Introduction

to
Physics Lab

Spring 2020-21
Department of Physics
American International University-Bangladesh
When We Study Physics from Theory
Class/Book:
We apply our imagination power to understand.

Still we have many questions:

Is it real?
How is it possible?
How it works?
Can we do it?

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 Study of Physics in Laboratory:
We can say:

Yes, it’s real.

Yes, it’s possible and it works.
Yes, we can do it.

It’s a fun!
Image Source: https://onlineprograms.education.uiowa.edu/wp-content/uploads/hero-mobile-stem-v1.jpg
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Course Outline for Physics 1 Lab

• Course Code: PHY 1102

• Course Title: Physics 1 Lab
• Class Duration: 3 hours per week.

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Course Outcomes (CO)
At the end of this course, students will be able to:

CO 1 Understand some basic laws and concepts of Physics

CO 2 Design experimental setup

CO 3 Analyze data to obtain result

CO 4 Draw graphs in Excel and extract results from them

CO 5 Evaluate the results of an experiment

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Topics to be covered in Laboratory Classes: Up to
Midterm
Time Suggested Activities
Topics Specific Outcomes
Frame

 Purpose of Physics Lab

 Understand course outline • Discussion on basics of Physics Lab
WEEK Introduction to Physics • Demonstration of report writing for Physics Labs
1 Lab  Learn the way to conduct a
experiment and write a good lab • Demonstration of graph plotting in Excel
report.
• Understand the relation between time period and length of a
simple pendulum, way to find the regression line by the liner
least square regression method.
• Construct a simple pendulum and determine its time periods
WEEK Acceleration due to Estimate the value of acceleration due for different lengths.
2 gravity to gravity in the lab • Apply the linear least square method to estimate the value of
acceleration due to gravity, also compare the result with the
result of graph in Excel.

• Understand Newton’s Second Law

WEEK Newton’s Second Law of Verification of Newton’s second law of • Construct an Atwood Machine
3 Motion motion • Establish the relationship between mass difference and
acceleration by plotting a graph in Excel

• Understand the theory of Projectile motion and collision

• Construct a simple set up to observe projectile motion and
WEEK Projectile Motion, Collision Study of the projectile motion and collision
4 collision of a ball. • Determine different quantities related with projectile motion
and
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Midterm Assessment:

Week 5 & Week 6

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Topics to be covered in Laboratory Classes: During
Final Term
Time Topics Specific Outcomes Suggested Activities
Frame

• Understand how unknown resistance can be

determined from the graph of Ohm’s law
Ohm’s law, Equivalent
• Construct simple circuit with one resistance and two
WEEK Resistance for Series To determine unknown resistances
7 resistances (series and parallel combinations) to take
and Parallel by applying Ohm’s law
readings for current and voltage
Combinations
• Plot graphs in Excel to determine unknown
resistances
• To understand the concept of temperature coefficient
of resistance of metals, design a simple circuit to see
Temperature To determine the temperature the effect of temperature on resistance for a
WEEK conducting wire,
8 Coefficient of coefficient of resistance of the
Resistance of metals material of a conducting wire • Analyzing the data to calculate the temperature
coefficient of resistance of the material of the wire.

• Understand the charging and discharging of a

capacitor, concept of time constant of a RC circuit,
WEEK To determine the RC time • Construct a RC circuit, observe the charging and
RC circuit
9 constant of a RC circuit discharging of a capacitor and plot them in graphs,
determine the value of RC time constant from
another graph.

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 Week 10: Review Class
Week 11 & Week 12: Final Term Assessment

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Assessment Pattern: During Lab Days
 Attendance and Performance:
 Students have to come to the online lab on time, their prelab work
and lab work have to perform according to the manuals.
 Total 10 marks for each term for this part.
 Lab Report:
 Students have to submit lab reports as groups on the lab days.
 Each lab report contains 15 marks and total 45 marks for each term.

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Assessment Pattern: Mid/Final
Viva


In the lab exam week, individual viva will be taken based on lab reports and
outcomes of the labs.
The marks for this part is 25 for each term.
The assessment will be based on student’s individual ability to understand the
theory and experiment procedure related with the labs, development of analyzing
and evaluation power, creativity to solve new problems.
Mid/Final Assessment:
As the term exam one MCQ based assessment will be taken.
The marks for this part is 20 for each term.
The assessment will be based on student’s individual ability to remember,
understand and apply the theory and experimental knowledge related with the
labs, development of analyzing and evaluation power.
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Mark Distribution: Summary
Marking system For Laboratory Classes (Midterm and Final term)
Attendance and Performance 10%
Lab Report 45%
Lab Viva 25%
Mid/Final Term Assessment 20%
Total 100%
Final Grade/ Grand Total  
Midterm 40%
Final Term 60%
Grand Total 100%

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Textbook/ References:
 Practical Physics- Dr. Giasuddin Ahmed and
Md Shahabuddin.
 Fundamentals of Physics (10th edition)-
Halliday, Resnick and Walker.
• Course Outline, Lab Manuals, Report
Templates, etc. (will be uploaded in the
Microsoft Teams and AIUB portal).
AIUB BOOK STORE
To Buy Books: Cell-01720290329, (WhatsApp, Viber)
Email-
[email protected]. 13
Lab Activities (total 3 hours per class)
 Lab Preparation (10 minutes):
 Students must come to the class on time, class attendance will be taken.
 Lecture on Theory (30 minutes):
 The objective, theory and apparatus of the experiment will be discussed.
 Lecture Video on Procedure (15 minutes):
 Students will watch a lecture video and try to understand the procedure of the experiment.
 Experimental Work (90 to 100 minutes):
 A sample data will be provided to students and teacher will clarify every part of it.
 Students will do all the calculations, draw graphs on excel and complete the result part.
 Post Lab Discussion (15 to 20 minutes):
 Teacher will summarize the total lab work and have a discussion with the students related with
the questions given in the outcomes part of the lab manual.

Report Submission:
After completing the lab reports students will upload their lab reports as groups in teams in the same14day.
Lab Report: Components
• Cover Page
• Theory
• Apparatus A template file for the
• Procedure Lab Report will be
• Experimental Data
• Analysis and Calculations uploaded in teams.
• Result
• Discussion

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 Way
to
Draw Graphs
in
Excel

Resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJsWXRm0mlU

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No Makeup
for
the Labs

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