Basic Lab Course 1 for Vocational Education

• Six experiments carried out in groups
  - oral introduction interview,
  - measurements and writing of the measurement report
• Data analysis
• Error analysis
• Writing of reports
• Oral discussion of the experiment and the results for three of the experiments
• Topics: Mechanics und Thermodynamics (e.g. pendulum, acoustics, Pohl's wheel, viscosity, inclined plane, equation of state of real gases, moment of inertia)

After passing the module the students are able to remember the procedure of basic physics experiments in mechanics, the fundamentals in writing scientific reports and the basics of error calculation, and to understand the connections between the experiments and the theory. They understand the principles of data analysis both by hand and with the help of software tools.

PH9101, PH9102 (recommended)

Students have to carry out six experiments with the given instructions. The students attend six lab sessions - one for each of the experiments. In case of questions or problems there are tutors for guidance. The tutors also briefly introduce the students to the lab equipment that is provided to carry out the experiments.

Before attending the lab session (4 to 4.5 hours) the students study the instructions to the experiments at home. Also the data analysis and a report are made at home. During the lab sessions the tutors read the reports for the experiment carried out during the preceding session. They comment on the reports and help to improve the reports, if necessary. 

• Instructions to the experiments (online available)
• lab experiments
• manual und electronic data acquisition

• Instructions to the experiments (online available)
• Standard textbooks for Experimental physics (Mechanics und Thermodynamics)
• W. Walcher, Praktikum der Physik, Vieweg+Teubner Verlag

The learning outcome is tested during the lab class. To pass the module, all six experiments and three discussions of experiments have to be graded with "passed". In total, the lab class can be graded in two ways: "passed" and "failed".

The tutor grades the individual experiments taking into account how well prepared the students were, how the experiment was carried out and how well the report was written. To pass, each of the three categories needs a positive mark. Otherwise the students have repeat the experiment.

The tutor asks some specific questions before the students start the experiment, to find out, if they are sufficiently prepared to carry out the experiment. Thereafter the students can spend 4 to 4,5 hours on carrying out the experiment. The experimental procedure and the data taking are supervised and graded by the tutor. Criteria for grading are e.g. if the experiment was carried out correctly, if the data taking is complete and if the measurement range was chosen appropriately. After the lab session the students write their reports at home, using the data taken during the experiment. Usually the reports have 10 pages. At the start of the next lab session the reports for the preceding experiment are due. The reports are corrected and graded by the tutor. The reports test, if the students are capable of writing scientific reports. Criteria are e.g. structuring of the text, scientific discussion, quality of data analysis and error analysis.

The tutor and the students discuss three of the experiments in depth (exam, 30 minutes). The tutor grades this oral exam. During the exam questions about the experiment and the theory are asked. E.g. the students have to discuss the science question that lead to the experiment or explain pros and cons of the experimental setup in comparison to alternative experimental setups. If the students fail in these exams, the exams can be retaken.