- Computers are needed for lab this week
- Four electronic balances are needed this week. Ask Jeff where he has stashed them
- There are four experiments for students to perform individually. Jeff will make copies of the instructions for each section, and will circle a numerical sequence (in the upper left corner) for students to follow. This gives each student a starting point, minimizing confusion and wait-times for equipment (hopefully). Tell students to follow the sequence, but if all apparatus for a particular experiment are in use, they should skip to something else
- After each lab section, I put each block, cart and electronic balance (unplug from the power cord) in the cabinet beneath the bench where it sits. If computer power bricks were used, I leave them plugged in. This keeps the important parts out of reach if students come into the lab to practice, and makes setup easier the next day. I put everything out on the benches just before lab begins
- When all students are finished and have left, I put the carts, blocks and electronic balances in the central cabinet under each bench.
- Before each lab, I check the following:
- All photogates are arranged in the proper starting configuration, placed at the lower end of the track
- All carts and blocks are placed in the appropriate positions
- Meter stick calipers are placed together at an arbitrary position on the meter sticks
- All computers are boot up to the login screen, and electronic balances are plugged in. Laptops will be plugged in as well as their batteries age
- Practice materials (vernier calipers, photogates, and two laptops) are placed on the table in the study area of the hallway each day, so that students from other groups can practice
- The lab practical itself adds up to 110 points; this was increased when we started asking students to determine the function that best fits their data set (each group has a different data set, fit by a different function)
- Briefly go over each experiment, pointing out their location in the lab. There are additional setups in the Phys103 lab (Bewkes 204); 4 setups each for 'precise measurement' and 'time measurement' are located there, as well as the two desktop computers
- I hand back the speed-of-light labs while they're hanging around in the hallway before the practical starts, or wait until they hand in their lab practical
- Tell students to let you know immediately if they think they have an equipment problem (most probable with the photogates)
- Students can't use notes, but it seems that none of them ever look anything up on the computers. I wouldn't do anything if I saw someone pull up the instructions for KaleidaGraph or the vernier calipers; they still have to make it work (which isn't likely if they're looking for the instructions!)
- Beginning Fall 2017 - The equation to calculate the volume of a cylinder is now given in the instructions. There's no point in penalizing them further for a crappy secondary education. They'll do that fine on their own
- I don't want to make a 'formal' instruction about lending students assistance, but if they ask and are really stuck, I will try to provide 'gentle' hints. If they need more involved assistance, I'll deduct anywhere from 1 to 5 points
- I have a detailed list of point deductions as well as spreadsheets to check student calculations. Students always manage to do something creatively wrong each year, so feel free to create your own (or increase/decrease) items on the list
- Here's the correct procedure for positioning the photogate on the track:
- Turn on timer, set to "Gate", "Memory On". Keep timer to the on the lower end the track
- Hold cart with its front (right) edge at the 105.0 cm mark
- While holding the cart in place, slide the photogate slowly to the left until the red LED on the gate turns on
- Beginning Fall 2017: We have flags made specifically for the Vernier carts. The clear plastic flag has a black square (5 cm long) that will trigger the photogate. If students simply place the timer near the 105 cm mark of the track, they will realize that the flag won't start the timer with the foam block in place. If they remove the foam block, they've positioned the photogate incorrectly
- For the graphing exercise, I have students print the data table they create in KaleidaGraph; this aids in checking for typos, for which there is no point deduction. You can also see if they put labels in the column titles (replacing A, B, C, etc.), for which there is a point deduction
- Students add their name to the header of an unused data column; they must also type a '0' in the first cell beneath the title, since KaleidaGraph won't print a column that does not contain data
- For the 'length measurement' students may try to measure the table dimension using the 2-m stick held on the side of the table, parallel to the ground, which is awkward at best. You can tell them that it's easier to place the 2-m stick on the table top (perpendicular to the top)
- Students will start leaving around 2:30 pm; no guarantee when the last will be finished
- The instructions clearly state (in red and boldface!) that the instruction sheet should be stapled to the front of their papers. Make sure that they do so
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