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Honors Physics Labs
Laboratory experiments are performed on a regular basis, and are relevant to the chapter being studied at that time. Sometimes a lab experiment is performed before the teacher begins discussion on a topic of interest. This is to allow the student an opportunity to "discover" the mathematical rules governing certain physical phenomena, without the prejudice of prior knowledge.
All laboratory experiments and their subsequent reports are considered as TESTS, and have the same "weight" as a closed book end of chapter exam. A student who might have received an unsatisfactory grade on a chapter test, can improve the grade average by handing in a good quality lab report.
Nearly all labs performed this year will be accomplished utilizing PAIRS of students. This means that each lab report will have two names on it, and both students will receive the same grade. The importance of skilled collaborative effort in the professional work place, necessitates the practice of using pairs of students in lab. Each student is responsible for checking each section of the lab report for accuracy and completeness before it is handed in for grading. Students will rotate their choice of partner from lab to lab, so the same two students are NOT working together on subsequent lab experiments.
Students are given at least one week, usually longer, from the date of the experiment performance to submit the report. If the student is absent, the experiment must be MADE-UP during that student's study mod or before school the week the student returns to school. An incomplete lab report grade will result in a ZERO for a grade. If a pair of students fails to hand in a lab report on the assigned date, a "late" penalty will be applied, that grows each day.
Students often divide the work load for writing a lab, where one partner accepts responsibility for completing certain sections, while the other partner completes the remaining sections. All students in a lab group will receive the same lab report grade, it becomes important for each student in a given lab group to review all sections of the lab report for accuracy and completeness before it is submitted. As evidence of this step, each student in the group must initialize each section.
IMPORTANT: Each student in a lab group must make an effort to personally ensure, as fact, that the lab report has actually been handed in, on time. While infrequent, a student may claim to have handed the group's report to the teacher on the due date, when in fact it has not.
The following is an explanation of the sections every Physics laboratory report must include. Each lab is discussed in class, so details specific to a given experiment are given.
Full Title of Laboratory Experiment
Purpose - A brief statement as to what is to be accomplished. This is normally thought of as the hypothesis.
Procedure - A list of equipment needed and an outline of the steps taken to complete the experiment. The outlining of steps is on occasion omitted from some labs.
Data table - The collection of numeric measurements which are related to the experimental procedure must be shown in tabular form. The particulars of each data table will always be discussed in class. A data table must be neatly constructed, an show each element of each trial, including proper units and significant figures.
Sample Calculations - The mathematic work required to process data must be shown, including relevant formulas and units. Diagrams might be required, to justify the particular math steps used. Generally, a set of math calculations is required for each trial or "run" taken, even if it seems repetitive (practice makes perfect).
Graph - Some experiments require the inclusion of graphical analysis of data. The analysis is usually supported by Venier Software, Graphical Analysis, found on the labs Mac computers. While a graph may be generated by the student simply plugging data into the computer, the "analysis" portion is performed by the student, using supporting sample calculations, and diagramming overlaying the basic graph.
Conclusion - this portion of a lab report is discussed thoroughly. The teacher almost always delineates specific questions that must be addressed, which help to direct the student's thinking about the significance of the lab. When a statement is given, in answer to a portion of the conclusion, the student MUST substantiate the statement using values taken from the data table.
Sources of Lab Error - At least THREE sources of error that might have caused the student's values to deviate from the expected or ideal must be discussed. The errors are usually in the form of technical or physical mistakes that the student might have inadvertently done during the lab procedure. The instrumentation or apparatus might also be important contributing factors to lab error. Plugging the wrong number into the calculator, might be also be responsible, but is NOT an accepted technical error to be included (Why? Because this source of error has been used so often in virtually every lab by so many student, for so many years, I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT ANY MORE!) (OK?).
Practice Problems - The teacher provides additional hypothetical problems to further test the student's ability to generalize the lessons learned from the lab. Each problem must have a completely labeled diagram.