Syllabus
Physics 104-Basic Physics Laboratory
Section 6F, 12:55 – 4:00 pm, Friday
Beauregard 141
Spring, 2008
Instructor: Dr. Kaisa Young
Phone: 985-446-7465 (home, please no calls after 8 pm)
E-mail:
Mailbox: 210 Beauregard, “K. Young”
Catalog Description: Phys 104. Basic Physics Laboratory. 1-0-3. Laboratory experiments in electricity, magnetism, and optics.
Prerequisite: Credit or registration in PHYS 102.
Required Text: Physics 104-204 by NSU Physics Staff. This manual can be purchased at Big Worm Books on Audubon. Big Worm Books is behind Wendy’s, near Rouses.
Student Outcome Objectives:
· The student will explore and encounter physical examples of the topics mastered in Basic Physics, PHYS 102.
· The student will become proficient in laboratory procedures, which include attention to safety, observations, and documentation.
Guidelines:
1. Students are expected to read the procedure for the lab before coming to class
2. The lab report is due at the beginning of the next week’s lab meeting and is worth 10 points.
3. Each student, although a member of a collaborative group, is to write her own lab report.
4. A lab report should be concise and well-documented. The student will record an introduction, the procedures, data, analysis, and conclusions.
5. All work stations must be left in proper order, and all broken equipment must be reported to the instructor.
Course Content:
Outline of Topics
Experiments #1: Electric Fields
2: Joule’s Law
3: Ohm’s Law
4: Resistors in Series and Parallel
5: Ammeters and Voltmeters (labeled VI in manual)
6: Wheatstone Bridge (VII)
7: Tangent Galvanometer (VIII)
8: Electromagnetic Induction (IX)
9: Laws of Reflection and Refraction (X)
10: Thin Lenses (XI)
11: Optical Instruments (XII)
12: Spectrometer (XIII)
Grading: There are a total of 120 points. Each lab report is worth 10 points (Intro: 1, Procedures: 1, Data: 2, Analysis: 4, Conclusion: 2). Points will be deducted from late lab reports (-1 point if less than 1 week late, -2 points if more than 1 week late), except in the case of excused absences.
The grading scale is percentage-based with A (90-100%), B (80-89%), C (70-79%), D (60-69%), and F (0-59%) grades being assigned at the end of the semester.
For example, a student might receive these grades:
Lab Reports: 10, 10, 8, 8, 10, 8, 9, 6, 9, 10, 8, 8
This student’s final grade would be the total of these points divided by 120, or 93% (A).
Opportunities for extra credit may be offered periodically throughout the semester.
Make-up Policy: Make-ups for labs will be determined by the instructor on a case-by-case basis. A written excuse will be required for make-up labs.
Academic Honesty Policy: Dishonesty, in the form of copying another student’s report, will follow the guidelines set in the “Code of Student Conduct” manual. Students are expected to collaborate within their group and even with other groups. However, the final report should be the work of each student. Participation in the lab is required; attempts to submit a lab report without having attended the lab will be considered as a violation of academic honesty.
Attendance Policy: Attendance is essential and mandatory. If you know you will be absent in advance, please notify the instructor by email. Because group participation is important to the class, tardiness will carry consequences. If a student is tardy more than five minutes to class, 1 point will be deducted from that student’s lab report. If a student is tardy more than 20 minutes to class, the student will not be allowed to participate in the lab experiment and will be considered absent.
Drop Date: Friday, April 4, 2008 is the final date to receive an automatic “W” when dropping a course or resigning from Nicholls State University.
Disabled Students: If you have a disability that requires assistance, please let me know. Also, you will need to register with the Office of Disability Services for coordination of your academic accommodations. The Office of Disability Services is located in Peltier Hall, Room 100-A. The phone number is 985-448-4430 (TDD 449-7002).