Phys 221   Spring 2025

Lab Physics for Science & Engineering I

Laboratory experiments coordinated with lecture topics in Phys 211


Current and Upcoming Experiments

Objective

The objective of this lab is to study vector addition by three different methods (component method, graphical method and using a force table.)

Lab Material

Additional Information

Objective

The objective of this experiment is to measure the speed at which a projectile leaves a spring gun and to predict the landing point when the projectile is fired at a nonzero angle of elevation.

Lab Material

Objective

The objective of this lab will be to measure the acceleration of a cart caused by an applied force and to examine the effect of friction on the system. By varying the force on, and the mass of a system, the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration can be determined.

Lab Material

Additional Information

Objective

Students will measure the coefficients of static and kinetic friction between a wooden block and a wooden plane.

Lab Material

Additional Information

Objective

Students will determine the velocity of a steel ball as it leaves a launcher and is caught by a ballistic pendulum by using conservation of energy and conservation of momentum.

Lab Material

Objective

Students will measure the torque on a rigid body to determine the conditions necessary for static equilibrium to occur and will perform error analysis.

Lab Material

Additional Information

Objective

The objective of this experiment is to dynamically measure the moment of inertia of a rotating system and to compare this to a predicted value.

Lab Material

Objective

Lab Material

Objective

The objective of this experiment is to observe how the periods of two types of simple harmonic oscillators (a pendulum and a spring-mass system) vary with certain parameters.

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Objective

Have a Pleasant Summer Break!

Lab Material

  • No Theory and Procedure this Week
  • No Prelab this Week
  • No Worksheet this Week

Completed Experiments

Objective

Students will familiarize themselves with the basics of scientific measurement. These basics include units, significant figures, and scientific uncertainty.

Lab Material

  • No Theory and Procedure this Week
  • No Prelab this Week
  • Worksheet Provided in Lab

Additional Information

Objective

Students will learn the proper technique for using several measuring instruments. These instruments will be used to determine the substance that an object is composed of by calculating the density of that object. Proper use of significant figures will be emphasized and a method for error propagation will be taught.

Lab Material

Additional Information

Objective

Lab Material

  • No Theory and Procedure this Week
  • No Prelab this Week
  • No Worksheet this Week

Objective

Students will conduct a qualitative analysis of the kinematic equations by graphing a student in motion. This lab is designed to enhance graph analysis skills.

Lab Material