PC131 Mechanics Lab

Evaluation Methods

• Marking Scheme (from the lab manual)
• Online quizzes
  Several weeks will have post-lab quizzes on MyLearningSpace. Look over the recap section of the lab or exercise before doing the quiz. If you don't get 100% on the quiz, reread the material to correct your mistakes and retake the quiz.
  The purpose of the quizzes is to help you retain the material and to prepare you for the lab test at the end of the term.
• Lab Reports
  • Lab checklist
  • Lab checklist explanations [ May 15, 2014 ]
  • Sample lab report [ January 26, 2011 ]
  • Sample lab (to go with sample report) [ May 21, 2010 ]
  • Another sample lab report [ November 9, 2010 ]

Course Material

Week of ...	Lab/Exercise	Resource Material [ this background indicates required resource this background indicates optional resource this background indicates important items this background indicates weekly topics this foreground indicates updated items this foreground indicates unrevised items ]
	Off week
Sept. 7
	Introduction Repeated Measurements Determining Human Reaction Time
Sept. 14	New Information: Safety - Emergency Numbers   [ April 29, 2015 ] New Information: Laboratory Safety Lab Introduction: What is the purpose of the PC131 labs? Experiment Background: Repeated Measurements Lab Exercise: Repeated Measurements	How to use the in-lab reaction timer [video] On-line reaction time tester How to use the online reaction timer [screencast] Statistics calculator How to use the statistics calculator [screencast]
		(Optional) Spreadsheet for lab exercise (may be useful if you're using a laptop) [ May 24, 2013 ] Explanation of statistics concepts [screencast of Repeated Measurements PDF]
	Off week
Sept. 21	Post-lab questions and tasks (if any) from last week The online statistics calculator will make things much faster. Read the theory for "Measuring 'g'" or read Precision measure of analog measuring instruments [ June 16, 2011 ] or watch screencast at right Do online quiz on MyLearningSpace between 7 a.m. Friday and 11:30 p.m. Sunday evening. Pre-lab questions and tasks (if any) for next week How to Prepare for a Lab	Precision measure of analog measuring instruments [screencast of PDF] Statistics calculator How to use the statistics calculator [screencast] Simple Statistical Approximations
		What's the difference between accuracy and precision? [TED-Ed] Meaning of mean, median and mode [screencast] Older version of the statistics calculator (in case the above doesn't work for you). Neat stats tutorials on basic concepts (the ones requiring Flash) Less flashy, but worth checking out (includes quizzes) Casio calculator manual download site Sharp product support site Texas Instruments calculator support site HP calculator support site
	Experiment
Sept. 28	Experiment Background: Measuring 'g' Lab: Measuring "g"	Explanation of lab manual tables [ June 12, 2012 ] Explanation of lab manual tables [screencast of PDF] Metric Vernier Caliper Reading [video] Biology 171: How and When to use Vernier Calipers [video] Micrometer caliper animation Evaluating Measurement (Part 1) [video]
		Spreadsheet for Measuring "g" lab [OPTIONAL] [ October 11, 2011 ] Spreadsheet with generic template tables [OPTIONAL] [ September 26, 2013 ]
	Off week
Oct. 5	You can't do the post-lab questions and tasks from last week yet Read the theory for "Processing Uncertainties" or read Explanation of uncertainty concepts - Introduction   [ May 9, 2013 ] or watch screencast at right and read Explanation of uncertainty concepts - Addition   [ May 9, 2013 ] or watch screencast at right and read Explanation of uncertainty concepts - Subtraction   [ May 9, 2013 ] or watch screencast at right and read Explanation of uncertainty concepts - Multiplication   [ May 9, 2013 ] or watch screencast at right and read Explanation of uncertainty concepts - Division   [ May 9, 2013 ] or watch screencast at right and read Explanation of uncertainty concepts - Functions   [ May 13, 2013 ] or watch screencast at right and read Uncertainties by Inspection   [ February 12, 2014 ] or watch screencast at right and read Uncertainty Calculation Sensitivity   [ February 10, 2014 ] or watch screencast at right Do online quiz on MyLearningSpace between 7 a.m. Friday and 11:30 p.m. Sunday evening. Pre-lab tasks (if any) for after Reading Week	Explanation of uncertainty concepts - Introduction [screencast of PDF] Explanation of uncertainty concepts - Addition [screencast of PDF] Explanation of uncertainty concepts - Subtraction [screencast of PDF] Explanation of uncertainty concepts - Multiplication [screencast of PDF] Explanation of uncertainty concepts - Division [screencast of PDF] Explanation of uncertainty concepts - Functions [screencast of PDF] Uncertainties by Inspection [screencast of PDF] Uncertainty Calculation Sensitivity [screencast of PDF]
	READING WEEK
Oct. 12	READING WEEK - No labs
	Processing Uncertainties Writing a Lab Report
Oct. 19	Important information: Writing a Lab Report Exercise Background: Processing Uncertainties Lab Exercise: Processing Uncertainties Can be done independently. You can start it ahead of time, and get as much done as possible, and then bring what you have to you lab period. The more you have done already, the less time you'll need to spend in the lab. You'll need to have Uncertain Results available, in print or electronically	Sample Uncertainty Calculations Common Uncertainty Results Common Approximations Uncertainty calculator Introduction to the uncertainty calculator [screencast] Example use of the uncertainty calculator [screencast]
		Uncertainties in the news!!! How big is the uncertainty? Older version of the uncertainty calculator (in case the above doesn't work for you). Spreadsheet with sample results (This may be useful if you're doing the exercise on your own.) [ October 2, 2008 ] Some sample uncertainty calculations
	Off week
Oct. 26	Post-lab questions and tasks (if any) from last week Post-lab questions and tasks (if any) from two labs ago Prepare lab report for "Measuring 'g' " Incorporate answers to in-lab questions from all of the exercises to date Incorporate the post-lab question answers from the lab itself into your discussion and conclusions Be sure to attach a checklist Remember that this lab report accounts for about half of your total lab mark for the term! Read the theory for "Introduction to Spreadsheets" Do online quiz on MyLearningSpace between 7 a.m. Friday and 11:30 p.m. Sunday evening. Pre-lab tasks (if any) for next week	Lab Reports Lab checklist Use of the Standard Form for Numbers
		Lab checklist explanations [ May 15, 2014 ] Sample lab (to go with sample report) [ May 21, 2010 ] Sample lab report [ January 26, 2011 ] Another sample lab report [ November 9, 2010 ]
	Introduction to Spreadsheets
Nov. 2	Exercise Background: Introduction to Spreadsheets Lab Exercise: Introduction to Spreadsheets Can be done independently. You can start it ahead of time, and get as much done as possible, and then bring what you have to you lab period. The more you have done already, the less time you'll need to spend in the lab. Hand in lab report for "Measuring 'g' " Be sure to attach a checklist! Submit electronic copy on MyLearningSpace as well. For the electronic submission, the following formats are acceptable: MS Word, WordPerfect, PostScript, Acrobat PDF, HTML, RTF, Plain Text	Spreadsheet for Introduction to Spreadsheets lab exercise [ October 22, 2013 ]
		Absolute or Relative References in Excel [video]
	Off week
Nov. 9	Post-lab questions and tasks (if any) from last week Read the theory for "Estimation, Order of Magnitude Calculations, and Bounding" Do online quiz on MyLearningSpace between 7 a.m. Friday and 11:30 p.m. Sunday evening. Pre-lab tasks (if any) for next week
	Estimation , Bounding, and Order of Magnitude Calculations
Nov. 16	Exercise Background: Estimation, Order of Magnitude Calculations and Bounding Lab Exercise: Estimation, Order of Magnitude Calculations and Bounding Get back marked lab report for "Measuring 'g' "	Order of Magnitude Calculations
		Logarithmic Scales   [ November 8, 2011 ] Estimation (Fermi problems) [video]
	Off week
Nov. 23	Post-lab questions and tasks (if any) from last week Do online quiz on MyLearningSpace between 7 a.m. Friday and 11:30 p.m. Sunday evening. Revise lab report for "Measuring 'g' " Help sessions by IA in N2090 Monday 4:30 p.m. Wednesday 4:30 p.m. Prepare for lab test Look at the "Recap" section from each lab to see what you should be able to do.
		Summary of questions from previous lab tests which were answered incorrectly by more than half of the class. [ November 15, 2007 ]
	Lab Test and Lab Evaluation
Nov. 30	Lab test and evaluation Test writing instructions Hand in revised lab report for "Measuring 'g' " Be sure to attach the original to the revised version.