Tuesday, Feb 3, 2009 - Block 2

Collected parent forms and signed syllabus forms.

Checked for textbook covers.
Asked if there were any question about syllabus and course expectations.
Gave quiz on course expectations and classroom policies.

Reviewed meter, cm, mm. When you make measurements you have to avoid parallax.
Measured the length and width of the lab table. Students guestimated the uncertainty in each measurement. Calculated the area.

Showed how to find the uncertainty in the area using both the max-min method and the method of relative uncertainty.

Explained the Sun lab procedure.
Students went outside and worked in groups of 3 or 4 to measure the distance from the Earth to the Sun in terms of Sun diameters.

Back inside, explained what was expected in the write-up
Title, Name, Partners, Date of Lab
Data table in data table format with labels, units and uncertainties.
Calculation section for both uncertainty methods.
Clearly state what is being calculated, show calculation.
Results section. Sketch and label a diagram showing why this method works and give a sentence or two explaining it.
Clearly state the results including uncertainty.

Lab write-up is due Thursday. Gave students 15 minutes in class to do calculations and start write-up.