What
to Expect the First Four Weeks
Before lab sections begin
·
Try to register for your
desired lab section before the first day of classes, August 28. Sections
may be full, but don’t worry. There is enough space for everyone and spaces
will become available as everyone adjusts his/her schedule.
·
Registration will be
closed starting the first day of classes.
·
There are no lab
sections during the first (partial) week of classes, i.e. the week of August
28.
·
Purchase the lab manual
at the UVa bookstore. Look through the manual to become familiar with it.
·
Read and complete the graphing
exercise in the introduction of the manual.
·
Read Appendix B:
Graphical Analysis and Appendix C: Timers and Oscilloscopes in the
manual before attending the first lab.
The first lab session (week of September 2)
·
You must attend your
desired section the first full week of classes, the week of September 2.
See Registration and Enrollment.
·
The first part of the
lab will be organizational. Larry Suddarth will oversee enrollment for each
section. You will meet your lab instructor, who will give some introductory
remarks.
·
You will complete the
exercises in Appendix C: Timers and Oscilloscopes of your manual.
Before the second lab session:
·
Read Appendix D: The Accuracy of Measurements and
Significant Figures.
·
Read the first lab writeup in your manual (Constant
Acceleration and Free Fall) and write a prelab summary as discussed in the
General Introduction of your lab manual.
The second lab session (week of September 9)
·
At the beginning of the
lab, you will watch a video that summarizes most of the procedures and
techniques you will accomplish during the lab
·
After the video, you will
break up into groups of two to do the lab. You will have a different lab
partner every week according to a posted schedule. You will be assigned a
number so that you can keep to that schedule. Groups are to have two students
(unless there is an odd number of students in the lab in which case one group
of three will be allowed).
·
The lab ends promptly
after 2 hours and 50 minutes at 10 minutes before the hour.
·
After the lab, you will
need to make sure that each partner has a copy of the journal you took in
class. Once you leave the lab, the journal may not be altered.
Before the third lab session:
·
Write your report as
soon as possible, while your memory is still fresh. This will also give you
time to revise it before you turn it in.
·
Read the second lab writeup in your manual (Projectile
Motion) and write a prelab summary.
The third lab session (week of September 16)
·
Turn in your report
(with journal attached) at the beginning of the lab.
·
Again, you will watch a
video and do the lab.
You probably now understand the flow of the
course. There will be no labs during the weeks of the Reading Holiday (the week
of October 7) and Thanksgiving (the week of November 25). In addition, you will
write up the last lab (Sound Waves) in class and hand it in then.