CCBC, Essex CampusSchool of Mathematics and Science
PHYS111 General Physical Science LabSection – SE1
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Description
PHYS111 –- 1 Credit –The General Physical Science Lab provides the laboratory accompanying General Physical Science; gives a general understanding of the scientific method and its application to the real world; draws principles from basic physical science (physics/chemistry); emphasizes laboratory work. Requires elementary mathematics.
2.75 lab hours per week
Prerequisite or Co-requisite: PHYS100 or PHYS105 or consent of instructor
Basic Course Information
Instructor – Irene Matusz
Semester/term & year – Summer, 2012
Instructor’s office – G103
Instructor’s phone # - 443-840-2225 ; Fax # - 443-840-2842
Instructor’s email – (preferred) &
Contact information for course related concerns:
Students should first attempt to take concerns to the instructor. If students are unable to resolve course-related concerns with the instructor, they should contact Katherine Van de Wal, Physical Science Campus Coordinator at 443-840-2685, , room CTemp102 on the Essex campus
Class meeting – to be arranged with instructor two days a week for approximately 4 hours each day.
Instructor’s office hours – by appointment
Course Goals
Overall Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Collaboratively (groups of 2 or 3) collect and record observations from experiments in the laboratory.
2. Write a lab report.
3. Analyze data from each experiment done in the lab and relate the results to the basic principles learned in lecture (PHYS100 or PHYS105).
4. Read measuring instruments: e.g., meter stick, vernier caliper, laboratory balance, etc.
5. Plot linear graphs and get the slope and y-intercept from them.
6. Use a computer for data analysis.
Major Topics
Linear Graphs
Measurements
Calculation of “g”, acceleration of gravity
Equilibrium of Forces
Torque
Energy
Rotation
Buoyancy Force
Specific Heat
Rationale
This course and PHYS 100 (General Physical Science) or PHYS105 (How Things Work) may be used to fulfill 4 credits in the biology/physical science area of the general education requirements. This course is also appropriate for any student who wants to increase his/her knowledge of basic lab experiments that demonstrate the basic principlesof physics.
Evaluation
Grade determination :
Lab Reports30 %
Test 1 (Labs 1-5) 25 %
Test 2 (Labs 6-10) 25 %
Final Exam 20 %
Grade by percentage :
90 – 100A
80 - 89B
70 - 79C
60 - 69D
Below 60F
Course Procedures
Text : General Physical Science Lab Experiments
Suggested - Conceptual Physics, Paul G. Hewitt; or another Physical Science book
Calculator with a square root key
Labs will be done in pairs; i.e., two students. In the case that there is an odd number of students, one ‘pair’ will consist of three students. The course work includes 10 lab experiments, 2 tests and an optional final exam. Let me know asap all the days and times (within my time frame as noted above) that you could schedule for doing the lab experiments. You can do more than one experiment during the time that you come to the lab and you should put aside about 4 hours for each lab time. I prefer that you do the write-ups NEATLY at home and bring them in the next time that you schedule to come into lab. The lab book may be purchased at the bookstore. The lab book includes report sheets for writing in the experimental data and results of any calculations. These sheets should be filled in NEATLY. Most of the experiments in the lab book include extra problems. Answers to these will be considered as extra credit. There are places on the report sheets for the answers to these extra problems. A complete explanation of what each lab report should contain is in the attachment.
Course web sitevia Blackboard or directly using one of the following URLs:
These sites contain data analysis programs for use with each lab and extra report sheets in case you mess up the one in the lab book.
Associated web site to review principles used in labs:
Testing
Each test will include a problem corresponding to each experiment. Either you will be given a set of data and asked to obtain the results as you did for each experiment or you will be asked to perform the experiment (on an individual basis) to obtain the results. You may use your lab book and your completed, graded experiments and calculators when taking the tests.
Final Exam is optional; i.e., if you are satisfied with your average for the lab reports and the two tests worked out per the above percentages, you need not take the final exam. If you have a grade on a test below 70 or you missed a test, then the percentage for that part of the final (if greater) will replace that low grade. If you have more than one grade below 70, this will apply to the lowest grade below 70.
Audit Policy
If you don’t come to lab and do the labs, you’re wasting your money!!
College Wide Syllabus Policies, e.g., Code of Conduct, Audit/Withdrawal, Inclement Weather, etc., go to the Syllabus Tab on MyCCBC page