PHYS 117 A: General Physics Laboratory: Mechanics

Overview

In this course, you will test models of the physical world.  During lab, you will work in a group of 3 or 4 students to discuss each other's ideas and to record and analyze data.  Then, each of you will write and submit a report based on your group's results by the following week.

You can see all the required activities in a given week in Modules.

Learning Objectives

After this course students will be able to:

• conceptually understand the statistical underpinnings of uncertainty.
• quantify uncertainty in measurement and modeling.
• design experiments to test a model.
• judge whether an experimental result is consistent with a model within the estimated uncertainties.
• write a scientific report with valid conclusions and discussion of results.
• function effectively on a professional team to achieve a task.

Contact information

For questions send an email with your course (Phys 117), your UW net ID (the part before @uw.edu in your email address), and name as it appears on Canvas to:

• your TA (contact information will be posted here, and office hours here) for questions related to your grades, the labs, and report writing.
• the instructor, Jens Gundlach, at gundlach@uw.edu and the TA coordinator, David Smith, at dsmith4@uw.edu for questions about your TA or questions that your TA may not be able to answer.
• the program coordinator at phys1xx@uw.edu for administrator questions related to registering, overloading, etc...

Grades

You will receive a grade of Credit if you

• earn 67% of the possible points,
• participate in all 8 labs*
• turn in all assigned lab reports/partial reports with clear honest effort*.

*See make-up policy if you cannot meet these conditions due to valid reasons.

• Lab in-lab (35% of grade):
  • At the end of each lab you will be graded out of 2 points based on your shared lab document and your participation in group discussions. You need to have the TA complete the check off sheet before you leave the lab in order to receive credit.
• Lab assignments (65% of grade):
  • Lab assignments are split between Canvas quizzes and submitted reports. For reports, you will submit a pdf on Gradescope and the details will be provided in each assignment.  
  • These should be completed by 11:59 pm the Tuesday after your lab section.
  • Lab reports will be graded individually, so each member of your lab group needs to submit a report. You are, of course, encouraged to work with other students, but your lab report must be written using your own words.
  • For Canvas lab assignments, there is a 1% deduction for each hour that it is late.
  • For lab reports submitted on gradescope, if you submit your report between 10 and 48 hours after it is due, there is a 2 point deduction.  Lab reports will not be accepted 48 hours after it is due unless there is a valid reason.

Make-up policies

This class is planned to be conducted in-person unless the University announces otherwise.  You are expected to participate in class to fully benefit from course activities and meet the course’s learning objectives.  To protect your fellow students, faculty, and staff, if you feel ill or may be contagious, you should not come to class.  When absent, it is your responsibility to inform me in advance (or as close to the class period as possible in the case of an unexpected absence), and to request appropriate make-up work as per policies below.

• To receive the Lab in-lab credit: 

If you cannot participate in one week's lab session in-person due to a valid reason (family and medical emergency etc.), do the following in this order:

• 1. 1. Attend another lab section in the same week. A schedule of labs can be found here. You can attend both Phys 117 and 121 sections. Before you leave the lab, ensure that the lead TA of that section makes a record of your participation.
     2. If the above option does not work, attend a lab section the following week. A set-up of the previous week's lab will be arranged at the back of the room. Let the lead TA know that you are there to make-up the previous week's lab, and ask for assistance when needed. Before you leave the lab, ensure that the lead TA of that section makes a record of your participation.
     3. If option 2 does not work, please Contact the TA coordinator, and we will discuss accommodations.
• To receive Lab Assignments credit:
  • You are responsible for submitting each lab report and each lab HW, even if you missed a lab or you conducted an experiment in another lab section. If you missed the lab, read the lab handout, then obtain data from your lab partners and discuss the lab procedures with your lab partners and/or a TA during office hours.
  • If you could not turn in a lab assignment due to a valid reason, please contact the TA coordinator to discuss accommodations.

Resources to Succeed

This website contains a list of resources you may find helpful for a variety of issues students may encounter during your time at UW.  Contact me if you need help finding the resources you need.

Access and accommodation

Your experience in this class is important to us, so if you have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations (conditions include but are not limited to: mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical), please contact DRS to arrange accommodations.

Safe campus

We are committed to ensuring a safe environment on campus.  We encourage you to check out the resources available here.

For students who have a lab or tutorial section at night, night time escort services are available.

Religious Accommodations

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy (https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/). Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form (https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/).

Academic integrity and student conduct

The University takes academic integrity and student conduct very seriously.  Behaving with integrity and respect is part of our responsibility to our shared learning community.  Acts of academic misconduct may include, but are not limited to, copying other groups' data or reports.

Please note that taking photos or recording instructors, other students, and course materials without permission is strictly forbidden.  Streaming or posting inappropriate materials on any course platform is also not allowed. 

All the course materials including lab manuals and supplemental videos are intellectual properties of the instructor and the University of Washington. Distributing them in any form without permission is forbidden.  

The University of Washington Student Conduct Code (WAC 478-121) defines prohibited academic and behavioral conduct and describes how the University holds students accountable as they pursue their academic goals.  Allegations of misconduct by students may be referred to the appropriate campus office for investigation and resolution.  More information can be found online at https://www.washington.edu/studentconduct/.

If you’re uncertain about if something is academic or behavioral misconduct, ask us.  we are willing to discuss questions you might have.

Research Study Information

This course is part of a research project examining student reasoning and attitudes about physics with the goal of improving physics teaching.  By enrolling in this course, you are automatically included in the study. Early in the quarter, students will have an opportunity to learn about the study and to remove themselves from the study if they wish. Your instructor will not know whether or not you participate. Please click on this link to review the details of the study, contact a member of the research team, or remove yourself from the study.