Brief Description of Experiments
This listing includes a brief description of the "free choice" experiments along with the number of weights assigned to each experiment.
EXPLANATION OF NOTATION: The numbers in square brackets following these term indicators, e.g., [1 wt], [2 wt] indicate the number of weights credited to the experiment. A one weight experiment requires one lab session (3 hours) to complete; a two weight experiment requires two lab sessions (6 hours).
The guide sheets for all of these experiments, (in pdf format) can be viewed and downloaded by returning to the Experiments page and clicking on the links in the table there.
(M) Mechanics and Mechanical Systems
Conservation of Angular Momentum: The air track and the motion sensor are used to investigate elastic and inelastic collisions and drag force. [1 wt]
Free Fall: Measurement of g by determining the distance a body falls in a measured time. [1 wt]
The Gyroscope: A study of this fascinating instrument, in which angular momentum, torque, precession, nutation, etc., can be measured. [1-2 wt]
The Mechanical Equivalent of Heat: Joule's classic experiment. [1wt]
Chaotic Motion: Study of forced and damped oscillations, resonance and chaotic motion. [1 - 2 wt]
Radius of the Earth (Gravity of the Earth): In this experiment, students measure the variation of gravitational acceleration up the Burton tower of MP building with a Sodin gravimeter and from these measurements deduce the radius of the Earth. [1 wt]
Oscillations of a Sphere on a Concave Surface: Measurement of the radius of curvature of a concave surface using a simple harmonic motion system. [1 wt]
The Torsion Pendulum: Measurement of the torsional constant of a wire and the moment of inertia of various solids. [1 wt]
Wilberforce Pendulum: A fascinating study of mechanical resonance between two types of simple harmonic motion. [1-2 wt]
(AN) Atomic and Nuclear Physics
Scattering: A model of a two-dimensional scattering process. The experiment simulates the scattering of a beam of particles from a fixed target. [1-2 wt]
(F) Fundamental Constants
The Cavendish Experiment: The classic experiment to measure the Universal Gravitational Constant. [2 wt]
The Speed of Light: A modification of Fizeau's classic experiment gives an opportunity to a careful experimenter to get the value for c with a precision of 5%. [2 wt]