1a] Measurement of Speed -- In this activity students use a photogate to time a toy car as it passes through the photogate. They determine and compare the "instantaneous" speed to the average speed of the toy car.

2a] Average Speed versus Final Speed -- In this activity students use a photogate to determine the speed of a toy car accelerating down an inclined plane. The speed at the end of its journey is compared to the overall average speed during the journey down the inclined plane. The activity is designed to show that an object starting from rest with a constant acceleration has a final speed that is twice the average speed.

2b] The Yellow Light Problem -- In this activity students investigate the timing of a traffic light to see if it is appropriately set. See Man Made World Laboratory Manual, ISBN 07-019506-4, published by McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1972. This activity provides a real world example of the use of kinematics.

3a] Speed and Acceleration -- In this activity the students use a photogate to determine the speed of a toy car at the top and bottom of an inclined plane and then use the definition of acceleration to determine the acceleration of the toy car. They then compare this acceleration to the acceleration determined using kinematics equation that relates distance traveled to time of travel.

3b] Acceleration Due to Gravitational Force -- In this activity the acceleration of a falling object will be determined by using a photogate and graphing. Two types of kinematics data can be illustrated (i.e., constant time intervals and constant position intervals).

5a] Static Equilibrium -- This activity is a variation of the typical static laboratory activity, and includes a method of measuring buoyant force. See article "Static Equilibrium", by Jim Nelson in the December, 1985 issue of The Science Teacher.

6a] Speed of a Projectile -- In this activity, students determine the initial horizontal speed of a ball they throw off a high building or stadium as described by Yvette Van Hise in The Physics Teacher. See also "The Softball Trajectory: An Outdoor Lab" by Arthur Eisenkraft The Physics Teacher, May, 1985.

7a] Cart and "Falling" Object -- This is a variation on the laboratory activity of the cart being pulled by a hanging weight. Before doing the activity, students are asked to predict the acceleration of the cart with the expectation that they will use F = ma. However, most students do not include the mass of the cart in the mass being accelerated, and the measured acceleration will not be consistent with the predicted value. The laboratory activity is designed to help student understand the hanging weight laboratory activity by consideration of extreme cases (i.e., elephant pulling peanut and peanut pulling elephant). This laboratory activity is an excellent precursor to a laboratory activity using the Atwood machine.

8a] Force Distribution -- This activity is a life-sized activity for students to investigate the forces and torques acting on the supports of a bridge.

9a] Centripetal Force alá PSSC -- Complete laboratory activity to find the relationship among

a] centripetal force,

b] radius of circle for object in uniform circular motion,

c] mass of object moving in uniform circular motion, and

d] frequency of circular motion.

In this activity students do a more traditional laboratory activity (i.e., more detailed direction). This activity is an extension of a familiar laboratory activity but requires the student to vary each of the first three variables in the list above as a function of frequency. Several graphs are required. Before students do this laboratory activity they must know how to do a controlled experiment with several variables, to analyze data to find a functional relationship, and to combine several relationships into a single equation. Since several graphs are required, students could use a computer program to plot data.

9b] Centripetal Force Airplane -- Using a toy airplane moving in a horizontal circle with constant radius and speed, students are asked to make measurements so that the magnitude of the centripetal acceleration of the airplane can be determined first using

kinematics (i.e., ac = ) and then using

dynamics (i.e., ac = ).

The student is asked to explain the measurements made and to compare the results. See article "Circular Motion Studies with a Toy Airplane", by Frank Butcher THE PHYSICS TEACHER, December 1987

10a] Motion of a Simple Pendulum -- Typical simple pendulum laboratory activity with minimum directions. An introduction is provided for a physical pendulum. Timing can be done by using a light probe and a computer, photogate, or a stopwatch.

10b] Motion of Spring-and-Mass System -- In this activity students first do a Hooke's law laboratory activity. Students then investigate the effect of amplitude, mass and spring constant on the frequency of a spring-and-mass vibrating system. This activity is an extension of a familiar laboratory activity but requires the student to vary each of the these three variables as a function of frequency. Several graphs are required. Before students do this laboratory activity they must know how to do a controlled experiment with several variables, to analyze data to find a functional relationship, and to combine several relationships into a single equation. Since several graphs are required, students could use a computer program to plot data.

Students then investigate the effect of various combinations (i.e., parallel and series) of springs to determine their effective spring constant. This is analogous to capacitors connected in series and parallel combinations. A final part deals with the value of the spring constant versus length of spring.

12a] Hot Wheels and Energy -- In this activity students will compare the motion of a toy car down an inclined plane with the ideal frictionless motion discussed in most introductory text books. The laboratory activity suggests using a photogate to measures time.

13a] Prediction of Landing Position -- In this activity, the students predict the landing point of a pendulum bob if its string is cut at the bottom of its swing. Energy considerations are used to predict the point. Then the students try it.

14a] Newton's Law of Cooling -- In this activity students will determine the final temperature of two identical cups of coffee. One cup with the cream added after two minutes and the other cup with the cream added after ten minutes to see which ends up being at the higher temperature after 12 minutes. This is a good activity for students the day before a school holiday. The temperature can be monitored by using thermistors and a computer or standard thermometers.

14b] Specific Heat of a Metal -- In this activity, metal shot (aluminum or copper will work), is used in a test tube with a buried thermometer. The test tube and contents are heated to 100° Celsius, and the heated metal is added to water in a calorimeter. Cheap calorimeter activity once the metal is purchased.

18a] Converging Lens I -- In this activity students will observe the properties of the image formed by a converging lens. This is a variation of the laboratory activity as done in the PSSC curriculum. Computer program available for analysis of data.

18b] Converging Lens II -- In this activity, students determine a relationship between Di and Do using convex lenses and candles. Typical laboratory book activity except the use of candles makes it more dramatic.

20a] Determination of Wavelength -- In this activity, students use Cornell gratings to determine the wavelength of red and blue light. They also compare single and double slit patterns.

21a] Atomic Spectra of an Unknown Gas-- In this activity, students work in a darkened room. All students observe the spectra, but because students are in different positions for each observer, only one student marks the position of each spectra line on the chalk board. One high voltage gas discharge tube apparatus will be enough for the class. A set of holographic diffraction gratings is very helpful.

24a] Ohm's Law -- In this activity students set up their first circuit using meters and specially made resistors in heat sink boxes (not required), which do not require alligator clips and don't burn hands.

24b] Voltage versus Current -- This activity requires the student to measure the voltage and current for an ordinary resistor, a light bulb, and a Zener diode. The characteristics of these three elements are then compared.

24c] Power Transfer -- In this activity students are asked to find the condition for maximum power transfer from a power supply to a load resistor. By adding an "internal resistor" to a power supply it can be made a variable in a typical power transfer laboratory activity. Students who have studied calculus can do a maximum minimum calculation to check the results of this activity.

25a] Electric Current and Magnetic Field -- In this activity, students investigate the magnetic fields around current bearing wires using small compasses.

26a] Magnetic Field Inside a Square Coil -- In this activity, students measure the magnetic field produced in a coil of current carrying wires. The magnetic field is compared to the earth's magnetic field so that a relationship between the magnitude of the coil's field and the current in the coil can be determined.

26b] Electromagnetic Induction -- In this activity, students explore various ways to induce a current using magnets and primary coils with changing magnetic fields. They are to determine and apply Lenz's Law. Solenoids and Galvanometers are required.

28a] Determination of Planck's Constant -- In this activity, students use red and blue LED's to determine "h". They only need to measure the minimum voltage to turn on the LED. The value of the wavelength of the emitted light is given. After doing the laboratory activity, students remember that to make blue light takes more voltage (energy per charge). Idea from Chicago's AAPT Section.

29a] Milli-Can Experiment -- In this activity students will do a simulation of the Millikan experiment. This activity can be used as an introduction to the analytical approach used in the famous Oil Drop Experiment for finding the charge of an electron. See article in the January, 1980 issue of The Physics Teacher. Computer program available for students to collect data from a simulation of the Millikan experiment.

98a] Race Track Game -- In this activity students play a game to emphasize the two types of acceleration (i.e., acceleration along the path of motion and acceleration perpendicular to the path of motion). Race tracks can be reproduced on graph paper. A few examples are provided. A computer version of this game is available. For a sample game see page 109, SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, January, 1973. For addition information, see following articles,

"Physics of the game of racetrack by Vawter American Journal of Physics June, 1978;

"Comments on 'Physics of the game of racetrack'" by Joyner & Smith American Journal of Physics, November 1979; and

"Vector Racing by Thomas McDonald The Science Teacher, November, 1984.

99a] Fermi Experiments -- In this activity students will measure a large quantity by creative thinking and by making some reasonable estimate. See "Barometer Story" by Alexander Calandra. This is an example of a Fermi experiment. Other possibilities includes finding the volume of water in a swimming pool or the volume of air in a gymnasium.