Physics Class 2025-2026 Lab Monday 10:30 am -12:30 pm, Lecture Wednesday 10:30 am-12:30pm  Instructor: Deborah Whaley, suzymydoozy@yahoo.com

 

Physics Lab Homework for Monday, Oct. 13th: You need to complete the lab “Crepe Paper Relay” if you didn’t finish it already in class. If you have already submitted the lab, then use any lab dedicated time to read Module 4 on projectile motion and start the module work assigned in the syllabus.

Physics Lab Homework for Monday, Oct. 6th: Today in class you received a grade report for your work so far. If you have any 0’s on the document those are assignments that are missing and need to be turned in. Please touch base with me if you are missing work and need any assistance.

For the lab that we performed today- you have hopefully created both graphs and only need to double check your work and finish up on the analysis questions. Make sure that each graph has a compass rose (indicating N, S, E, and W), a key indicating the corresponding values for distances on your graph vs. the real life distances you walked today, and a title indicating which graph is drawn in with the directions in the order you received them and which graph is the re-arranged instructions.

The completed lab will be due Monday, Oct. 6th.

Physics Lecture Homework for Wednesday, Oct. 1st:

We will be working through vectors in Module 3. ALL the module work for Module 3 will be due. Since the homework load is a little lighter than typical – I recommend working through the study guide for the Module 2 test. We will be combining the module 2 and module 3 tests futuristically. I am posting the next Crash Course physics video that you can watch and take notes from for extra credit:

I am also posting a tutorial video from Chad’s Prep – Chad is a tutor at a major university in Arizona. He is excellent in his presentation – clear, precise and easy to understand. His video is longer but I guarantee that it is worth the time investment. Vectors will be a part of physics for the entirety of this semester and will also show up in the spring occasionally.

 

Physics Lab Homework for Monday, Sept. 29th: You will need to complete the lab on acceleration due to gravity that we performed with the spark timers. There is only one graph required for the lab, and you are asked to calculate the slope of the graph. It would not be unexpected that your graph may not be a lovely straight line – so draw the best fit line and calculate its slope.

We will be performing our next two labs outside. Be prepared with sun protection and water for Monday.

You received a printed copy of the lab already so please read through it and come prepared to hike around the football field.

Physics Lab Homework for Monday, Sept. 15th and Monday, Sept. 22nd:

1.) I reminded you in class today that we will NOT be meeting for lab next Monday, September 15th. I will be traveling after my daughter’s wedding and will not be present for class.  If physics lab is the only class you attend at CPC on Mondays – don’t come. If you have other classes that you attend, then you will be in study hall during our typical lab time.
You received an activity to perform at home in lieu of our lab time. You will need to drop an object from as high a height as you are allowed to safely achieve and you will time its drop with a stopwatch or timer app. I recommend not using an object that bounces (if possible). A bean bag, rolled up socks, small pillow, etc. should work fine. The activity is straightforward and should be easy to perform.
Please let me know if you have any questions about the at home lab. This activity will be due on Monday, September 22nd.
2.)The lab that we performed today will also be due on Monday, September 22nd when we are back in lab together again. Do NOT wait until Sunday, Sept. 21st to wrap up the graphing and questions for this lab – they can be time consuming. Please let me know if you encounter any questions or issues as you work through the questions and create the graphs. We discussed how to complete the second data table and things to consider as you create your acceleration vs. time graph for the lab. Read carefully through the entire lab – you will ultimately be creating 3 graphs. A total distance vs total time graph, a graph of average interval velocity vs. total time, and finally an acceleration vs. total time graph.
Each graph needs to be on a separate sheet of graph paper and each graph needs to take up the entire page. Be sure to label the axes with the values and the units and create appropriate titles for each graph. Also answer all the accompanying questions.
Please let me know if you have any issues while finishing up the lab.

Physics Lecture Homework for Wednesday, September 10, 2025: I highly recommend completing the study guide for the test that you received in class today. We will spend some time discussing any questions over the material you might have before taking the Module 1 test home for homework. The test is due back on Wednesday, Sept. 17th and will not be accepted late. We will be beginning Module 2 and you need to read the entire module and complete the module work assigned in the syllabus. You can still earn extra credit by watching and taking notes on the Crash Course physics video linked below. I promise to remember to ask for any extra credit work next Wednesday.

Physics Lab Homework for Monday, September 8, 2025: Both the lab report on Classifying Motion and the Physics 500 Lab are due. We will be performing another lab on velocity and acceleration using spark timers as a way of collecting data.

Physics Lecture homework for Wednesday, September 3, 2025: Always be sure to check your homework email – it is often more detailed than these posts. You need to complete ALL the Module 1 work- all the OYO questions, Review questions, and Practice Problems. Remember that if you check and correct your work you will receive extra credit. You need to show that you actually checked your work by checking and correcting in a color of ink or pencil different than the original work.

You need to complete the homework packet that you received in class. It will be graded for accuracy.

You can earn additional extra credit points by watching the following Crash Course Physics video, taking notes on the video and submitting your notes. The more detailed the notes, the greater the extra credit you can earn.

Please reach out if you have any questions or need help with anything.

Physics Lab homework for Monday, September 1, 2025:  Always be sure to check your homework emails! For Monday, 9/1/25 we will NOT be meeting for class as it is the Labor Day Holiday. You received in class the lab activity that you need to perform at home for homework. You will only need to gather data for the first two portions of the lab and we will collect the data for the final part of the lab during class on Wednesday, 9/3/25.

John, Ethan, and Nathan have volunteered to bring the skate boards/long boards for the final portion of the lab and we will be using them to gather data to be able to complete the graph of distance vs. time.

The lab activity we performed on classifying the motions from your videos will need to be written up as a formal lab report and that report will be due on Monday, September 8th when we next meet in person for lab. At any point if you have questions about the lab report or need assistance in anyway please let me know and I will be happy to help.

Physics Lecture Homework for Wednesday, August 28th: You need to have located an article about an aspect of physics that interests you or a topic/application that you did not realize applied to physics. Bring a printed copy of you article to turn in and be prepared to provide a verbal summary of the information in your article to your classmates. Summary should be concise and no more than 2 minutes – but be prepared for me to ask questions :). Also you need to have read all the Introduction and Module 1 and have prepared the first half of the module 1 work – the On Your Own questions, Reveiw questions, and Practice Problems. We will be discussing them in class. The complete set of module 1 work will be due on Wednesday, September 3rd.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Physics Lecture Homework for Wednesday, March 29th: We will be starting Module 13 so you would need to read the module. The work from the module will be due in its entirety on Wednesday, April 5th.

I am posting some videos that are just for general interest – they all deal with sound and light. One of the videos is about how fiber optics works – it is the video I was trying to locate during class on Wednesday.

MJ sent me this one over spring break – I have also emailed these to you all.

 

 

Physics Lecture Homework for Wednesday, March 22nd: From our discussion of light yesterday – we mentioned black holes. I am posting this crash course astronomy video on black holes for your “enjoyment” – it covers explanations for why light does not escape from black holes. how black holes form, and what happens if you were to “fall into” a black hole. It’s very informative and only requires 10 min of your life :).

Also for homework – you will need to complete the module work for Module 12, and complete the notes on the three crash course videos posted below. Prior emails delineated the concepts and information you need to note for Light:Crash Course Astronomy and Geometric Optics. The Crash course video- Light is Waves – has a printed worksheet for you to use – you received it in class Wed. 3/8. I recommend completing the worksheets we used in class yesterday about color – that is the primary source of information about color that you will be responsible for and your text does not cover the color information.

Physics Lab Homework for Monday, March 20th: You will need to complete the lab on Reflection and Refraction. Use Module 12 as a reference for Snell’s Law. There will be time available that Monday to go over any outstanding questions you might have on the lab.

Physics Lecture Homework for Wednesday, March 1st: This week the homework is relatively light – you only have to finish the module work for Module 11 – so you should have some time to catch up on any outstanding work you might have. I am posting the next sets of crash course videos in case you would like to get a head-start on them.

 

 

Physics Lab Homework for Monday, Feb. 27th: you need to complete the lab on wave properties. Bring the lab to lecture on Wednesday and we can address questions as we discuss Module 11 over Waves. Be sure to watch your assigned crash course videos and take your notes –

 

 

Physics Lab Homework for Monday, Feb. 20th: You need to complete the lab on simple pendulums. Be sure to include all the computations you performed for calculating period, gravity, absolute error and relative error. PLEASE label each computation as to which trial it corresponds with. If you have any questions about the lab, I will be on Zoom Friday from 8am-10am and will be happy to answer your questions.

Physics Lecture Homework for Wed., Feb. 15th:  The first item on your list is the test over Module 9:Momentum. Just a reminder, at any point if you have a question while taking the test -please call me. If it’s late at night – text first and I will call you. I won’t be able to take calls on Wed. mornings after 9:45 am.

I will be on zoom tomorrow from 8am-10am so check in if you have questions over anything. I am also happy to tutor but my availability is limited this weekend so let me know pretty quick and we can try to set up a time.
For Module 10 there is only the module work and the crash course notes that will accompany this module. The completed module work and the crash course notes are both due next Wed., the 15th.
For the crash course notes – include definitions/descriptions of the following terms: oscillations, simple harmonic motion (SHM), amplitude, position of equilibrium, period, frequency and resonance. Describe what the position vs. time graph looks like for an object experiencing SHM and DIAGRAM the PE and KE of a ball on an oscillating spring. Identify the points of max PE and max KE. Describe how SHM relates to an object experiencing circular motion. Don’t worry about the formulas or math but you can earn extra credit if you can explain how the  potential energy of the spring = 1/2 kx squared.

 

Physics Lab Homework for Monday, Feb. 13th: You need to complete the graph and any remaining questions on the lab over Hooke’s Law. Also the write-up for your egg drop project will be due. Be sure to use the grading rubric for your egg drop lab as a check list to be sure that you have included all the required details in your write-up. Contact me if you have any questions.

Physics Lecture Homework for Wednesday, Feb. 1st: First item on your agenda is to complete the test over Module 8. Then jump into Module 9 on Momentum. The entire set of module work for module 9 will be due on Wednesday, Feb. 8th. The worksheet on momentum problems that you received in class today will also be due on Feb. 8th along with the notes from the Crash Course video on Collisions. Even though the items are not due until the 8th – don’t wait until that week to complete them as we will be starting on Module 10 and you will end up in a cycle of always being a bit behind.

I am posting the crash course video here – be sure to refer to the email from Jan. 23rd to see what all you need to note.

 

Physics Lab Homework for Monday, Jan. 30th: Almost everyone finished testing their egg drop designs this week. There will be a bit of time provided for everyone to wrap up the lab. We will discuss the write-up expectations for this lab and the write up will be due on Monday, Feb. 6th.  The remainder of lab will be spent investigating collisions.

Physics Lab Homework for Monday, Jan. 23rd: If you did not turn in the lab on pulleys already, then it will be due Monday, 1/23.

Next week and most likely the following week, we will be working on the Egg Drop lab.  The concepts for the egg drop are all based on momentum which is discussed in Module 9. At the end of lab on Monday, I mentioned the concepts of impulse and changing the momentum of your egg over a longer period of time so that the force to stop your egg’s motion is reduced. I am attaching a video that helps explain the concepts of impulse and momentum as it pertains to car crashes.The concepts that are discussed are applicable to protecting your eggs.
I will provide all the needed materials for the creation of you ingenious designs – remember they have to be built in class, but I suggest trying a few ideas at home.It would be good to investigate this video, also how emergency rescue personnel assist people when having to evacuate buildings when stairs are not an option, etc.
The provided link is to a video created by IIHS – the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It covers all the basics of momentum and I recommend watching it as it covers Module 9 concepts and provides good information to consider in creating your egg protection system.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjQA3NrVvrk
Be sure that you are familiar with the requirements and limitations of your design. At the end of each test drop you will be required to remove the egg from your design to show that it was not “injured” in any way. So I recommend that you don’t “Mummy wrap” it with masking tape, etc as you have to be able to hand me the egg to prove it was not cracked in any manner.

Physics Lab Homework for Monday, Jan. 16th: (1) Your mousetrap car write up is due. Refer to the email of January 2nd -be sure to contact me if you have any questions about the write-up. The mousetrap car project counts as a test grade.(2) If you did not turn in Monday’s lab already – then the completed lab with graph is due Mon 1/16. You received the lab for 1/16 so be sure to read through it before lab next week.

Physics Lecture Homework for Wed., Oct. 5th: Watch the Crash course video on vectors and take notes. The specifics about the notes was in the email where you first received the video link – about 2 weeks ago. Module 3 work will be due (ALL of it) and we will continue to work on vectors – both graphically and with trig functions. Check the homework email for details about completing the lab write up for the lab “Where Am I?”. There will be a question on the test over vectors that will have a graphical solution and it will be similar to this lab. I am linking the crash course video here – but don’t forget to check the email for note details.

TEST over module 2 is due next week – the 5th. Let me know if you need any help with concepts before you take it. I will be on zoom on Friday morning.

Physics Lab Homework for Monday, Oct. 3rd: Bring today’s lab to lecture this week on Wednesday. We will be starting vectors and will use the lab to practice on. Check the homework email for a photo of your vector instructions from lab today. Be sure to copy the instructions onto your lab. Bring graph paper and a couple of colored pencils to lecture to use in mapping out your lab. You will need to sit with or near your lab group in lecture.

Physics Lab Homework for Monday, Sept. 26th: Complete the lab on acceleration due to gravity. Pay careful attention to the values on the two graphs that you are to create. The lab will be due on Monday. Next week’s lab will take place on the football field – bring water and come in shoes that you can move around in.

Physics Lecture Homework for Wednesday, Sept. 21

As you prepare your lab homework don’t forget to check all of your data for correct units. Remember that you can modify your lab by writing the units at the tops of each column and that will be sufficient information. If you have already started to write units for each piece of data then you can continue with that trend. Be sure to clearly label each axis of your three graphs. If your data is only 22 time intervals, then you should plot all of the data on each graph. If you data was 35 or more time intervals, then you can plot every other time interval (interval 1, 3, 5, 7, etc.)
I will be on zoom this Friday beginning at 8am – so if you run into any issues with completing the lab or any questions from Module 2 – please join in.
For next Wednesday wrap up the Module 2 work from the text and the printed worksheet that you received in class today. If you haven’t watched the two videos posted previously – the one on free fall in a vacuum and the gentleman who free fell from 24 miles above the earth I recommend taking the time to see them.
Physics Lab Homework for Monday, Sept. 19th: You will need to complete all the data analysis from yesterday’s lab. Fill in all the data tables and let me know if you have any questions on how to find any of the required values. I felt pretty confident that you all knew what you were doing and what to expect before you left -but sometimes that can change once you are at home working alone.
There are three graphs that you will be creating. Each graph should ideally be on its own page (I know the lab mentions plotting the acceleration vs. elapsed time graph of the back of the average interval velocity vs time graph but it can be hard to read if the data bleeds through in some manner). Make your axes as spread apart as possible – meaning use the ENTIRE page of graph paper for your graph – don’t create a small graph in a portion of the paper.
Read carefully which variable should be plotted on which axis – typically time is plotted on the X-axis and distance, velocity and acceleration are plotted on the Y-axis. Depending on your data you will need to determine if your graph should be in the portrait or landscape orientations.
Remember – the distance vs. time graph and the velocity vs time graphs will not have any negative values BUT the acceleration vs. time graph will have negative values that you will plot so form your horizontal graph axis accordingly.
The completed lab and graphs will be due next Monday. The next lab will also use the spark timers as we work with acceleration due to free fall. The data analysis for that lab is much less than this lab, thankfully! If you haven’t watched either of the two videos I sent links for – I recommend watching them. Both are fairly short and no notes are required but they cover the topic of free fall and g.

Physics Lab/Lecture Homework for Monday, Sept. 12th:  Module 2 continues with the concept of one dimensional motion focusing on acceleration and free fall. Monday we will use spark timers to collect data about an accelerating object and will continue with lots of graphing. The lab is easy to perform, the data analysis is the time consuming part of the lab. Come to the original classroom for lab and come ready to get to work. We only have one day for the lab and sometimes the data analysis takes some explanation and time.

You will receive the lab when you arrive on Monday. We will be using the spark timer again in the next lab as well when we measure acceleration due to gravity.
Because of our shorter class time we won’t be viewing these videos in class – but I wanted you to see them.
The first is free fall at the surface of the earth in a vacuum. The second is the world record free-fall jump from 24+ miles above the earth’s surface. Note the jumper’s heart rate and air speed over time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E43-CfukEgs

 

 

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Physics Class 2021-2022 Lab Wednesday 1-3pm, Lecture Monday 1-3pm Instructor: Deborah Whaley, suzymydoozy@yahoo.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________