The experiments on this page are availible in our lab, but are not being used currently in any of our classes.
A Gas Law and Absolute Zero
Students will investigate how the pressure between a given quantity of gas in a fixed volume varies with temperature. This linear relationship between pressure and temperature is extrapolated to zero pressure. The temperature at which this occurs is absolute zero.
In this experiment, students determine the amount of work done, measure the temperature rise of a drum, and calculate the amount of heat that would produce the same temperature rise.
In this experiment e/m of the electron is determined from the relationship between the electric potential used to accelerate the electron to a given speed, the strength of the magnetic field that influences the electron's motion, and the radius of the circular path which the electron follows.
This lab is concerned with the characteristics of capacitors and circuits with resistors and capacitors connected in series (RC circuits). The primary focus will be on the response of a RC Circuit to a step voltage and a voltage square wave.
This lab is concerned with the characteristics of inductors and circuits with resistors and inductors connected in series (RL circuits). The primary focus will be on the response of a RL Circuit to a step voltage and a voltage square wave.
The motion of two coupled pendulums is studied. While the general motion of this system may seem complicated,
any motion of this system can be described by the sum of two normal modes. In a given normal mode all parts of the system oscillate at the same frequency and pass through their equilibrium positions at the same time. The two normal modes of this system will be observed and the frequency of each mode measured.
In this lab a cyclic heat engine utilizing air as the working substance is operated. The
pressure and volume of the working subtsance is traced on a p/V plot. Assuming no loss of working substance, in one cycle the p/V curve is a
closed loop. A differential amount of work (dW) done by the heat engine is pdV. In one cycle the work down by the engine is the areas enclosed by
the p/V loop.
In this lab, students use a cirucit with a resistor (R) an inductor (L) and a capacitor (C) connected in series to explore the characteristics of an oscillating system. When the
system is driven at its natural frequency, the phenomenon of resonance occurs. Students will measure the natural frequency of the system and observe the time dependent voltages across
each of the components.
