Physics Lab Equipment

Module 1: Familiarization of Laboratory Equipment

• This module introduces common measuring tools and equipment used in physics labs.

Measuring Equipment

Meter Stick

• A straight tool made of wood, metal, or plastic, marked in centimeters and millimeters, typically 1 meter long.
• Used to measure length, height, or distance in experiments.

Vernier Caliper

• A precision tool with a main scale and sliding vernier scale.
• Measures internal, external dimensions, and depths accurately, down to 0.01 cm or 0.1 mm, useful for small objects.

Micrometer Screw Gauge

• A U-shaped tool with a calibrated screw and rotating thimble.
• Provides precise measurements of thickness, diameter, or length of small objects down to 0.01 mm.

Stopwatch

• A handheld device with start, stop, and reset buttons.
• Available in digital and analog formats.
• Measures time intervals in seconds and milliseconds for motion experiments.

Weighing Scale

• A device with a flat platform and digital/analog display.
• It shows and measures the mass of objects in grams or kilograms.

Ticker Timer

• An electric device that marks dots on tape at regular intervals, used to study moving objects.

Motion Sensor

• Emits ultrasonic pulses to detect an object's position.
• Measures displacement, velocity, and acceleration in motion experiments.

Inclined Plane

• A flat, sloped surface for studying motion under gravity.
• Useful for investigating acceleration, force, and friction.

Photogate Timer

• A device with an infrared beam that detects passing objects.
• Precisely measures time intervals for objects in motion.

Heat and Thermodynamic Equipment

Thermometer

• A glass tube filled with mercury or alcohol, marked with Celsius or Fahrenheit scales.
• Measures temperature changes in various substances.

Calorimeter

• An insulated container with a stirrer and thermometer to minimize heat loss.
• Measures heat transfer during chemical reactions or physical changes.

Bunsen Burner

• A gas-powered burner with an adjustable air valve for controlling the flame.
• Provides a heat source for combustion and heating experiments.

Heat Sensor

• A probe connected to a digital display that detects temperature changes.
• Measures temperature and heat flow accurately in experiments.

Barometer

• A sealed glass tube filled with mercury or aneroid (without liquid).
• Measures atmospheric pressure and helps to studies gas laws.

Wave and Sound Equipment

Turning Fork

• A U-shaped metal tool that vibrates at a fixed frequency when struck.
• Used to study sound waves, frequency, and resonance.

Oscilloscope

• An electronic device with a screen that displays waveforms from electrical signals.
• It Visualizes sound waves, frequency, amplitude, and phase difference.

Microphone

• A device with a diaphragm that converts sound waves into electrical signals.
• Used to capture sound in acoustics experiments.

Resonance Tube

• A hollow tube partially filled with water to create standing waves.
• it Measures the speed of sound in air by observing resonant frequencies.

Optical Equipment

Lens (Convex and Concave)

• Transparent glass pieces curved inward (concave) or outward (convex).
• It Focuses or diverges light to form images or correct vision in 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.
• Used to observe microscopic details and structures.

Optical Bench

• A long, straight track with adjustable mounts for lenses, mirrors, and screens.
• Conducts experiments on image formation, focal lengths, and magnification.

Plane Mirror

• A flat reflective surface.

Electrical Equipment

Ammeter

• An instrument with a dial or digital display to measure current.
• Measures electric current in amperes when connected in series in a circuit.

Voltmeter

• A device similar to an ammeter but measures voltage.
• Measures electrical potential difference in volts when connected in parallel.

Resistor

• A cylindrical component with colored bands indicating resistance value.
• Controls current flow in circuits by offering resistance.

Multimeter

• A handheld device with probes to measure voltage, current, and resistance.
• Used for troubleshooting and testing electrical circuits.

Power Supply

• A box with adjustable voltage and current output.
• Provides controlled electrical energy for experiments.

Capacitor

• An electronic component with two plates separated by an insulator.
• Stores and releases electrical energy in circuits.

Module 2: Measurement

• Measurement is determining the size, quantity, or amount of a physical quantity using a standard unit.
• It involves comparing an unknown quantity with a known standard to obtain a numerical value and a unit.
• Physical Quantities: Measurable properties of physical systems.
• Unit: A standard quantity used as a basis for measurement.

Types of Measurement

Direct Measurement

• Involves directly comparing the object with a measuring tool.
  • Using a ruler to measure length.
  • Using a weighing scale to measure mass.

Indirect Measurement

• Involves calculations or formulas to determine an object's measurement.
• Used when direct measurement is not feasible.
  • Measuring a building's height using trigonometry.
  • Calculating distance using speed and time formulas.

System of Measurement

English System

• It's a traditional system primarily used in the United States.
• Utilizes units like inches, feet, miles, pounds, and gallons.
• It Originated from customary units of the British Empire.

Metric System

• A decimal-based system used globally for scientific and everyday measurements.
• Built on powers of 10 for simplicity.
  • Easy to convert between units by shifting decimal points.

International System of Units (SI)

• An extension of the metric system is 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 operations.

• Area: Length x Width, Square meter (m²)

• Volume: Length x Width x Depth, Cubic meter (m³)

• Speed: Distance / Time, m/s

• Force: Mass x Acceleration, Newton (N)

• Pressure: Force / Area, Pascal (Pa)

• Energy: Force x Distance, Joule (J)

Prefixes

• 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, Precision, Validity and Uncertainty

Accuracy

• Refers to how close a measured value is to the true or accepted value.
• High accuracy means the measurement is close to the correct value

Precision

• Refers to how close repeated measurements are to each other, regardless of accuracy.
• High precision indicates consistency in measurements.

Validity

• The measurement is relevant to the question being investigated and allows correct conclusions.

Uncertainty

• A measure of how far a measured quantity is from the true value.

Significant Figures

• Indicates the precision of a measured value.
• Rules:
  • All non-zero digits are significant.
  • Zeros between significant figures are significant.
  • Leading zeros are not significant.
  • Trailing zeros are significant if a decimal is present.

Experiment #1

• Familiarization of measuring techniques to avoiderrors, and elementary methods.
• Measuring Devices Used:
  • Meterstick
  • Vernier Caliper
  • Micrometer
  • Stopwatch
• Materials:
  • Cylindrical Hollow Metal Block
  • Spherical Metal Block
  • Dynamic Cart
  • Dynamic Track

Vernier Caliper use for the experiment

• Measures internal dimensions with uppermost jaws and external dimensions with lower jaws.
• Some models measure depth using a probe along the body's center.
• Commonly used provide a precision to a hundredth of a millimeter.

Micrometer Caliper for the experiment

• The spindle has 2 threads per millimeter, so one complete revolution moves spindle through 0.5 mm.
• The Longitude line is graduated with 1 mm division and 0.5 mm of subdivisions.
• The thimble has 50 graduations, each being 0.01 mm.
• The reading is given by number of millimeter subdivisions visible on the sleeve plus the particular axis line on the sleeve.

Measuring dimensions, length, derived measurements

• Use meterstick, vernier caliper, micrometer
• Measure the mass, and calculate volume, area, density as well as percentage of error.

Experiment #2

Xplorer GLX measures gravity

• Requires Xplorer GLX, digital adapter, picket fence, photogate head, table clamp.
• Uses a picket fence for free fall to measure gravity.
• Drops the picket fence through a photogate to record motion and calculate gravity's acceleration, approximately 9.8 m/s².

Experiment #3

Projectile motion and range

• Requires Xplorer GLX, projectile launcher, plastic balls, photogate, mounting bracket, time of flight accessory.
• Launches a ball at different angles and measures the range.
• Calculates horizonal distance using projectile motion equations.
  • R₁ = (v cose)tr
  • R2 = (v²sin2θ)/g

Experiment #4

Static equilibrium on frictionless inclined plane to balance gravitional pull

• Requires Xplorer GLX, force sensor, dynamics track/cart, support rod/clamp, angle indicator, string.
• Measures force to achieve static equilibrium
• An applied force equals mg sinθ.