Physics 10L Syllabus

Ken Cheney

Phone: 626 585-7134

Office Hours: In E-310 posted by the door of my office. Any time you can find me is OK too.

Description: One semester lab, all of physics, little math, no experience necessary

SLO:

Demonstrate a conceptual understanding of the common elementary tools, concepts, and methods used for research and applications of Classical and Modern Physics.

Be able to perform and analyze simple experiments involving the fundamentals of Classical and Modern Physics.

Prerequisites: Algebra, Physics 10 corequisite

Text Books: “Physics 10 Lab Manual”, Edited by Cheney

These are available at the Book Mart on the North side of Colorado Blvd. or the College Book Store

Computer: Your ID and password are on your registration paperwork.

Grading: Lab reports (generally in class), predictions, practicals

Attendance: Students are expected to attend every session of class. It is especially important to attend the first session or make prior arrangements with the instructor. Otherwise a student may be dropped. A student may be dropped when the total number of absences, regardless of cause, is equal to the two weeks of meetings. Students have the responsibility of officially withdrawing from college or dropping from class when they stop attending, otherwise an “F” grade may be given.

Missing Class: Go to another lab the same week. If more than three labs are overdue or missing the student may be dropped.

Preliminary Lab Schedule:

1. Graphics: Plot yourself with a computer

2. Empirical Equations: Pendulum

3. Energy and Efficiency: Inclined Plane

4. Energy and Efficiency: Lever/Torque

5. Fluids: Archimedes Principle

6. Heat: The Gas Law, Charles’ Law

7. Heat: Specific Heat, Boiling, Melting

8. Electricity: Circuits

9. Electricity: Electrical Equivalent of Heat

10. Resonance: Sound in pipes (flute, clarinet, saxophone, organ, … )

11. Optics: Eye and Lenses

12. Optics: More on lenses, making images

13. Atoms: Spectra

14. Nuclear Physics: Half Life

15. Mystery: Perhaps Oscilloscopes, HiFi, and Electronics