Physics 131

Recitations/Labs

In recitations, you will:

  • work through an extended multi-part problem often with a biological context;
  • work in groups of three or four;
  • be applying the principles you read in the class readings and lecture.

In the labs, you will:

  • learn physics relevant to microscopic and living systems;
  • use 21st century physics tools and software;
  • deal with data-rich environments; and
  • learn how to design your own experiment and interpret data.

The laboratories are held in a community lab style that will allow you to work together in groups of 4 students on experiments. More information on the community lab style, including information on how the labs will be graded can be found at this LABS LINK.

Laboratories will cover 5 experiments, four of them lasting 2 weeks, one lasting 3 weeks. At the end of each experiment you will work in the lab to finish a laboratory report and present your findings (and ideas for followup experiments) to the other laboratory working groups.

There will be pre-readings for some laboratories that you will be able to access through your online homework environment, just like the regular readings. (ELMS for Eichenlaub, called, e.g. "10/2 Lab RA" for one due the week of 10/2) (Green indicates required online pre-readings for which points are assigned.) Although they are assigned to be closed before the last lab of the week, you should do the assignment before you come to your lab section.

Attendance at every lab is required. If you anticipate missing a lab session, try to arrange ahead of time to attend another lab section for that session (for a 1-week lab) or for the entire lab unit (for a 2-week lab). If it is not possible to attend a different lab session, contact your TA as soon as you are aware of your impending absence. Only those with a valid excuse for missing a lab will be allowed to do a makeup activity at the end of the semester (that will take at least two hours and may involve doing another lab or evaluating data). If you do not have a valid written excuse, you will get a zero for the week that you missed. You may make up a maximum of one excused absence. If you miss more than two weeks (have more than two 'zeros', i.e., if you miss more than two lab sessions), you may receive an incomplete or a failing grade for the entire class.

Week of Recitation Lab Topic Pre-Lab Reading
8/28-8/31
How big is a worm? Surveys
Lab 0: Introduction to Community Lab Style
Introduction to Community Lab Style
ImageJ Download Instructions for Students
9/4-9/7
No recitation No lab
 
9/11-9/14 Lab 1.1: Quantifying motion from Images and Videos. How do you quantify motion? ImageJ Download Instructions for Students (if you didn't do it already)
Data Analysis with Excel
Excel Quick Reference
9/18-9/21 Lab 1.2: Quantifying motion from Images and Videos. Can you learn biology from physical measurements? ImageJ Intro Pre-Reading
(RA L1.2 on WebAssign)
ImageJ Quick Reference Sheet
Technical Document Intro To ImageJ
9/25-9/28 Lab 2.1: Resistive Forces Technical Intro to Video Capture
10/2-10/5 Lab 2.2: Resistive Forces: Error Propagation Technical Intro to Error Propagation
(RA L2.2 on WebAssign or 10/2 Lab RA (Eichenlaub))
10/9-10/12 Lab 3.1: Observing Brownian Motion

Tec Doc: Microscope Basics
Quick Ref.: Video Capture
Tec Doc: Histograms in Excel
Tec Doc: ImageJ Autotracking

Modeling Fluids at the Macro-, Micro- and Mesoscales
(RA L3.1 on WebAssign or 10/9 Lab RA (Eichenlaub))

10/16-10/19 Lab 3.2: Observing Brownian motion Coherent vs random motion
Diffusion and random walks
The role of randomness:
    Biological implications

(RA L3.2 on WebAssign or 10/16 Lab RA (Eichenlaub))
10/23-10/26 Lab 3.3: Exploring the Diffusion Constant
10/30-11/2 Lab 4.1: Competition between Brownian motion and directed forces Log-log Plots
Powers and Exponents
(RA 4.1 on WebAssign or 10/30 Lab RA (Eichenlaub))
11/6-11/9 Lab 4.2: Competition between Brownian motion and directed forces Log-log Plots: Why do we like them
(RA 4.2 on WebAssign or 11/6 Lab RA (Eichenlaub))
11/13-11/16 Lab 5.1: Motion and Work in living systems Please watch this video in preparation for lab
11/27-11/30 Lab 5.2: Motion and Work in living systems Please watch this video in preparation for lab
(RA 5.2 on WebAssign or 11/27 Lab RA (Eichenlaub))
12/4-12/7 Makeup Labs and Surveys The Laplace Bubble Law
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Last modified 01.October.2017
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