Explaining Capacities

July 9, 2012 - 5th Meeting of Physics 102.1 Lab

After exploring the concept of Resistance and Kirchhoff's Rules, we are to examine the practical use of a capacitor, together with its properties and parts. We are given a parallel plate capacitor, in which we have to dissect to inspect the parts. However, breaking this kind of capacitor is no easy task; we had to use several sharp tools to unwind the metal sheets that are bound inside the material. 

Consequently, we are asked to provide a circuit schematic diagram, composed of different capacitor configurations: series and parallel, and then apply the result to an actual experiment. We had a hard time accomplishing the task, considering that awkward moment when we had no working breadboard. All we had to do instead was to entangle each wire of the capacitors to another to observe and collect data. Nevertheless, the job we did was complete yet subtle.

This is the first part of Experiment 4. Next week, we are about to observe the purpose of a capacitor in an RC circuit.

Kirchhoff's Rules: In a Network of Lines that Enlace

July 2, 2012 - 4rth Meeting of Physics 102.1 Lab

Monday morning, another drought of electric investigations and analysis. This time, it was all over the place, the experiment I mean, when I took over the procedure proper. Although it is hard to establish, most part of the activity lies on the theoretical examination of Kirchhoff's rules and its applications. It was kinda long and hard, judging from the way the circuitry is propagated and the way the equipment is mastered. 

On the lighter side, whenever we came up with a circuit application of indicated circuit diagrams, we always get errors regarding the readings of the power supply. Nevertheless, another instructor, more or less, gave us light on the matter, unmasking the hidden concept behind the network of wires. Having thought of these concepts, my group thoroughly grasped the whole experiment. From the arrangement of the ceramic resistors along the bread board, to the theoretical concept behind Kirchhoff's Rules, I'd say, though a little bit delayed on the matter, we did a good job recording and evaluating our data.

Kirchhoff's Rules are rules for incomprehensible circuit networks; by incomprehensible I mean to say that they can't be solved by mere Ohm's Law and resistance-voltage-current relationships. These circuits involve constructing systems of equations from junctions, branches and loops, all from assumptions. We had a hard time working it out; consequently, our technical paper is furnished with proper data and discussions. Perhaps, sometime in this semester, I'll have the full grasp of what is needed to divulge in these kinds of problems.

- Bartz, 2012

Resistors and Ohm's Law: The World of Circuitry

June 25, 2012 - 3rd Meeting of Physics 102.1 Lab

Today, as I would say the least, is the day of transition from the observation of the behavior of charges and electric fields, to the manipulation of electric circuits. Looking at the materials we used to establish the  experiment, I felt a little bit dazed constructing the set-up. From the least possible sizes of color-coded resistors, to the hazardous structure of a power supply, we conjured a set-up best fit for the experiment. 

From start until the end, we enjoyed recording the data, knowing that some of it may have become irrelevant and incongruous to the objective of the experiment. Moreover, the fun started when we conducted the experiment concerning the German nickel wire, of which is the first set-up to use a big power supply. Me and my teammates handled the succeeding experiments well, constructed with enough materials to propagate enough data that would generalize our objectives.

Throughout the whole experiment, I was a bit oblivious of the whole aspect, but then I realized that I am a physics major who would, in any consequences, evolve and adapt to several admissions, and finish a job with polished information.

- Bartz, 2012

Equipotential Lines and Electric Field Lines

June 18, 2012 - 2nd Meeting of Physics 102.1 Lab

It's been a while since I've done experiments in a physics lab. From mechanics and kinematics, we are to examine the world of electricity and electromagnetism. Our whole physics 102.1 lab journey starts with tracing electric fields through equipotential lines. 

The equipment are new, the style of gathering data is new, and the way we conducted the experiment is surprisingly new. We are to trace equipotential lines in an electrolytic tank where two different electrodes are placed. The set-up is rather confusing, and judging from the way the coordinate system is configured, we are caught up in an array of disastrous coordinates. We started the experiment slowly, but as we figured out the way we would approach the experiment, a swift wind blew throughout our process. We managed to finish the data gathering, although inconsistencies are still seen. 

After the experiment, we are to produce a technical report summarizing the data we gathered. 

- Bartz, 2012

Balancing Objects: A New Perspective

Feb 13, 2012 - 9th Meeting of Physics 101.1 Lab

We all know the concept of balancing, a way of seeing equilibrium. We used the word "balance" significantly in the course of our lives: from eating a balanced diet, to understanding the balanced universe. The term is at its utmost importance to us people. But then, what is the logic behind this phenomena, the process of balancing objects? Why is it possible for systems to achieve an equilibrium, static equilibrium so-to-speak. This unusual question is what we tried to solve during the experiment we had in the laboratory. The experiment is about static equilibrium, center of mass, and their application to some set-ups.

The activity contained four experimental parts. The first one is the easiest, which is to determine the center of mass of a regular object, a meter stick (as the beam in the set-up) specifically. Then, we determined the mass of an unknown object (an external drive we got from my bag) using the set-up from the first one. We added to pans and weights to experimentally measure the mass of the unknown object. In the last 2 parts, we determined the validity of using center of mass to determine the mass of an object, whether it is regular or irregular. 

During the course of our experiment, we had a hard time on finding the center of mass of the beam. It is because of the beam being "unstable" when it comes to balancing. Nevertheless, we got an almost accurate measurement, which astonished our lab instructor. I guess our balancing skills really paid-off during that time. 

That's the conclusion of our last experiment. We are to discuss our plans for the last experiment: the creative project. - Bartz,2012

Oscillation: The Varying Forms

Jan. 30, 2012 - Feb. 30, 2012 - 7th and 8th Meeting of Physics 101.1 Lab

After a tedious experiment about projectile motion, we started to construct our own set-up to verify the different aspects of harmonic oscillation. The only thing that made this experiment hard to digest is the fact that we can't be certain in every observation that we can get. Each value can yield different results, which may stray to the theoretical value of the period of the set-up. Getting into these things made us prepare for the future experiments of the world of physics.

Let me tell a little of oscillation. Oscillation is the repetitive variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value (often a point of equilibrium) or between two or more different states. The process can be examined in different forms: by a spring mass system, a simple pendulum, or a physical pendulum. For me, the easiest to observe is the simple pendulum, since the set-up requires a little work to be done. 

The lab was noisy because of the noise made by falling mass samples. Our spring was too loose, which our experiment hard to observe. Nevertheless, we managed to get what we want: the data to prove our hypothesis. This and all that, I say, that our experiment was done profusely, although human errors and uncertainties were floating in the overall observations. The technical report to be submitted will be hard to do, since we got three experiments at hand. - Bartz,2012

Projectile Motion

Jan. 23, 2012 and Jan.30, 2012 - 6th and 7th Meeting of Physics 101.1 Lab

Our first experiment that requires our own design of the experimental set-up was done during these meetings. The experiment examines projectile motion of different particles in different media. This activity was done outside because of precautionary measures. But before we engage into the activity, we had to answer the pre-activity worksheet, which discusses the factors that affect the trajectory of a particle. Nevertheless, it was an easy job to do since we had our classroom discussion about projectile motion.

The first set-up requires a projectile that shoots a metal ball at a distance. The projectile gun was hard to set since we need to check for every parts that may cause any injuries. In addition to that, our ramp was too loose, that it made setting the angle tedious for us. But, in spite all of these hard activities, we managed to finish the set-up and carry on with our experiment. Here are some pictures that we shot during the experiment:

 
    

We also had to examine the motion of a marble upon traversing a slender ramp, which cause a projectile motion at the end of the ramp. Then, a practical test was done on the next meeting, in which we used our calculations to ensure that the projectile will hit the bull's eye of a target. We hit the bull's eye at our first trial, but failed at the second one, because of human error. Although it was close, we are happy of what our calculations came out to be.

This activity is the first of many, which in fact, makes physics a more enjoyable subject than any other fields.

-Bartz, 2012