Welcome to General Physics Lab

This set of lab courses engage students in experimental measurements spanning the areas of mechanics and thermal stresses on matter to electromagnetic phenomena. The objective of these courses is to train students in experimental measurements, data manipulation and analysis, error analysis, deductive thinking, and instrumentation. They aim to also provide depth to students’ understanding of the physical phenomena taught in lecture (namely PHY1145/1171 and 1146/1172).

Specific experimental measurements for Gen. Phys. I Lab (PHY1145L/1171L) include forces, accelerated motion, ballistics, centripetal force and rotational dynamics, conservation of energy and momentum, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and periodic motion.

Specific experimental measurements for Gen. Phys. II Lab (PHY1146L/1172L) that cover electric and magnetic phenomena includes electric forces, voltage, electric fields, electron motion, resistance and capacitance, magnetic fields, magnetic forces, electromagnetic induction, wave motion, and geometric optics.

Students will complete a weekly lab writeup.

This page includes all the experiments for:

• General Physics I Lab --- PHYS1145L & PHYS1171L

• General Physics II Lab --- PHYS1146L & PHYS1172L

• Fairfield U. Physics Lab Manual
• Schedule
  • Lab Days for SUMMER 2026 --- PHYS 1172L (with links)
  • Full Lab Schedule with Meeting Times
  • Lab Days for PHYS 1171L (with links)
  • Lab Days for PHYS 1145L (with links)
  • Weekly Meeting Times by Instructor & Lab Makeup Procedure
• General information
  • Introduction
  • Data Acquisition & Analysis in Excel & Capstone
  • Error Analysis Review
  • Graphical Representation of Experimental Data
  • Capstone Tips & Tools
  • Vernier Calipers
  • Equipment Information
• Experiments
  • General Physics Lab I (Fall)
    • Introductory Lab: Domino Size & Density
    • Force Table with 3 Vectors at Equilibrium
    • Acceleration due to Gravity, g, with Glider on Tilted Air Track
    • Simple Projectile Motion
    • Centripetal Force with Mass on Rotating Arm
    • Conservation of Energy with Glider on Tilted Air Track
    • Conservation of Energy & Linear Momentum with Ballistic Pendulum & Projectile Motion
    • 1171L-ONLY | Rotational Dynamics with Moment of Inertia & Angular Momentum
    • 1145L-ONLY | Ideal Gas Law with Isothermal & Adiabatic Compression; Estimating Absolute Zero
    • Fluid Physics with Archimedes’ & Bernoulli’s Principles
    • Determination of Acceleration due to Gravity, g, with Simple Pendulum
  • General Physics Lab II (Spring)
    • Electric Force & the Determination of ε₀
    • Equipotential & Electric Field Mapping
    • Acceleration & Deflection of Electrons
    • Resistivity with Resistors & DC Circuits
    • Electrical Example of an Exponential Decay Process with Resistors & Capacitors (RC Circuits)
    • Magnetic Force & the Determination of μ₀
    • Measurement of Helmholtz Magnetic Field & Electrons’ e/m Ratio
    • 1172L-ONLY | Faraday’s Law of Induction
    • Wave Motion
    • 1146L-ONLY | Light – Geometric Optics and Imaging