AP Physics 🔭

2025-2026 Agendas

👨‍🏫 Mr. Porter

2025.11.04 AP Physics Do Now

Car A is traveling to the right at a constant velocity . At time , it passes Car B, which is at rest. At the same time (), Car B begins to accelerate with a constant acceleration of magnitude , as shown in Figure 1. Car B has a velocity of when it reaches the same position as Car A at time , as shown in Figure 2. Which of the following, if any, is an expression for the

time it takes Car B to catch up top Car A?

center

A. B. C.
D. It cannot be determined without knowing the distance traveled by the cars

Car A is traveling to the right at a constant velocity . At time , it passes Car B, which is at rest. At the same time (), Car B begins to accelerate with a constant acceleration of magnitude , as shown in Figure 1. Car B has a velocity of when it reaches the same position as Car A at time , as shown in Figure 2.

center

On the same axes, sketch the velocity graphs for each car. Label any important velocites or times.

2025.11.04 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: What is your favorite holiday?

📋 Agenda

  1. Do Now
  2. Hand Back Quizzes
  3. Projectiles Fired at an Angle
  4. TS Projectiles #11 -> End

🎯 Goals

🥅 Model Projectiles Fired at an Angle

📆 Upcoming

  • Test Tomorrow -> Finish AP Classroom Assignment

Quiz Reassessment - Extra Practice

1.2 Displacement, Velocity, and Acceleration

  • Kinematic Equations 4
  • Kinematic Equations 5

1.3 Representing Motion

  • Concept Builder: Match that graph

1.5 Vectors and Motion in Two Dimensions

  • Vectors and Projectiles: Component Addition

2025.11.03 AP Physics Do Now

A Coast Guard helicopter is flying at at a height of above the ocean water. The crew wishes to package a box of survival gear to some people aboard a shipwrecked vessel. What horizontal distance from the wreckage site should the helicopter release the package in order to land it at the site?

2025.11.03 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: What came first? The chicken or the egg?

📋 Agenda

  1. Do Now
  2. Marble Lab
  3. Projectiles Launched at an angle

🎯 Goals

🥅 Model and predict projectile motion

📆 Upcoming

  • Test Wednesday - Finish AP Classroom Progress Check
  • Sign up for quiz reassessments this week!

Lab: Marble Off the Table 

Question:

How can we determine the marble’s horizontal launch speed and predict its landing spot from a new height?

Purpose:

Use the constant-velocity model horizontally and constant-acceleration model vertically to measure launch speed and predict range from different heights.

Lab Notebook Instructions 

  • Title, date, partners, equipment list: ruler track, marble, carbon paper, meterstick.

  • Sketch setup with labeled heights and reference line.

  • Raw tables for all trials; clearly show calculations for , , predictions.

  • Final claim-evidence-reasoning tying models to your results.

2025.10.30 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: Trick-or-Treating or passing out candy?

📋 Agenda

  1. Do Now: PC Free Fall Concept Builder
  2. Review X & Y independence
  3. Notes on Projectile Motion
  4. Think Sheet #1-8 & 12-14
  5. Marble Lab

🎯 Goals

🥅 Use kinematics to problem-solve horizontally launched projectile motion questions

📆 Upcoming

  • Test Wednesday 11/5 - Progress Check Posted

2025.10.29 AP Physics Do Now 🦆🚚

A duck flies past a truck that is at rest. The duck takes seconds to fly at a constant speed from the back of the truck to the front. Later, the truck travels along a flat, straight roadway with a constant speed . The duck again flies past the truck with constant speed , flying in the same direction that the truck is moving. How long does it take the duck to fly from the back oof the truck to the front in this cases?

center

2025.10.29 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: Crunchy or chewy candy?

📋 Agenda

  1. Do Now: PC Concept Builder Free Fall
  2. 🚀 Rocket Science: AP Workbook 1.J & 1.K
  3. Introduction to Projectile Motion

🎯 Goals

🥅 Define a projectile

📆 Homework

  • Kinematics 7: Free Fall, Rocket Science, and KEs
  • Test Wednesday 11/5 - Progress Check Posted

2025.10.28 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: Have you ever completed anything on your "bucket list"?

📋 Agenda

  1. Free Fall Notes
  2. Free Fall Think Sheet & Concept Check
  3. PC Practice Questions
  4. 🚀 Rocket Science: AP Workbook 1.J & 1.K

🎯 Goals

🥅 Model the motion of objects in free fall

📆 Homework

Finish

  • Kinematics 6: Free Fall and Kinematic Equations
  • Kinematics 7: Free Fall, Rocket Science, and KEs

2025.10.25 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: Which animal would be the scariest if it was super-sized?

📋 Agenda

  1. Quiz
  2. Free Fall
  3. Free Fall Questions

🎯 Goals

🥅 Define free fall and solve problems involving free fall motion

📆 Upcoming

In each case shown, someone is running on a flatbed train car as the train moves. In cases C and D, the person is running toward the front of the train, while in cases A and B the person is running toward the rear. The speeds of the train and of each person relative to the train are given.

center

Rank the speed of the runners relative to the observer standing beside the tracks.

Shown are five asteroids and a spaceship, all moving in the same direction away from Earth. The velocities of the asteroids and of the spaceship are given as measured from Earth.

center

  1. List the asteroids that are moving toward the spaceship.
  2. List the asteroids that are moving away from the spaceship.

Explain your reasoning

2025.10.23 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: If you were a pirate, what would your pirate name be? 🏴‍☠️🦜

📋 Agenda

  1. 2D Relative Motion Notes
  2. River Boat Physics Classroom Questions
  3. 2D Relative Motion Drone Pivot

🎯 Goals

🥅 Model 2D relative motion

🥅 Calculate relative velocities with vector addition

📆 Upcoming

  • Quiz tomorrow

2025.10.22 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

📋 Agenda

  1. AP Workbook 1.E
  2. 1D Relative Motion
  3. Pivot
  4. 2D Relative Motion
  5. Pivot

🎯 Goals

🥅 Model relative motion

📆 Homework:

-> PC: Vectors and Projectiles 2: Component Addition

2025.10.20 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: What is your ideal sandwich 🥪?

📋 Agenda - Here Fri

  1. Think Sheet: 5-8
  2. Work on Homework

📋 Agenda - Absent Fri

  1. Vector Addition Notes
  2. Vector Addition Think Sheet
  3. Vector Components
  4. Adding Vectors with components

📆 HW

  • PC: Adding Right Angle Vectors
  • PC: Vector Component Addition

2025.10.17 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: Does pineapple belong on a pizza? 🍍

📋 Agenda

  1. Vector Addition Notes
  2. Vector Addition Think Sheet
  3. Vector Components
  4. Adding Vectors with components

🎯 Goals

🥅 Add two-dimensional vectors

📆 Homework

Due Wednesday:

  • Adding Right Angle Vectors
  • Vector Component Addition

2025.10.16 AP Physics Do Now

Shown below are the paths two motorcyclists took on an afternoon ride. Both started at the same place, and both took the same time for the ride. Rider A traveled east for 19 km and then south for 4 km. Rider B traveled south for 7 km and then east for 16 km.

center

Is the magnitude of the displacement of the rider (i) greater in case A, (ii) greater in case B, or (iii) the same in both cases? Explain your reasoning.

👻 2025.10.16 AP Physics 🧟

❓ of the 📅: Would you rather discover that witches, vampires, or werewolves were real?

📋 Agenda

  1. Do Now
  2. Go over rolling ball question
  3. 2D Vectors - Measuring and drawing
  4. 2D Vectors - Adding Vectors

🎯 Goals

🥅 Measure and draw 2D Vectors

🥅 Add together right angled vectors

📆 Homework - PC:

  • Vectors and Projectiles 1: Adding Right Angle Vectors
  • Vector Direction Concept Builder

2025.10.14 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: Favorite season? 🍂❄️🌞💮

📋 Agenda

  1. AP Workbook 1.I The Chase
  2. Collaborative Problem-Solving
    1. 🏀 Rolling ball ranking task
    2. 🚀 Rocketship average velocity question

🎯 Goals

🥅 Problem-solve motion questions in small gorups

📆 Upcoming

  • AP Checks due! Get them in

2025.10.10 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: What is your favorite Halloween monster?

📋 Agenda

  1. Quiz
  2. Finish up anything in the photogate lab and get it stamped
  3. Pep Rally - play nice

🎯 Goals

🥅 Crush your quiz 💪🧠

📆 Upcoming

2025.10.09 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: Apple 🍎 or pumpkin 🎃 flavored?

📋 Agenda

  1. Photogate Lab

🎯 Goals

🥅 Use equations and graphical models to solve problems

📆 Upcoming

  • Quiz tomorrow:
    • VT graphs
    • Equations

Photogate Timing Lab

Target: time between photogates = 0.12 s

center

The figure above shows a cart on an inclined ramp. The cart is released from rest a distance from photogate 1. You are tasked to determine the distance from photogate 1, , to put a second photogate, so that the time it takes for the cart to travel between the two gates is .

Question

How far from photogate 1 should photogate 2 be placed to get 0.12 s between gates?

Purpose

Use the constant-acceleration particle model to:

  • Measure ramp acceleration from rest.
  • Predict photogate spacing Δx2 for the target interval.

Materials

Cart, inclined ramp, 2 photogates + timer, meterstick, tape, angle finder (optional), data table.

Procedure (Measure a)

  1. Mark release point Δx1 = 20 cm above gate 1; start cart from rest.
  2. Place gates; record gate times or interval over known spacing.
  3. Repeat 5 trials; keep setup identical.

Determine Acceleration

Predict Spacing

  • Derive Δx2(Δx1, a, Δt) from CAPM equations.
  • Compute Δx2 for Δt = 0.12 s.

Test & Validate

  • Place gate 2 at predicted Δx2.
  • Run 3 trials; compare to 0.12 s.
  • Compute percent error.

Representations

  • v–t with slope a.
  • x–t showing curvature.
  • Equations + sample calc with units.

Reflection

  • Does data support constant a?
  • How does steeper ramp (larger a) affect Δx2 for same Δt?
  • Evaluate the peer claim about moving gate 1 closer.

Notebook Checklist

✅ Titles
✅ Procedures and data
✅ labeled tables/graphs
✅ units
✅ best-fit lines
✅ clear conclusion & reflection questions

🎃 2025.10.07 AP Physics 🕸️

❓ of the 📅: Do you like scary movies? What is your favorite?

📋 Agenda

  1. Finish Bear Problem
  2. Discuss
  3. Kinematic Equations & Cross Diagram

🎯 Goals

🥅 Use graphs and equations to solve word problems

📆 Upcoming

  • PC Kinematic Eqns 1, 2, 3

👽 2025.10.06 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: Candy corn: yay or nay?

📋 Agenda

  1. Do Now - Graphs Practice worksheet
  2. Problem-Solving with VT Graphs
    • get back into pairs (different than Friday!)

🎯 Goals

🥅 Use velocity time graphs to model motion and make predictions.

📆 Upcoming

  • Quiz Friday

🎃 2025.10.03 AP Physics Do Now 👻

Graphs of velocity versus time during 4 seconds for identical objects are shown below.

center

Rank the magnitudes of the displacements of the objects during each of these intervals.

🎃 2025.10.03 AP Physics 👻

❓ of the 📅: Would you rather visit a Haunted House or a Corn Maze?

📋 Agenda

  1. Do Now
  2. Problem-solving with VT Graphs
  3. Paired Problem Solving

🎯 Goals

🥅 Use velocity time graphs to model motion and make predictions.

2025.10.01 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: Cake or pie? 🍰🥧

📋 Agenda

  1. Do Now - Check stacks of graphs with table
  2. Solving VT Graphs Quantitatively
  3. Introduction to problem solving

🎯 Goals

🥅 Use velocity vs. time graphs to solve Kinematic problems

📆 Upcoming

  • PC CalcPad K10 - Velocity Time Graphs 1
  • PC CalcPad K11 - Velocity Time Graphs 2

For each of these cases, if any, is...at the indicated point?

  1. the position zero ?
  2. the position negative?
  3. the velocity zero?
  4. the velocity negative?
  5. the acceleration zero ?
  6. the acceleration negative?

2025.09.30 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: Should you bite or lick your ice cream? 🍨🍦

📋 Agenda

  1. 📓 Notes & 8 Examples
  2. 🃏 Card Sort 2
  3. 📈 Velocity vs time graphs

🎯 Goals

🥅 Model motion graphically

🥅 Make predictions of motion from VT Graphs

🏡 Homework

  • PC CalcPad K10 - Velocity Time Graphs 1
  • PC CalcPad K11 - Velocity Time Graphs 2

2025.09.29 AP Physics Do Now

The graphs below show the velocity versus time for boats traveling along a straight, narrow channel. The scales on both axes are the same for all of these graphs. In each graph, a point is marked with a dot.

center

Rank the magnitude of the velocity of the boat at the point indicated. Explain your reasoning.

2025.09.29 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: Would you rather watch a movie on your TV at home or on the big screen in the theater, and why?

📋 Agenda

  1. Do Now
  2. Finish Carts and Ramps
  3. Notes of Graphical Representations
  4. Card Sort #2

🎯 Goals

🥅 Model and represent uniform motion graphical

📆 Homework

  • PC Mission KC4: Acceleration
  • PC Mission KG1: Basics of Position-Time Graphs

2025.09.25 AP Physics Do Now

The position-time graph shown represents the motion of two children who are moving along a narrow, straight hallway.

  1. Do either of the children ever change direction?
  2. Are the two children ever at the same position along the hallway?
  3. Do the two children ever have the same speed?
  4. Do the two children ever have the same acceleration?

2025.09.25 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: What is your favorite family vacation?

📋 Agenda

  1. Do Now
  2. Review Lab Results
  3. Linearization
  4. Card Sort

🎯 Goals

🥅 Model Uniform motion graphically

📆 Upcoming

2025.09.24 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: If you could do anything you wanted today, what would you do?

📋 Agenda

  1. Finish Fan Cart Lab
  2. Whiteboard Results
  3. Board Meeting
  4. Card Sort

🎯 Goals

🥅 Represent changing velocity motion

📆 Upcoming

2025.09.23 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: What is the worst food?

📋 Agenda

  1. Fan Cart Lab
  • Notes on data collection best practices
  1. Tutorial on https://graphicalanalysis.app

🎯 Goals

🥅 Finish Fan Cart Data Collection & Analysis

📆 Upcoming

  • AP Exam checks are due to guidance on Thursday, October 16th
    -> Check to Schodack Central Schools

Ticker Tape Best Practices

  • how to set up the spark timer to collect good data:
    • length of tape = length of run, make sure tape is shorter than track so it is pulled all of the way through
    • label tape after collecting data
      • trial #, where zero is
    • need to pull tape through timer BEFORE taping to cart
  • Note You do not need to record every ticker mark...but be sure to follow the 8x10 rule. More data is better here if you have it!

2025.09.19 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: Would you rather be a superhero or super villain?

📋 Agenda

  1. Quiz
  2. Based on time: start fan cart lab or group problem solving

🎯 Goals

🥅 __

📆 Upcoming

2025.09.18 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: What animal do you think is the creepiest?

📋 Agenda

  1. AP Workbook - 1.A through 1.D
  2. Velocity vs. Time Graphs
  3. Red Car vs. Green Car Questions

🎯 Goals

🥅 Create and interpret velocity vs. time graphs

📆 Upcoming

  • Quiz tomorrow -> Practice posted on Canvas

A red car (top) and a green car (bottom) are having a race. The green car has a head start (distance a). The two cars start at the same time. The red car must travel to the finish line (distance b). The red car averages a speed of . The green car averages a speed of .

  1. Determine the time it takes the red car to reach the finish line.
  2. Determine the time it takes the green car to reach the finish line.

A red car (top) and a green car (bottom) are having a race. The green car has a head start (distance a). The two cars start at the same time. The red car must travel 200.0 m to the finish line (distance b). The red car averages a speed of . The green car averages a speed of . When the red car crosses the finish line, how far (in meters) ahead or behind is the green car? (Enter a + answer if green car is ahead and a - answer if the green car is behind.)

A red car (top) and a green car (bottom) are having a race. The green car has a head start (distance a). The two cars start at the same time. The red car must travel to the finish line (distance b). The green car averages a speed of . What speed (in m/s) must the red car average in order to reach the finish line at the exact same time as the green car?

A red car (top) and a green car (bottom) are having a race. The green car has a head start (distance a). The two cars start at the same time. The red car must travel to the finish line (distance b). The red car averages a speed of . The green car averages a speed of . What must be the head start distance (distance a) in order for the two cars to reach the finish line at the exact same time?

A red car (on left) and a green car (on right) are spaced apart (distance a). They start at the same time and head towards each other. The red car averages a speed of . The green car averages a speed of . What distance will the red car have traveled (distance b) when it is at the same position as the green car?

2025.09.17 Do Now

Each graph below shows the position of an object as a function of time.

center

  1. Rank the displacement of each object from least to greatest.
  2. Rank the distance of each object from least to greatest.

2025.09.17 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: Would you rather live in the ocean 🌊 or on the moon 🌔?

📋 Agenda

  1. Do Now
  2. Average vs. Instantaneous
  3. Motion Maps
  4. Practice Interpreting Motion Maps
    • Concept Builders: Position time graphs (both)

🎯 Goals

🥅 Interpret position vs. time graphs, pictorially, graphically, mathematically, and narratively

📆 Upcoming

  • HW: PC Kinematics 2: Position-Time Graphs

2025.09.15

AP Physics Do Now

  1. Do the cyclists start at the same point? How do you know? If not, which is ahead?
  2. At , which cyclist is ahead? How do you know?
  3. Which cyclist is traveling faster at 3s? How do you know?
  4. Are their velocities equal at any time? How do you know?
  5. What is happening at the intersection of lines and ?

2025.09.15

AP Physics Do Now

  1. Write a hypothetical mathematical model for each cyclist

2025.09.15 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: What is the proper length of a playlist?

📋 Agenda

  1. Do Now
  2. Finish Notes
  3. Physics Classrom: Distance vs. Displacement
  4. Analyzing XT Graphs
  5. Average vs. Instantaneous; Speed vs. Velocity

🎯 Goals

🥅 Practice with distance and displacement

🥅 Define average vs. instantaneous

📆 Upcoming

2025.09.12

AP Physics Do Now

Defining "How Far"

Who went further? Dorothy or Toto?

2025.09.12 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: What is the best fry shape? 🍟

📋 Agenda

  1. Do Now
  2. Whiteboard Buggy Lab Results
  3. Buggy Lab Board Meeting
  4. CV Model Notes
  5. Physics Classrom: Distance vs. Displacement

🎯 Goals

🥅 Define position, distance, and displacement

🥅 Model consistent motion

📆 Upcoming

2025.09.11 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: Does a week start on Sunday or Monday?

📋 Agenda

  1. Buggy Lab
    • Goal is to have data collected, graphed, and discussion written by the end of class

🎯 Goals

🥅 Model motion of a toy car

📆 Upcoming

  • Get your parents/guardians to sign your safety contract on ParentSquare

Buggy Lab 🚗

Purpose

Collect data on your buggies so that you can represent the motion (all aspescts) of both buggies on the same graph. Your final models should be able to predict the position of your buggy at specified times.

Question

Does your Buggy move in a consistent manner? [Define consistent]

Constraints

You will be given scenario card that describes the setup of your buggies

Scenarios

  • You can ignore the speed label, just use the colors for reference

Do Now: Register for...

  1. AP Classroom ->> AP Exam Prep & Review
  1. Physics Classroom ->> General Physics Practice & Homework

2025.09.09 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: Is it OK to ask the genie for infinite wishes? 🧞

📋 Agenda

  1. Do Now
  2. Board Meeting
  3. Test out Physics Classroom -> Variables MOP
  4. Buggy Lab

🎯 Goals

🥅 Establish Board Meeting Norms

📆 Upcoming

  • Safety Contract Post

Physics Classroom

  • Interactives are a large collection of HTML5 interactive physics and chemistry simulations.
  • Concept Builders help discover and solidify learning concepts and discover and correct incorrect ideas.
  • Minds On challenge student's understanding in a game where correct answers progress you to the finish line.
  • Calc Pad provides students with math-based questions to practice their understanding and usage of equations and formulas.
  • Science Reasoning help students to learn and grow their scientific thinking and reasoning skills in the context of various physics related tasks.

Buggy Lab 🚗

Purpose

Collect data on your buggies so that you can represent the motion (all aspescts) of both buggies on the same graph. Your final models should be able to predict the position of your buggy at specified times.

Constraints

You will be given scenario card that describes the setup of your buggies

Scenarios

  • You can ignore the speed label, just use the colors for reference

AP Physics Do Now

  1. Go to Data Collection Best Practices Interactive
  2. Read and click through the examples
  3. Reflect on your Coefficient of Restitution lab, did you follow these practices? How can you improve upon your design?

2025.09.08 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: Do you think it would be easier to give up sugar or technology?

📋 Agenda

  1. Do Now
  2. Co. of Restitution Lab
    1. Finish Collecting Data
    2. Graph
    3. Whiteboard Results
  3. Board Meeting
  4. Finish Lab Notebook

🎯 Goals

🥅 Learn quality data collection techniques

🥅 Engage in scientific discussion

🥅 Use graphs and data to answer questions

Board Meeting

On your whiteboard

  • Hypothesis and results
    • What did you do and what did you find? How does your data support or refute your hypothesis?

Things to consider:

  • What does your graph look like? Linear, curve, etc?
    • What does that mean? What do the graphical features like slope/intercept mean?
  • How confident are you in your data? High or low levels of uncertainty?

2025.09.05 AP Physics

❓ of the 📅: Sweet or savory for breakfast?

📋 Agenda

  1. Sit Anywhere
  2. Do Now (fill out questionnaire & card)
  3. Question of the Day
  4. Grouping Game
  5. Survival Island

🎯 Goals

🥅 Introductions

🥅 Classroom Culture

🏠 Homework

  • Signed Safety Contract

Do Now

  1. Fill out index card:
    1. Name
    2. Phone number to reach your parents/guardians if you sleep through the AP Exam
    3. Favorite Candy
    4. Favorite Emoji
    5. Emoji the describes your current mood
  2. Fill out Paper Quesionnaire

Lab Grouping Game

  • There are 13 of you
  • Based on your cards get into LOGICAL groups of three (plus one group of 4)
  • Check whole class answer with Mr. Porter
    • 4 Chances to Check
  • Reorganize if necessary

(Yes this is the game Connections)

Answers

  • KINDS OF BEANS - KIDNEY, MUNG, NAVY
  • DEVISE - CONCOCT, ENGINEER, HATCH
  • NASA SPACECRAFT - GALILEO, VIKING, VOYAGER
  • GAMES WHERE YOU SAY THE GAME’S NAME - BINGO, TAG, UNO

Survival Island 🌴

  1. Share your survival skill that you wrote down with your group
  2. Using everyone's skill develop a plan to survive or escape the deserted island
  3. On your whiteboard present your plan (drawing, mind map, set of instructions)
    • Highlight everyone's skill

Surivial Plan...

Coefficient of Restitution Lab

Determine whether the coefficient of restitution, , for a specific ball remains constant when dropped from various heights. Do this by comparing drop height to bounce height for your assigned ball.

🥼 Lets Science! 🥼

📓 Lab Notebooks 📓

What is a Lab Notebook?

  • A detailed, chronological record of a scientist's research activities, experiments, and observations.
  • Documentation of the scientific process from intial ideas to final results and conclusions.

Why keep lab notebooks?

  • Document Research
  • Develop Ideas
  • Organize Data
  • Collaboration Tool
  • Publication Support
  • Troubleshooting
  • Intellectual Property Protection
  • Historical Record

Lab Notebooks can be Legal Documents

  • Proof of invention in Patent Cases
  • Intellectual Property Protection
  • Admissibility in court - must be properly maintained
  • Note: Often property of the instituation where the research was conducted (i.e. Property of Regeneron, or Property of Cornell University)

Remember

  • Lab notebooks are most importantly scientific documentation
  • They represent the scientific process and are record of your thinking
    • This means your ideas and conclusions and hypotheses can change based on new data

Lab Notebook

  • Write in pen
  • All mistakes get a single cross through
  • Full Date (YYYY/MM/DD) at the beginning of each entry (for multiday labs date start of each day)
  • Enter Lab Pages into table of contents

Lab Notebook - Pre Lab

  • Title and objective of the experiment:

    • Write a clear, concise title for each experiment.
    • State the main objective or purpose of the experiment in 1-2 sentences.

  • Theoretical background:

    • Briefly explain the relevant scientific principles.
    • Include key equations or concepts that will be tested or applied.

  • Hypotheses:

    • State your predictions about the experiment's outcome.
    • Base these on your understanding of the theory.

Lab Notebook - Pre Lab

  • Materials and equipment list:
    • Provide a detailed list of all materials and equipment used.
    • Include model numbers and specifications where relevant.
  • Experimental procedure outline:
    • Write a step-by-step outline of the planned procedure.
    • Be specific enough that someone could replicate your experiment.

During the Experiment

  • Raw data in tables with units:
    • Create neat, organized tables for all numerical data.
    • Always include units and uncertainty estimates.
    • Label columns clearly and use consistent significant figures.
  • Observations and qualitative notes:
    • Record all relevant observations, even if they seem unimportant.
    • Note any unexpected occurrences or anomalies.

During the Experiment

  • Any changes to the planned procedure:
    • Document any deviations from the original procedure.
    • Explain why changes were made and how they might affect results.
  • Sketches or diagrams of experimental setup:
    • Include clear, labeled diagrams of your experimental setup.
    • Add dimensions and important details to aid in replication.

Post Lab

  • Data analysis and calculations:
    • Show all steps in your calculations, including formulas used.
    • Explain your reasoning for each step of the analysis.
  • Graphs and charts:
    • Create neat, properly labeled graphs and charts.
    • Include titles, axis labels with units, and legends where appropriate.

Post Lab

  • Discussion of results:
    • Interpret your results in the context of the experiment's objectives.
    • Explain any patterns or trends observed in the data
  • Comparison with hypotheses:
    • Explicitly state whether your results support or refute your hypotheses.
    • Discuss possible reasons for any discrepancies.
  • Sources of error and uncertainty:
    • Identify potential sources of experimental error.
    • Discuss how these might have affected your results.
    • Quantify uncertainties where possible.

Post Lab

  • Conclusions:
    • Summarize the main findings of the experiment.
    • Relate these back to the original objectives and broader scientific principles.
    • Suggest improvements or future directions for the experiment.

Ball Bounce Lab

Question:

Is the coefficient of restitution constant for your ball? Do this by comparing drop height to bounce height for your assigned ball.


Ball Bounce Lab

Question:

Is the coefficient of restitution constant for your ball? Do this by comparing drop height to bounce height for your assigned ball.

Background:

The coefficient of restitution (symbol: ) is a dimensionless quantity that describes how much energy is conserved in a collision, specifically how well an object bounces back after impact. It is used to characterize the elasticity of collisions between two bodies.


background: black