PC141 Mechanics for Life Sciences Lab

Evaluation Methods

• Marking Scheme (from the lab manual)
• Online quizzes
  Several weeks will have pre-lab quizzes on MyLearningSpace. Read over whatever is indicated 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 ensure that you are prepared for the lab and to prepare you for the lab test at the end of the term.
• Lab Reports
  • Lab checklist
  • Lab checklist explanations [ March 18, 2015 ]
  • Sample lab report [ March 18, 2015 ]
  • Sample lab (to go with sample report) [ March 18, 2015 ]
  • Another sample lab report [ March 18, 2015 ]

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 ]
	Introduction Experiment
May 1	New Information: Safety - Emergency Numbers   [ April 29, 2015 ] New Information: Laboratory Safety Lab Introduction: What is the purpose of the PC141 labs? Experiment Background: Measuring 'g' Lab: Measuring "g" Read the theory for "Measuring 'g'" or read Precision measure of analog measuring instruments [ March 18, 2015 ] or watch screencast at right	Precision measure of analog measuring instruments [screencast of PDF]
		Spreadsheet for Measuring "g" lab [OPTIONAL] [ March 18, 2015 ] Spreadsheet with generic template tables [OPTIONAL] [ March 18, 2015 ] What's the difference between accuracy and precision? [TED-Ed] Metric Vernier Caliper Reading [video] Biology 171: How and When to use Vernier Calipers [video] Micrometer caliper animation Evaluating Measurement (Part 1) [video]
	Lab prep
	Theory for "Repeated Measurements" Do online quiz on MyLearningSpace between 9 a.m. Friday and 11:30 p.m. Sunday evening. Pre-lab questions and tasks (if any) for next week You can start the lab exercise ahead of time if you like. How to Prepare for a Lab	Explanation of statistics concepts [screencast of Repeated Measurements PDF] Statistics calculator How to use the statistics calculator [screencast] Simple Statistical Approximations
		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
	Repeated Measurements
May 8	Experiment Background: Repeated Measurements Lab Exercise: Repeated Measurements 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.	Statistics calculator How to use the statistics calculator [screencast] Explanation of lab manual tables [ March 18, 2015 ] Explanation of lab manual tables [screencast of PDF]
	Lab prep
	Post-lab questions and tasks (if any) from last week The online statistics calculator will make things much faster. Read the theory for "Processing Uncertainties" or read Explanation of uncertainty concepts - Introduction   [ March 18, 2015 ] or watch screencast at right and read Explanation of uncertainty concepts - Addition   [ March 18, 2015 ] or watch screencast at right and read Explanation of uncertainty concepts - Subtraction   [ March 18, 2015 ] or watch screencast at right and read Explanation of uncertainty concepts - Multiplication   [ March 18, 2015 ] or watch screencast at right and read Explanation of uncertainty concepts - Division   [ March 18, 2015 ] or watch screencast at right and read Uncertainties by Inspection   [ March 18, 2015 ] or watch screencast at right and read Uncertainty Calculation Sensitivity   [ March 18, 2015 ] or watch screencast at right Pre-lab tasks (if any) for next week You can start the lab exercise ahead of time if you like. Uncertainty calculator Do online quiz on MyLearningSpace between 8 a.m. Friday and 11:30 p.m. Sunday evening the weekend before your lab.	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] Uncertainties by Inspection [screencast of PDF] Uncertainty Calculation Sensitivity [screencast of PDF]
	Processing Uncertainties Writing a Lab Report
May 15	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.) [ March 18, 2015 ] Some sample uncertainty calculations
	Lab prep
	Post-lab questions and tasks (if any) from last week Post-lab questions and tasks (if any) from two labs ago Post-lab questions and tasks (if any) from lab 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 at least half of your total lab mark for the term! Read the theory for "Torque and the Principle of Moments" Pre-lab tasks (if any) for next week Re-read Precision measure of analog measuring instruments [ March 18, 2015 ] or watch screencast at right Do online quiz on MyLearningSpace between 9 a.m. Friday and 11:30 p.m. Sunday evening the weekend before your lab.	Lab Reports Lab checklist Use of the Standard Form for Numbers
		Lab checklist explanations [ March 18, 2015 ] Sample lab (to go with sample report) [ March 18, 2015 ] Sample lab report [ March 18, 2015 ] Another sample lab report [ March 18, 2015 ] Precision measure of analog measuring instruments [screencast of PDF]
	Torque and the Principle of Moments
May 22	Lab: Torque and the Principle of Moments 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 Torque and the Principle of Moments lab [ May 16, 2002 ]
	Lab prep
	Post-lab questions and tasks (if any) from last week Read the theory for "Estimation, Order of Magnitude Calculations, and Bounding" Pre-lab tasks (if any) for next week The quiz is not related to the next lab exercise, but is based on material you have previously covered in the theory for the "Repeated Measurements" Exercise. Do online quiz on MyLearningSpace between 9 a.m. Friday and 11:30 p.m. Sunday evening the weekend before your lab.
	Estimation , Bounding, and Order of Magnitude Calculations
May 29	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   [ March 18, 2015 ] Estimation (Fermi problems) [video]
	Lab prep
	Post-lab questions and tasks (if any) from last week Do online quiz on MyLearningSpace between 9 a.m. Friday and 11:30 p.m. Sunday evening the weekend before your lab. Revise lab report for "Measuring 'g' " TBA 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. [ June 11, 2015 ]
	Lab Test
June 5	Lab test Test writing instructions Hand in revised lab report for "Measuring 'g' " Be sure to attach the original to the revised version. (Optional) Hand in lab report for "Torque and the Principle of Moments" 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