Physics 121 and 117 Laboratories

Spring Quarter 2006

117   Labs: Room B110
121 Labs: Rooms B108 and/or B110

Welcome to the First Quarter of Introductory Mechanics labs. This Quarter, the faculty member responsible for the course is Prof. Oscar E. Vilches, Office in Physics/Astronomy building, B445.

e-mail: lowtemp@phys.washington.edu

Many Teaching assistants will run the laboratory sessions, when the schedule is set they will be linked to this page, see below.

Since both Phys 121 and 114 (the Mechanics lecture course) follow approximately the same schedule we have a common schedule of labs for them. Specific items for each lab course are linked to this page.

Labs schedule: Each student is registered for a lab section (117 or 121).The same lab is run in all sections throughout the week Labs start on the second week of the quarter. The link on the margin (Schedule) has the index of labs for all the weeks throughout the quarter.

 

Labs Manuals: Both the Phys 117 and the Phys 121 Lab Manuals are undergoing an overall update for consistency and treatment of uncertainties. Thus, only the introduction, instructions, the data analysis, and the first two labs will be ready for purchase at B042 Communications Bldg. The rest of the manual will be available during the third week of the quarter.

 

Attendance to Labs: Attendance to labs is required, and lab reports have to be completed as outlined in the Lab Manual. The grading policy for the labs also is written in detail in the Lab Manual. This grading policy is different for Phys 117 and 121.

 

Grading specific to Phys 121: Labs are an integral part of the Phys 121 course, and as such they contribute to the course grade in two different ways: a) Lab and Lab reports: Each lab with its lab report is graded. At the end of the quarter the lab grade is transmitted to, and converted to an actual grade by the Phys 121 Lecturer in charge of your lecture section. This grade will contribute 15% to your course grade. b) Exam questions: In the second term exam and in the final exam there will be questions written by the lab instructors. These questions are part of your total exam score (approximately 25/100 points of the term exam and 25/150 points of the final exam).  Given that exams questions are based on labs, it is extremely important that students keep up to date with the lab. See below for “makeups”!

 

Grading specific to Phys 117: This course is graded CR/NCR. In order to receive CR for the course students must do the eight required labs and receive CR for all of them. See below for “make ups”!

Makeup Labs:

Makeup labs will be run on the last week of the quarter, schedule to be posted here and at the labs. Both B108 and B110 will be used, with Physics 117 and 121 students using either room, wherever the necessary lab is setup.

If you need to makeup a lab, you must sign up completely for a makeup. A complete signup will include your name, your lab section, the number and name of the lab to be made up. The number and name must match. The column for "TA initials" is for the TA managing the makeup lab to note your presence. There will be a separate signup sheet for each scheduled makeup session. There are 22 places in each makeup session. If you sign up after 22 people have already signed up, you will not be considered. Signup sheets will be posted in the lab rooms.

You may make up more than one lab, but only one lab per makeup session. Priority will be given, however, to those who are making up only one lab, so if you want to make up several, you may be asked to adjust your schedule. Likewise, if you are trying to make up only one lab and find no space, we will try to make adjustments. The instructor if this occurs.

You must bring a blank lab manual chapter to the makeup session for the lab you are makingup. Do not fill in anything ahead of time.