1. Welcome to Physics 2015! (General Physics Lab 1 – Spring 2013)

2. Contact Information (see also in lab manual/on website)
Lab Director:
Gernot Laicher
South Physics 410
Teaching Assistant:
See course website:

3. Overview – The Physics Labs
General Physics Labs 1 and 2.
Physics 2215/2225
Physics Lab for Scientists & Engineers 1 and 2.
Physics 1809
General Physics Lab – a combination of Physics 2215 and 2225.
(1 semester course for chemical/metallurgical engineering students).

4. Prerequisites for Physics 2015
Algebra/Trigonometry (no Calculus)
Physics 2010 or equivalent course

5. Are You Ready for Physics 2015?
Buy the lab manual (University book store). If it is not yet available: Go to the website, click on “Manuals” and find Introduction, homework 1 and lab 1 as a pdf file.
Understand the course policies (introductory pages of the lab manual).
Do homework # 1:
(Due at the beginning of lab 1).
Look at the course website (address in lab manual)

6. Activities for Physics 2015
Homework
Due at beginning of lab activity.
Individual homework (not a group homework).
Lab Activity
Group activity (2 students per group).
Group lab report (Submit only one report per group).
- Answer questions, fill out data tables (usually highlighted as
gray fields), etc. directly into the lab manual.
- Print out graphs as required.
- Write both names on the report.
- Submit at the end of the lab before you leave.

7. Instructional Material and Help
Lab manual:
Syllabus with lab dates.
Homework assignments.
Lab instructions.
Excel tutorial.
Capstone tutorial.
Teaching Assistant:
Introduction to lab activity (at the beginning of the lab).
Help during lab activity.
Grades your assignment.
Office hours for homework help (you can go to any TA that teaches a Physics 2015 section).

8. Instructional Material and Help
Website (2015, 2025, 2215, 2225, 1809 combined)
Detailed schedule of all labs.
TA information ( , office hour).
Power point presentations (given by TA at start of lab).
Links to other sites with Physics background material.
Capstone activities for download during lab.
First few pages of lab manual (includes HW 1 and Lab 1).
Most up-to-date Excel and Capstone tutorial.
Canvas: For online discussion and for checking whether your HW and Lab scores were recorded correctly. (There is a link to Canvas on website).
Capstone (Software) Activities
Data acquisition and processing.
Contains some instruction on how to use equipment/software.

9. Grading Homework: Lab reports: 10 points maximum.
Every homework counts.
Due at the beginning of the lab session.
If you miss a lab: Due date extended by 1 week.
Lab reports:
20 points maximum.
Only 10 best labs count.
Due at the end of the lab activity before you leave.

10. Flow Chart of HW/Lab Reports
You:
Do assignment
Review grading
Keep for 1 week
Resolve grading disputes with TA
TA:
Grades assignment
(hw, lab report)
Keeps assignment until end of semester
Turn in assignment
Return assignment to TA
Talk to lab director
about unresolved
disputes.
Give all assignments
to Lab Director
Lab Director (Assigns final course grade)

11. Lab Attendance Rules Do not attend other lab sections.
Exceptions only with written ( ) permission by the lab director.
One missed lab activity can be made up during your regular lab hours in the last week of classes (April 22nd– April 23rd).
You must sign up to make up a lab.
You cannot repeat a lab you have already done before.
If you forgot to turn in the homework related to the lab activity you are making up, you can still do so now, but only for a 50% credit.
University sponsored activities (athletic competitions, etc.)
Contact the lab director as early as possible to arrange for attending other sections.