EDISON STATE COLLEGE

Division of Arts and Sciences

COMMON COURSE SYLLABUS

PROFESSOR: George Manacheril OFFICE LOCATION: G111 (Charlotte)
E-MAIL: gmanacheril@edison.edu PHONE NUMBER: 941 743 2251
OFFICE HOURS: MW 2:00 – 4:00 pm SEMESTER: Fall2010
TR 9:30 – 12:30 (Online)

I. COURSE NUMBER AND TITLE, CATALOG DESCRIPTION, CREDIT HOURS:

PHY 2048L – GENERAL PHYSICS I LABORATORY – AA – 1 CREDIT HOUR

This laboratory course accompanies PHY 2048 and includes investigations that illustrate and
explore concepts and principles related to force and motion, work and energy, rotation, gravity,
and properties of matter. It is designed to encourage the concept of “learning by doing” and
enhance student learning of physical concepts. The course introduces students to experimental
procedures, techniques and equipment; it involves setting up the laboratory equipment,
collection of data, interpretation of experimental data and preparation of a lab report. This is
the first part of a two-semester lab course in General Physics.

II. PREREQUISITES FOR THE COURSE:

MAC 2311 with a minimum grade of “C”

Co-requisite: PHY 2048

III. GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION: Topic outline

The following experiments provide a foundation for covering all the main concepts in the lecture
component of this course.

• Experimental uncertainty (errors) and data analysis

• Measuring density
• Acceleration of gravity
• Addition and resolution of forces
• Atwood machine
• Friction
• Centripetal force
• Work and energy
• Projectile motion: the Ballistic Pendulum
• Torques, equilibrium, and center of gravity
• Simple harmonic motion

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• Simple pendulum
• Archimedes’ principle
• Standing waves
• Air column resonance
• Thermal coefficient of linear expansion
• Specific heat of metals
• Latent heats of fusion and vaporization

IV. LEARNING OUTCOMES AND ASSESSMENT:

GENERAL EDUCATION COMPETENCIES:

General education courses must meet at least four out of the five following outcomes. All other
courses will meet one or more of these outcomes.

Communication (COM): To communicate effectively using standard English (written or oral).

Critical Thinking (CT): To demonstrate skills necessary for analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

Technology/Information Management (TIM): To demonstrate the skills and use the technology
necessary to collect, verify, document, and organize information from a variety of sources.

Global Socio-cultural Responsibility (GSR): To identify, describe, and apply responsibilities, core
civic beliefs, and values present in a diverse society.

Scientific and Quantitative Reasoning (QR): To identify and apply mathematical and scientific
principles and methods.

ADDITIONAL COURSE COMPETENCIES:

At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate the following additional
competencies:

LEARNING OUTCOMES ASSESSMENTS GENERAL EDUCATION

COMPETENCY
Recognize the effects of errors in measurements Lab reports, exams COM, CT, TIM, QR
and illustrate their impact on the experimental and/or projects.
data and results.
Use appropriate measuring devices in COM, CT, TIM, QR
distinguishing between measurements of mass
and density, and experimentally determine the
density of a given object.
Investigate the laws of motion and experimentally COM, CT, TIM, QR
determine the acceleration of gravity and of a
given object in linear and circular motion.

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Apply and distinguish between graphical and COM, CT, TIM, QR

analytical methods in calculating physical
quantities.
Evaluate the validity of empirical “laws” as they COM, CT, TIM, QR
relate to the experimental determination of the
coefficient of friction between two given surfaces
and Hooke’s law in simple harmonic motion.
Explain the relationship between work and energy COM, CT, TIM, QR
and compare and contrast conservation laws for
ideal systems with the non-conservative aspects of
situations under laboratory conditions.
Investigate and distinguish between the concepts COM, CT, TIM, QR
of “center of mass” and “center of gravity” while
experimenting with the static equilibrium of an
object under the influence of forces and torques.
Distinguish between the quantities “density” and COM, CT, TIM, QR
“specific gravity”; apply Archimedes’ principle in
determining these quantities for solid and liquid
samples.
Distinguish between the concepts of “node,” COM, CT, TIM, QR
“antinode,” and “resonance” in your investigation
of waves and experimentally calculate the speed
of a wave.
Investigate and identify thermal properties and COM, CT, TIM, QR
processes, and determine experimentally the
values of certain heat constants for various metals
and liquids.

V. DISTRICT-WIDE POLICIES:

PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Edison State College, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the College’s
guiding principles, offers students with documented disabilities programs to equalize access to
the educational process. Students needing to request an accommodation in this class due to a
disability, or who suspect that their academic performance is affected by a disability should
contact the Office of Adaptive Services at the nearest campus.

Lee Campus Taeni Hall S-116A (239) 489-9427

Charlotte Campus Student Services SS-101 (941) 637-5626
Collier Campus Admin. Bldg. A-116 (239) 732-3918
Hendry/Glades Ctr. LaBelle H.S. (863) 674-0408

VI. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE STUDENT:

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(i) Complete the labs as scheduled and complete and submit a minimum of 10 lab reports
on or before the due date assigned for each lab in the assignment drop box.
(ii) Students are required to take a mid term and a final exam in this course.
(iii) Students are required have Microsoft office and be proficient in the use of the equation
editor, draw menu and the use of excel for constructing and interpreting graphs. Watch
the course introduction video to learn how a good lab report can be prepared and
uploaded to the “Assessment” folder. If you haven’t received the introduction video, let
me have your mailing address as soon as possible.

VII. ABSENCE POLICY:

This is an online course and attendance is not required..

VIII. GRADING PROCEDURE:

Laboratory grade is made up of the following components.

(i) Lab reports: 60% (10 highest lab report scores will be used.)
(ii) Lab final 40%

Laboratory reports will be uploaded for marking within one week of the assigned date of the
experiment. Check the Assignment Drop Box for submission deadlines. Labs 4, 10 and 13 are
mandatory and from the remaining, you may do any seven. Reports submitted later than the
deadline will not be considered for assessment.

Grades will be assigned using the following criteria.

100 – 90 = A
89 - 80 = B
79 - 70 = C
69 - 60 = D
Below 60 = F

IX. TEXT BOOK AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

(i) All the required labs are available online. Students are required to print them out and
read them before coming to class.
(ii) All lab activities are available on videos in iTunesu. Students are required to download
these videos for lab activities.
(iii) A 30-cm ruler, protractor and a divider are required for this course.
(iv) Microsoft office 2003 or 2007 and aTI-83 Graphing Calculator or equuivalent.

X. RESERVED MATERIALS:

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None.

XI. CLAST COMPETENCIES INVOLVED IN THE COURSE:

Not applicable.

XII. CLASS SCHEDULE:

Access the “Assignments” menu for the lab manuals. Complete your lab reports and upload it
back to the “Assignments” menu folder not later than the due date. Check the assignment tab
for due dates.

Week 1 Units, Error Calculation, Data Analysis, Graphing.

9/1/2010 Equipment: Meter ruler, set of masses.

Week 2 Distance and speed, displacement and velocity

9/13/2010 Equipment: Ticker timer, dynamic carts, power supply for
ticker timer, graph paper.

Week 3 Uniformly accelerated motion; equations of motion.

9/20/2010 Equipment: Ticker timer, dynamic carts, power supply for
ticker timer, pendulum bobs, string.

Week 4 Vectors and vector addition.

9/27/2010 Equipment: Force Table and accessories.

Week 5 Force and Acceleration

10/4/2010 Equipment: Linear track and accessories, ticker timer and
accessories, meter ruler

Week 6 Motion of Connected Masses

10/11/2010 Equipment: Pulley system, weights and weight hangers, stop
watch, meter rule, string.

Week 7 Review and makeup

Week 8 Conservation of Energy

10/25/2010 Equipment: A lead ball suspended from a retort stand,
photogate and timer, meter ruler

Week 9 Work-energy theorem

11/1/2010 Equipment: An inclined track, a cart, photogate and timer and
a meter ruler

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Week 10 Velocity of Projection

11/8/2010 Equipment: Spring loaded gun, meter ruler, ballistic pendulum.

Week 11 Density Measurement

11/15/2010 Equipment: Vernier caliper, micrometer screw gauge,
aluminum sheets, copper pieces.

Week 12 Equilibrium of Rigid Bodies

11/22/2010 Equilibrium of rigid bodies apparatus set, meter ruler.

Week 13 Lab Final

11/29/2010 You will be tested on one of the last seven experiments. You
will be required to collect data, interpret it and answer
questions related to the experiment. Download the lab final
video when it is made available. Complete the lab final report
and upload it into the “Assignments” folder.

XIII. OTHER INFORMATION:

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