Physics Lab Syllabus

Welcome, here is the IMPORTANT information you need to know about this class. If you have any questions email me at nevence@utk.edu and I will do my best to help you out. Our lab has an hour of recitation at 12:20 followed by a two hour lab 1:25 - 3:20 every Thursday. Outside of class you might be able to find me in my office which is cubicle #17 room 609 Nielson. If you ever need help, then you can find it at the physics tutoring center on second floor. My time slot is 1:15 - 2:25 on Thursdays.

I have a quiz at the beginning of each class. It covers the current lab, so I recommend looking over the lab material BEFORE class. There will be a quiz at the beginning of class which will cover some of the details in the lab. I especially like formulas, units, and material from the previous lab. The quiz will be at the beginning of the lab and I do not give make up the quizzes, but I will drop a quiz at the end of the semester to allow for an unexpected event. However if some drastic circumstances make you miss a lab, then you must do the lab with another lab group.

Lab tips

• I must sign your data sheet at the end of every lab, this is proof that you have done the experiment.
• Write/type only what the instrument reads.
• Take data together, but make two copies of the data.
• Good looking data is not as important as impartial data. I would rather you turn in ugly results and do your best to explain these to me, than to change the data so that it looks nice.
• If you have a problem, do your best to solve it first. Second ask the people around you. Third ask me, I will do my best to help.
• Review your
• Work with friends for the labs and the questions, and turn in your own copy.
• Learn the features of Excel early on.
• Useful error formulas.
• Have fun exploring nature.

Lab Reports

• Title Page (page 1): Lab Title, Your Name, Partner's Name, Date (of the Experiment)
• Results (page 2): Many of the lab procedures ask for some results. If the results are not on the Excel worksheet put them here.
• Graphs: I'm picky about graphs check out these guidelines.
• Questions: Please do the questions. Showing work usually gives you some partial credit for wrong answers.
• Data: Turn in your signed data sheet for the bulk of the points.