboratory style notebook to be used for 251L exclusively.
- Pen
- Ink pen for recording in your lab notebook.
- Suggested Text
- Halliday, Resneck, & Walker. Fundamentals of Physics,
Edition, Vol. 1. Wiley, 2005.
- Computing
- Personal computer with word processing and spreadsheet software. Graphing capability is suggested.
Each day's lab will begin with a short review of the relevant theory, and a discussion of procedures and precautions. I will try to make the lecture as short as possible, but for that to happen I need everyone to have read the relevant section in the lab manual before class begins. If you arrive to lab after I have started lecturing, enter the room quietly, and stand near the door until I have finished speaking, or I say you may take your seat.
Unless you think I've made a mistake (very possible), please hold your questions until the end of the lecture. If you have any questions during lab, please come and find me, as I may not get to your lab group in a timely fashion.
Assignments and laboratory reports are due by the beginning of the next lab period after they are assigned. Graded assignments and lab reports will be returned at the beginning of the next lab period after they are due.
You are expected to turn in a lab report for each lab activity. Each lab partner is expected to turn in an individual lab report. All duplicates will be considered as missing a lab. Lab reports are to be typed in full, complete sentences. The following format is strongly suggested:
- Title
- Cover page including the lab title, your name, your lab partners' names, the date, and your assigned section number.
- Introduction
- The purpose of the lab and general background information, including relevant theory.
- Procedure
- What was done during lab-not necessarily what was supposed to have been done. Equipment used and a description of how it was used (if not obvious).
- Calculations/Results
- Equations used, why they were used, and how they were derived. May include experimental results.
- Results/Questions
- Relevant questions and their answers. Contains all experimental results not included in the the previous section.
- Conclusion
- Summary of results, and discussion in the contex of the relevant theory.
- Data
- Full-page graphs (including copies of any graphs embedded in previous sections), and all data taken during lab. Data must have my initials for your report to be graded.
You must have me initial your lab data sheet(s) before you leave. Any lab report containing data without my initials will not be graded and will be considered a missing lab. There will be no exceptions.
I will grade your reports based on the demonstration of your knowledge of physics and your ability to communicate what you did and your objectives, not on the error in your results. If your results were not what was expected, that's okay as long as you have a reasonable explanation of why (detailed error analysis). Your grade will not depend directly on your results as long as you work hard to get the best results you can, and understand the physics. Please inform me if, during the course of the experiment, you suspect your results aren't correct. Often times, the problem can be corrected in the class.
Each lab report is worth 10 points. Your final letter grade is based on the following scale: 90% and above is an A, 80% to 89% is a B, 70% to 79% is a C, 60% to 69% is a D, and less than 60% is an F. Lab reports that are turned in late are worth half. Failure to hand in a lab report will drop your final grade by one letter. Failure to hand in two or more lab reports will result in automatic failure of the course.
I must be informed at least 24 hours in advance of any non-emergency absences before I'll consider allowing a make-up lab. No student will be allowed more than one make-up lab for any reason. If you cannot make it to lab for your scheduled section, but can attend another section, you must discuss your intentions with me no later than 9:00am the Monday of your lab. Attending an alternate section does not count as a make-up lab.
Students with disabilities and/or that require special accommodations in the lab are encouraged to speak with the instructor as soon as possible to make the appropriate arrangements.
Everyone's behavior is expected to meet the highest standards and at minimum must conform to the NDSU Senate Policy, Section 335: Code of Academic Responsibility and Conduct http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/policy/335.htm.