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Virtual Physics Labs

The Virtual Physics Lab videos are produced for the high school physics classroom; but can be used at all levels of instruction. They can be viewed by the students to collect data which in turn can be used to complete a lab sheet. A model lab sheet is included with every lab. You can use this lab sheet, edit it, or create your own to match your teaching style. The videos are short (usually around 3 minutes) to preserve teaching time. You can introduce the video ahead of time as you would do in the classroom, assign them as homework, or make them available to your students who were absent or need reinforcement of the lab.

Sample of a Tier 1 Lab

Inclined Plane Lab

Teacher’s Guide for Lab 1 Inclined Plane Kinematics

Download

Sample of a Tier 2 Lab

Level Pulley Lab

Student’s Lab Sheet Lab 2 Level Pulley

Download

For each lab series there are three tiers available:

Tier 1: in the video the lab is performed followed by the data being presented on a graph, which students use to complete a lab sheet. When the graph is displayed, all the data needed to complete the sheet is presented both visually and verbally, including the values and units needed for calculations. What the information represents is also explained to the student.

Tier 2: in the video the lab is performed followed by the data being presented on a graph, which students use to complete a lab sheet. When the graph is presented, values are displayed but students must extract units from the axis labels. Students must use the information on the graph to complete the sheet.

Tier 3: in the video the lab is performed but no graph is presented. The raw data collected for that lab is provided in a downloadable .csv format (a spreadsheet). Students import the data into the Software Dashboard (available as a free download on this site) and generate the graph in order to analyze the data and complete the lab sheet based on their analysis.

For each tier in the lab, there are four different set-ups. Each set-up (A-D) represents a change in one or more quantities within the lab, such as a change in the mass or the angle of incline. These changes will vary the data obtained during the lab. Using multiple set-ups in the classroom allows you to provide different set-ups to various classes/groups or to use a set-up for a test which the students have not previously seen.

Each lab also has a special fifth “Challenge” set-up. For the challenge set-up, some aspect of the lab is done improperly. For example, friction could be added in some way or a measurement could be taken inaccurately so that the results will be altered from the expected. The specific alteration is described in the teacher’s guide which is included in every lab download.

If you would like to see a demonstration of Tier 3 and Challenge videos, contact us, and we will send you the files for download at no charge!