Introduction
This course is an introductory physics laboratory designed to accompany PHYS 002A. Students will complete weekly experiments that reinforce and extend the concepts covered in lecture, with a focus on experimental methods, data analysis, and clear presentation of results.
Lab 0: Review of Course Materials and Graphing Data
We’ll kick off with a quick course overview (syllabus, grading rubric, expectations) and then dive into our first key topic: how to present experimental data graphically. We’ll discuss best practices for plots, including axes, units, error bars, significant figures, and common pitfalls, so you’re set up for clear, credible figures all term.
Lecture videos
- Lab 0 Lecture Video – Video from the first meeting of the semester.
Lecture notes
Lab 1: Simple Harmonic Oscillator
The first lab of the semester focuses on the harmonic oscillator using a mass on a spring. Students will conduct experiments with single springs as well as series and parallel configurations. Both static and dynamic tests will be performed to investigate system behavior under different conditions.
Lecture notes
Lab 2: Vibrating Strings
In this lab, students investigate standing wave patterns in a copper wire to explore the relationship between tension, linear density, and resonant frequency as described by Mersenne’s laws. Using a sinusoidal function generator to drive vibrations in a magnetically biased wire, students observe and analyze the conditions required for resonance, identify harmonic modes, and compare experimental results to theoretical predictions.
Lecture notes
Lab 3: Basic Sound
In this lab, students explore the formation of standing waves in an acoustic medium using a plastic tube as a resonant line. A speaker driven at 500 Hz generates sound waves within the tube, and a movable microphone is used to map the pressure distribution and identify nodes and antinodes. From these measurements, students determine the wavelength of the sound and examine how boundary conditions (solid, absorbing, and open terminations) affect the standing wave pattern and resonance behavior.
Lecture notes
Lab 4: DC Circuits
In this lab, students investigate fundamental principles of direct current (DC) circuits. They verify Ohm’s Law by measuring the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance, and apply Kirchhoff’s Voltage and Current Laws to analyze simple circuit networks. Students construct and measure resistor combinations in both series and parallel configurations, comparing experimental data with theoretical predictions to reinforce concepts of circuit analysis.
Lecture notes
Additional Lab: Electrostatic Fields
In this lab, students investigate the behavior of electrostatic fields and potentials using conducting paper with painted electrode configurations. By measuring voltage at various points, they map out equipotential lines for different geometries and visualize the corresponding electric field patterns. Students then analyze how the potential changes across the field, verifying that the electric potential decreases as field lines diverge and confirming the perpendicular relationship between electric fields and equipotential surfaces.