APPROVED
COURSE OUTLINE
PHY 1048L PHYSICS
LABORATORY I ___1__
Prefix Number Course
Title Cr.Hrs.
A. Course
Description:
Corequisite: PHY 1053 or PHY 2048. This course is to provide laboratory
experience with concepts and principles of mechanics, heat and sound. This
course has a substantial writing requirement. 45 contact hours.
B. Major
Learning Outcomes:
1. The student will exhibit an understanding of
the techniques required to observe carefully and to measure precisely.
2. The student will develop skills in reasoning
logically and reporting results concisely from the data obtained.
3. The student will be able to demonstrate the
techniques required to understand physical laws and principles by actual experimentation.
4. The student will exhibit an ability to use
the basic tools of measurement as applied to distance, time, mass and
temperature.
5. The student will be able to apply the
techniques of collecting and analyzing experimental data, including graphic and
statistical analysis.
C. Course
Objectives Stated in Performance Terms:
1. The student will exhibit an understanding of
the techniques required to observe carefully and to measure precisely by:
a. demonstrating
correct graphing techniques with cartesian, semi-log, and log-log graph paper.
b. applying various
techniques to calculate the initial velocity of a projectile.
c. applying Hooke's
Law and relating this law to simple harmonic motion, both linear and
rotational.
d. observing the motion
of simple and physical pendulums and applying the scientific method to
determine the interrelationships between the associated members.
2. The student will develop skills in reasoning
logically and reporting results concisely from the data obtained by:
a. constructing a
graph on the appropriate scales including units, clearly indicating data points
and drawing the best fitting curve.
b. demonstrating the technique for presenting
and analyzing data by the submission of well written laboratory reports.
c. including as a minimum:
(1) Data in a neat and clearly presented form.
(2) Graphs (where appropriate).
(3) Sample calculations
(4) Analysis - The student will discuss the results obtained from
his/her collected data and compare these to the theoretical relationships. In all cases, the student will explain any
discrepancies between experimentally derived results and theoretical
expectations.
3. The
student will be able to demonstrate the techniques required to understand
physical laws and principles by actual experimentation by:
a. calculating the densities of various material
based on appropriate measurements.
b. calculating the acceleration due to gravity
by both graphical and arithmetical means from the collected data of displacement
and time.
c. placing a system
of particles in equilibrium.
d. measuring the
mechanical advantage of simple machines.
e. applying
Archimedes' principle to find the density of unknown solids and liquids.
f. applying the
principles of energy conservation in calorimetry.
g. applying the
principles of wave theory to find the speed of sound in air and in metal in
various media.
4. The student will exhibit an ability to use
the basic tools of measurement as applied to distance, time, mass and temperature
by:
a. demonstrating facility
in use of the apparatus by collecting and tabulating data to obtain results
within 10% of accepted standards.
b. correctly using instruments for linear
measurement.
c. collecting data from the air track, the free
fall apparatus, inclined plane and/or the Atwood's apparatus.
d. collecting data on length, period, and mass
of oscillating systems.
5. The student will be able to apply the
techniques of collecting and analyzing experimental data, including graphic and
statistical analysis by:
a. correctly
interpreting these graphs and where possible from the graphs determine the
algebraic.
b. producing the
mathematical relations and the physical constants from the graphs of his/her
data.
c. interpreting the
relationships between variables by mathematical and graphical analysis.
d. resolving forces
into components along specified axes and applying the rotational and
translational equilibrium conditions to forces in laboratory situations.
e. using the concept of friction in the solution
of problems dealing with motion.
f. calculating the force applied and the energy
dissipated in collisions.
D. Criteria
Performance Standard:
Upon successful completion of the course
the student will, with a minimum of 70% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each
of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed by
individual course instructors.
The student will be able to illustrate
and utilize elementary laboratory technique in selected areas of mechanics, heat
and thermodynamics. Such technique will include, but not be limited to,
measurement, report writing, error analysis and graphical construction and
analysis.
Revised
7/84
DBT
Effective
Session 19842
DBT
2/86
Effective
Session 19861
Reviewed
C&I
3
YR C&I Review 8/94
3
YR C & I Review 1998-99
C&I