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.