Physics Lab Equipment

Module 1: Familiarization of Laboratory Equipment

Measuring Equipment

• Meter Stick: A straight measuring tool for length, height, or distance, usually 1 meter long, marked in centimeters and millimeters.
• Vernier Caliper: A precision tool for measuring internal, external dimensions, and depths, with accuracy up to 0.01 cm.
• Micrometer Screw Gauge: Used for precise thickness, diameter, or length measurements, accurate to 0.01 mm.
• Stopwatch: Used for measuring time intervals in seconds and milliseconds.
• Weighing Scale: Measures the mass of objects in grams or kilograms.
• Motion Sensor: Emits ultrasonic pulses to detect an object's position and measures displacement, velocity, and acceleration.
• Inclined Plane: A flat, sloped surface used to study motion under gravity, and investigate acceleration, force, and friction.
• Photogate Timer: An infrared beam device that measures precise time intervals for objects in motion.

Heat and Thermodynamic Related Equipment

• Thermometer: A glass tube filled with mercury or alcohol, marked with Celsius or Fahrenheit scales, to measure temperature changes.
• Calorimeter: An insulated container with a stirrer and thermometer, used to minimize heat loss and measure heat transfer.
• Bunsen Burner: A gas-powered burner with an adjustable air valve, providing a heat source for combustion and heating experiments.
• Heat Sensor: A probe connected to a digital display that measures temperature and heat flow.
• Barometer: A sealed glass tube filled with mercury or aneroid, to measure atmospheric pressure and assist in studying gas laws.

Kinematic Related Equipment

• Ticker Timer: Marks dots on a tape at regular time intervals as an object moves.

Wave and Sound Related Equipment

• Turning Fork: A U-shaped metal tool that vibrates at a fixed frequency to study sound waves, frequency, and resonance.
• Oscilloscope: Displays waveforms based on electrical signals and visualizes sound waves, frequency, amplitude, and phase difference.
• Microphone: Converts sound waves into electrical signals to capture sound in acoustics experiments.
• Resonance Tube: Partially filled with water to create standing waves to measure the speed of sound.

Optical Equipment

• Lens (Convex and Concave): Focuses/diverges light to form images for optics experiments.
• Prism: A triangular piece of glass or plastic that disperses light into a spectrum, studies light refraction and dispersion.
• Microscope: An optical instrument with lenses for magnifying small objects.
• Optical Bench: A long, straight track with adjustable mounts for lenses, mirrors, and screens and this conducts experiments on image formation, focal lengths, and magnification.
• Plane Mirror: A flat reflective surface.

Electrical Equipment

• Ammeter: Measures electric current in amperes by connecting in series in a circuit.
• Voltmeter: Measures electrical potential difference in volts, connected in parallel.
• Resistor: Controls current flow in circuits and is a cylindrical component with colored bands indicating resistance value.
• Multimeter: A handheld device to measure voltage, current, and resistance for troubleshooting and testing electrical circuits.
• Power Supply: A box with adjustable voltage and current output for experiments.
• Capacitor: Stores and releases electrical energy in circuits and is an electronic component with two plates separated by an insulator.

Gravity Related Equipment

• Pendulum: Studies periodic motion and calculates gravitational acceleration and is a mass suspended by a string that swings freely under gravity.
• Spring Balance: Measures weight or force based on Hooke's Law and is a scale with a spring that stretches according to the force applied.
• Free Fall Apparatus: Determines gravitational acceleration by measuring fall time and it has a setup with an electromagnet and timing device.
• Projectile Launcher: Analyzes projectile motion, range, and impact point and is a spring-loaded or air-pressure device that launches objects.

Module 2: Measurement

• Measurement: Determining the size, quantity, or amount of a physical quantity using a standard unit.

Types of Measurement

• Direct Measurement: Comparing the object to a measuring tool like a ruler for length or a weighing scale for mass.
• Indirect Measurement: Using calculations or formulas when direct measurement isn't feasible, like trigonometry for building height.

System of Measurement

• English System

• A traditional System primarily used in the United States

• Utilizes units like inches, feet, miles, pounds, and gallons.

• Originated from various customary units used in the British Empire.

• Metric System

• A decimal-based system used globally for scientific and everyday measurements.

• Built on power of 10 for simplicity.

  • Easy to convert between units by shifting decimal points.

• International System of Unit (SI)

• An Extension of the metric system, established for standardization in science and technology.

• Contains seven fundamental units:

  • Length- Meter (m)
  • Mass- Kilogram (kg)
  • Time- Second (s)
  • Electric Current- Ampere (A)
  • Temperature- Kelvin (K)
  • Amount of Substance- Mole (mol)
  • Luminous Intensity- Candela (cd)

• Derived Units: Formed by combining base units through mathematical operation.

  • Area- Length x Width- Square meter (m^2)
  • Volume- LxWxD- Cubic meter (m^3)
  • Speed- Distance/Time- Meter per second (m/s)
  • Force- Mass x Acceleration- Newton (N (kg · m/s^2))
  • Pressure- Force/Area- Pascal (Pa (N/m^2))
  • Energy- Force x Distance- Joule (J (N · m))

• Prefix

  • Tera- T- 1,000,000,000,000
  • Giga- G- 1,000,000,000
  • Mega- M- 1,000,000
  • Kilo- k- 1,000
  • Hector- h- 100
  • Deka- da- 10
  • Deci- d- 1/10
  • Centi- c- 1/100
  • Milli- m- 1/1000
  • Micro- µ- 1/1,000,000
  • Nano- n- 1/1,000,000,000
  • Pico- p- 1/1,000,000,000,000
  • Femto- f- 1/1,000,000,000,000,000

• Accuracy: Refers to how close a measurement value is to the true value or accepted value.

• Measurement is close to the correct value when highly accurate.

• Precision: Refers to how close repeated measurements are to each other, regardless of accuracy.

• Measurement is consistent when highly precise, even if not close to the true value.

• Validity: Correct conclusion can be drawn from valid data.

• The measurement is relevant to the question being investigated.

• Uncertainty: A measure of how far a measured quantity might be from the true value.

• Significant figures: Indicates the precision of a measured value.

• Rules:

  • All non-zero digits are significant.
  • Zeros between Significant figure are significant.
  • Leading zeros are not significant.
  • Trailing zeros are significant if a decimal is present

Experiment #1

• This experiment is used to better understand physical universe by measuring fundamental quantities such as distance, length, and time to know methods for treating the errors associated with these measurements.
• Equipment and Materials Needed:
  • Meterstick
  • Vernier Caliper
  • Micrometer
  • Stopwatch
  • Cylindrical Hollow Metal Block
  • Spherical Metal Block
  • Dynamic Cart
  • Dynamic Track

Experiment #2

• For this experiment, a Picket fence will be used as a free-falling object
• This experiment is used to measure the motion of the falling ball to find the value of the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s^2).
• Equipment and Materials Needed:
  • Xplorer GLX
  • Digital Adapter
  • Picket Fence
  • Photogate Head
  • Universal Table Clamp

Experiment #3

• Equipment and Materials Needed:
  • Xplorer GLX
  • Projectile Launcher
  • Plastic Balls
  • Photogate Port
  • Photogate Head
  • Photogate Mounting Bracket
  • Time of Flight Accessory
  • Universal Table Clamp
• Formulas
  • 𝒗𝟐𝒐 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝟐𝜽/𝒈

Experiment #4

• Equipment and Materials Needed:
  • Xplorer GLX
  • Force Sensor
  • Dynamics Track
  • Dynamics Cart
  • Large Base and Support Rod
  • Universal Table Clamp
  • Rod
  • Angle Indicator
  • Spring Balance
  • String
• If an object is at rest and the net force on the object is zero, the object is in static equilibrium