Universal 550 Physics Experiment Manual
The Universal 550 Physics Experiments includes a complete set of labs for mechanics, heat, light, sound, and electromagnetism for use with a 550 Universal Interface (UI-5001) Each lab consists of student instructions in a Word® document that the instructor can modify as they like, a PASCO Capstone setup file ready for data collection, a Capstone file with sample data, and all the lab equipment required for the experiment.
Grade Level: College
Subject: Physics
Student Collection Files
| 550 Universal Interface Experiment Manual | 29.28 MB |
Teacher Collection Files
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Activities
01) Introduction to Measurement
The purpose of this experiment is to measure the period of a simple pendulum and to use scientific methods to determine the relationships between the period of a pendulum and its length, its mass, and the amplitude of its motion.
02) Uncertainty and Error Analysis
In this lab, you will learn to observe and record the uncertainty in measuring the diameter and circumference of four different sized disks.
03) Graph Matching
This activity uses PASCO's MatchGraph! software. The purpose of this activity is to explore graphs of position vs. time and velocity vs. time. The motion will be measured for a Smart Cart moving along a straight line at different speeds and in different directions. The challenge is to move the cart in such a way that a graph of the motion ‘matches’ the graph that is provided.
04) Instantaneous and Average Velocity and Speed
Velocity, speed, and position vs. time are graphed for a Smart Cart moving up and down an inclined track. Software tools are used to find instantaneous velocities and speeds at different moments of the motion, and average velocities and speeds for different intervals of the motion. For these same intervals, displacement and time values are found from the position graph, and used to calculate average velocity and speed, to compare to the values found from the other graphs.
05) Motion with Constant Acceleration
Position and velocity vs. time are graphed for a Smart Cart with a Smart Fan Accessory moving with constant acceleration along a dynamics track. Software tools are used to find velocities at various times, and to find the acceleration of the cart. Then the cart’s motion is studied for the case of non-constant acceleration.
06) Equations of Motion for Constant Acceleration
The motion of a Smart Cart as it accelerates down an incline is measured using Capstone software. Graphs of position and velocity are studied and comparisons are made to the standard equations of motion using User-Defined curve fits. Further analysis compares values found from the position graph to those found from the velocity graph.
07) Acceleration Due to Gravity
The purpose of this lab is to measure the acceleration of a cart moving down an incline, and compare the measured value to the theoretical.
08) Freefall of a Picket Fence
A picket fence is dropped through a photogate and the slope of the graph of average velocity versus time gives the acceleration of the falling object.
09) Acceleration on an Inclined Track
The purpose of this lab is to study the relationships between position, velocity and acceleration for a Smart Cart moving up and then down an inclined track.
10) Projectile Range vs. Launch Angle
Students use a Mini Launcher to measure the range of a projectile on a horizontal surface for various angles. The average range is calculated for each angle, and average range vs. angle is graphed. A user-defined curve fit is used to predict the maximum range and the angle at which it should occurs. These values are then tested with a final launch.
11) Newton's First Law
The purpose of this experiment is to determine how external forces influence the motion of a Smart Cart, either by itself, or together with a Friction Block, or tied by a string to masses hanging over a pulley. Analysis of this motion leads to an understanding of Newton's First Law.
12) Newton's Second Law
The acceleration of a Smart Cart with Smart Fan Accessory is measured for varying forces, while keeping the mass constant. The Smart Fan is used to produce a thrust, and the Smart Cart’s sensors are used to measure both the force and acceleration of the cart. A force vs. acceleration graph is then used to determine an experimental value of the mass, which is compared to the mass found by direct measurement.
13) Force and Acceleration
A Smart Cart is accelerated by the tension in a string that goes over a pulley and has mass hanging at its other end. The Smart Cart’s sensors are used to measure both the force and acceleration of the cart. A force vs. acceleration graph is then used to determine an experimental value of the cart’s mass, which is compared to the mass found by direct measurement.
14) Inertia and Newton's Second Law
When you shake an object back and forth, you feel a “resistance” to the acceleration you are causing. We commonly refer to this as the “inertia” of the object. The Smart Cart, alone and then with extra masses on board, is pushed and pulled back and forth along a track. The Smart Cart’s force sensor measures the force on the cart, and its position sensor is used to find the resulting acceleration.
15) Newton's Third Law
In this lab, two Smart Carts exert forces on each other in a variety of situations. Each Smart Cart’s force sensor measures the force acting on that cart. In comparing the force measurements for the two carts, the student will gain a better understanding of Newton's Third Law.
16) External Force and Newton's Laws
The external force exerted by the hand through the elastic band causes the system of two carts to accelerate. The carts’ sensors are used to measure the forces and the acceleration. Theoretical values of the acceleration and string tension are calculated using Newton’s laws, and then are compared to the measured values.
17) Atwood's Machine
In a study of an Atwood’s Machine apparatus, a photogate is used to measure the velocity of both hanging masses as one moves up and the other moves down. The slope of the graph of velocity vs. time is the acceleration of the system.
18) Friction and Newton's Laws
Coefficients of static friction and kinetic friction are determined for a block connected by a string over a pulley to a hanging mass.
19) Centripetal, Tangential, and Angular Acceleration
A rod rotates in a horizontal plane, and is made to slow steadily to a stop. This setup is used to explore the different types of acceleration involved in this motion: centripetal, tangential, and angular acceleration.
20) Conservation of Energy on an Inclined Track
As the cart rolls freely up and then back down the track, mechanical energy changes form from kinetic energy to gravitational energy, and then back again.
21) Hooke's Law
A Smart Cart is used to measure a spring’s force vs. position as a spring is stretched. According to Hooke’s law, the negative of the slope of the force vs. position graph is the spring constant.
22) Conservation of Energy of a Simple Pendulum
The purpose of this experiment is to use measurements of the motion of a simple pendulum to calculate and compare the different types of energy present in the system.
23) Work-Energy Theorem
A Force Sensor is used to measure the changing force applied by the stretched elastic cord, while the Smart Cart records its resulting velocity. Calculations are made and the work done by the elastic cord is compared to the increase in kinetic energy.
24) Conservation of Momentum
Elastic and inelastic collisions are performed with two Smart Carts of different masses. Magnetic bumpers are used in the elastic collision and Velcro® bumpers are used in the completely inelastic collision. In both cases, momentum is conserved.
25) Impulse and Momentum
A cart with a bumper runs down a track and collides with the end stop. The cart experiences a variable force during the time of the collision, causing it to change its velocity. In this experiment, the relationship between momentum, force, and impulse will be explored for the spring bumper, a clay bumper, and a magnetic bumper.
26) Ballistic Pendulum
A Ballistic Pendulum is used to determine the muzzle velocity of a ball shot out of a Projectile Launcher. The laws of conservation of momentum and conservation of energy are used to derive the equation for the muzzle velocity.
27) Newton’s Second Law for Rotation
Newton's Second Law for rotation: The resulting angular acceleration (α) of an object is directly proportional to the net torque (τ) on that object. The hanging mass applies a torque to the shaft of the Rotary Motion Sensor and the resulting angular acceleration of the rod and brass masses is investigated.
28) Rotational Inertia
The purpose of this experiment is to find the rotational inertia of a ring and a disk experimentally and to verify that these values correspond to the calculated theoretical values.
29) Rotational Kinetic Energy
This lab investigates the potential energies for a modified Atwood's Machine, where a disk has been added to the Rotary Motion Sensor pulley.
30) Conservation of Angular Momentum
A non-rotating ring is dropped onto a rotating disk. The angular speed is measured immediately before the drop and after the ring stops sliding on the disk. The measurements are repeated with a non-rotating disk being dropped onto a rotating disk. For each situation, the initial angular momentum is compared to the final angular momentum. Initial and final kinetic energy are also calculated and compared.
31) Oscillation of a Cart and Springs
The period of oscillation of the cart and spring system is measured using the Smart Cart Position Sensor. The effect on the period is investigated when changing the spring constant, amplitude of the oscillation, and the mass of the cart.
32) Physical Pendulum
A rod oscillates as a physical pendulum. The period is measured directly by the Rotary Motion Sensor, and the value is compared to the theoretical period calculated from the dimensions of the pendulum.
33) Large Amplitude Pendulum
This experiment explores the oscillatory motion of a physical pendulum for both small and large amplitudes. Waveforms are examined for angular displacement, velocity and acceleration, and the dependence of the period of a pendulum on the amplitude of oscillation is investigated.
34) Archimedes’ Principle
In this lab, the buoyant force on an object is measured by taking the difference between the object's weight in air, and its apparent weight in water. This measured buoyant force is compared to the theoretical value calculated using the object's volume, and Archimedes' Principle.
35) Transfer of Heat by Radiation
In this lab you will explore how heat energy is lost by a hot object and show how radiation is affected by the different surfaces of a hot object.
36) Specific Heat
A temperature sensor is used to measure the temperature change of a volume of warm water when a cold piece of metal is placed in it. The data will be used to determine the total amount of heat transferred from the warmer water to the cold metal, which will in turn be used to determine the specific heat of the metal sample.
37) Boyle's Law
This lab uses the Ideal Gas Law Apparatus syringe to examine Boyle's Law. Using this apparatus, you will hold the temperature of a gas constant while changing the volume of the gas and measuring the volume and the absolute pressure.
38) Resonance in Air Columns
A sine wave generator drives an open speaker to create a standing sound wave in a resonance tube. The driving frequency and the length of the tube are varied to study their relationship to wavelength and the speed of the sound wave. The concepts of nodes, anti-nodes, and harmonics are investigated for both closed and open tubes.
39) Speed of Sound in Air
The purpose of this activity is to measure the speed of sound in air using a tube that is closed at one end. Use a Sound Sensor to record the initial pulse of sound and its echo. Calculate the speed of sound based on the overall distance traveled and the round-trip time.
40) Superposition of Sound Waves
This experiment uses the Capstone Calculator to add two waves having different amplitudes and phases. The results are graphed.
41) Interference of Sound Waves
The purpose of this activity is to measure and analyze the behavior of two sounds that combine to produce beats. This activity also examines the relationship between the beat frequency and the frequencies of the two interfering sound waves.
42) Object and Image Distances for a Thin Lens
The purpose of this activity is to determine the relationship between object distance and image distance for a thin convex lens. Use a light source, optics track, lens, and viewing screen to measure object distance, image distance, and image size.
44) Refraction
Use Snell’s Law of refraction to experimentally determine the index of refraction of a D-shaped acrylic lens.
45) Dispersion
You will observe dispersion through an acrylic rhomboid and calculate the different indices of refraction for different color light.
46) Focal Length of a Concave Mirror
Use a light source, concave mirror, and half-screen, all on an optics bench, to measure the focal length of the concave mirror.
47) Telescope and Microscope
The purpose of this activity is to construct a simple telescope and a simple microscope and to measure their magnifications. Biconvex (convergent) thin lenses of focal lengths +100 mm and +200 mm will be used as the primary and eyepiece lenses. A viewing screen covered with a reference grid on an optics bench will be used to make measurements.
48) Variation of Light Intensity
The purpose of this activity is to compare the variation in intensity of light from different light sources. Students will use a light sensor to record and compare incandescent versus fluorescent light sources, as well as light from AC versus DC sources.
49) Light Intensity versus Distance
The relative light intensity versus distance from a point light source is plotted. As the Light Sensor is moved by hand, the string attached to the Light Sensor that passes over the Rotary Motion Sensor pulley to a hanging mass causes the pulley to rotate, measuring the position. The experiment is repeated with an extended source.
50) Polarization
Laser light is passed through two polarizers. As the second polarizer (the analyzer) is rotated by hand, the relative light intensity is recorded as a function of the angle between the axes of polarization of the two polarizers. The angle is obtained using a Rotary Motion Sensor that is coupled to the polarizer with a drive belt. The plot of light intensity versus angle can be fitted to the square of the cosine of the angle allowing us to verify the Law of Malus.
51) Brewster's Angle
In this experiment you will explore how the intensity and polarization of light changes when reflected from the surface of a transparent medium, and then compare your experimental results to a theoretical value known as Brewster's Angle.
52) Interference and Diffraction of Light
The distances between the central maximum and the diffraction minima for a single slit are measured by scanning the laser pattern with a light sensor and plotting light intensity versus distance. Also, the distance between interference maxima for two or more slits is measured. These measurements are compared to theoretical values. Differences and similarities between interference and diffraction patterns are examined.
53) Electrostatic Charges
Compare and contrast the results of three different methods of charging: (1) rubbing two objects together; (2) touching a charged object to a neutral one (charging by contact); and (3) grounding a neutral object while it is polarized (charging by induction). Demonstrate the law of conservation of charge. Investigate how charge distributes on the outer surfaces of a spherical conductor.
54) Electric Field Mapping
The purpose of this qualitative activity is to introduce the students to the concept of a field and to make the idea of the electric field more concrete by examining a number of examples. A number of rules about the electric field are verified. At the end of the activity, the student should be able to sketch the electric field around a simple charge distribution.
55) Ohm's Law
The purpose of this experiment is to verify Ohm’s Law for commercially manufactured resistors and to examine the limits of validity for Ohm’s Law. The behavior of resistors, a diode, and a light bulb are examined.
56) Series and Parallel Circuits
Series/Parallel circuits are reduced to an equivalent resistance and that resistance is verified by measuring the total current and total voltage. In a second stand-alone experiment, the behavior of lamps in series, parallel, and series/parallel is qualitatively examined.
57) Kirchhoff’s Circuit Laws
Kirchhoff’s Junction Rule and Loop Rule form the basis of all circuit analysis. Here we verify the laws for a resistive circuit.
58) RC Circuit
The manner by which the voltage on a capacitor decreases is studied. The half-life for the decay is measured directly and also calculated using the capacitive time constant.
59) General Properties of Diodes
The purpose of this experiment is to investigate the characteristic curves (I vs. V) of various types of diodes and to determine their “turn-on” voltages.
60) Magnetic Field Mapping
The purpose of this experiment is to help visualize the magnetic field by using small compasses to trace magnetic field lines for a dipole, a repulsive dipole, and a quadrupole field.
61) Induction: Magnet through a Coil
The purpose of this experiment is to examine Faraday’s Law of Induction. A magnet will be dropped through a coil and the voltage across the coil graphed as a function of time. The total integrated flux as the magnet moves into the coil will be compared to the flux as it moves out of the coil.
