by Quirino Sugon Jr.
Department of Physics
Ateneo de Manila University
(Date updated: June 13, 2012) The template for the undergraduate laboratory report in physics is Template for Transactions. Additional guidelines are given in the AIP Style Manual. The report should be between three to four pages. Only a hard copy of the report is submitted. It does not have to be colored.
Here are some of my additional guidelines:
TITLE
Title should be about 13 words.
NAMES AND AFFILIATIONS
For your affiliations, use your individual departments, e.g. "Department of Economics, Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City 1108, Philippines"
ABSTRACT
Limit abstract to about four to five sentences. The abstract is the summary of your paper. State your problem, your means for solving it (methodology), your important results (results and discussion), and your conclusions.
I. INTRODUCTION
Limit the Introduction to three paragraphs. In the first paragraphs, describe the key concepts in your title. In the second paragraph, describe the applications of these concepts in your respective program of study. And in the third paragraph, state your problem and how you intend to solve it. Do not exceed two sentences.
II. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
First, start with the laws of physics and apply them to the particular problem of the experiment. You must draw figures, but the labels are theoretical parameters, such as mass $m$, height $h$, force $\mathbf F$, and angle $\theta$. Your main task in this section is to derive the working equation that relates the two or three concepts you mentioned in the title.
Below are some sample write-ups:
In one dimension, Newton's 2nd Law of Motion states that the force $F$ acting on an object of mass $m$ is proportional to the object's acceleration $a$: \begin{equation} F=ma. \end{equation} For a spring-mass system with one end of the spring attached to the roof and the other end attached to the object of mass $m$, the force on the spring is proportional to the change in length $\delta y$ of the spring: \begin{equation} \label{eq:F is k delta y} F = k\Delta y, \end{equation} where $k$ is the force constant of the spring. Also, under the constant gravitational acceleration $a=g$, the weight of the mass is \begin{equation} \label{eq:F is mg} F = mg. \end{equation} Equating Eqs.~(\ref{eq:F is k delta y}) and (\ref{eq:F is mg}), and solving for the spring constant $k$, we get \begin{equation} \label{eq:k} k = \frac{mg}{\Delta y}. \end{equation} Equation~(\ref{eq:k}) relates the force constant $k$ of the spring to the mass $m$ of the object, the constant gravitational acceleration $g$, and the change in length $\delta y$ of the spring.
Notice that the left side of Eq.~(\ref{eq:k}) is a parameter that cannot be measured directly, while those on the right is either a physical constant or a quantity that can be measured directly. The last equation of the theoretical framework should be the working relation that you wish to verify in the experiment.
IV. METHODOLOGY
A. Materials
Describe your equipment and its precision. If the equipment is special, describe its model number.
B. Methods
Describe your procedure for measuring the measurable variables in your working equation in Eq.~(\ref{eq:k}). You must draw figures. But unlike in Section II Theoretical Framework, the figures are now real world representations of the physical variables. Thus, instead of mass $m$, you have a block of wood. Do not anymore draw the force vectors, but only the string connecting the block to the spring. The spring, string, and block of wood should be labeled.
C. Statistical Toos
If you have some special statistical techniques aside from percent error and average, describe these here.
V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Describe first the result, such as a figure or table, then comment on it. Answer the question: Does my result for the unknown parameter in terms of the known parameter results to a relation that agrees with my statement of the problem in Section I? Devote at least one paragraph for each figure or table.
VI. CONCLUSIONS
This section contains three paragraphs. In the first paragraph, summarize your problem, what you did, and your important results. In the second paragraph, discuss whether your results agree with your hypothesis in the statement of the problem in Section I. Explain why do you think it agreed or not. And in the third paragraph, write your recommendations to improve the experiment.
REFERENCES
You should have at least 3 references that is not from Wikipedia. These references should be cited in the Introduction or in the body of the paper.
Department of Physics
Ateneo de Manila University
(Date updated: June 13, 2012) The template for the undergraduate laboratory report in physics is Template for Transactions. Additional guidelines are given in the AIP Style Manual. The report should be between three to four pages. Only a hard copy of the report is submitted. It does not have to be colored.
Here are some of my additional guidelines:
TITLE
Title should be about 13 words.
NAMES AND AFFILIATIONS
For your affiliations, use your individual departments, e.g. "Department of Economics, Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City 1108, Philippines"
ABSTRACT
Limit abstract to about four to five sentences. The abstract is the summary of your paper. State your problem, your means for solving it (methodology), your important results (results and discussion), and your conclusions.
I. INTRODUCTION
Limit the Introduction to three paragraphs. In the first paragraphs, describe the key concepts in your title. In the second paragraph, describe the applications of these concepts in your respective program of study. And in the third paragraph, state your problem and how you intend to solve it. Do not exceed two sentences.
II. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
First, start with the laws of physics and apply them to the particular problem of the experiment. You must draw figures, but the labels are theoretical parameters, such as mass $m$, height $h$, force $\mathbf F$, and angle $\theta$. Your main task in this section is to derive the working equation that relates the two or three concepts you mentioned in the title.
Below are some sample write-ups:
In one dimension, Newton's 2nd Law of Motion states that the force $F$ acting on an object of mass $m$ is proportional to the object's acceleration $a$: \begin{equation} F=ma. \end{equation} For a spring-mass system with one end of the spring attached to the roof and the other end attached to the object of mass $m$, the force on the spring is proportional to the change in length $\delta y$ of the spring: \begin{equation} \label{eq:F is k delta y} F = k\Delta y, \end{equation} where $k$ is the force constant of the spring. Also, under the constant gravitational acceleration $a=g$, the weight of the mass is \begin{equation} \label{eq:F is mg} F = mg. \end{equation} Equating Eqs.~(\ref{eq:F is k delta y}) and (\ref{eq:F is mg}), and solving for the spring constant $k$, we get \begin{equation} \label{eq:k} k = \frac{mg}{\Delta y}. \end{equation} Equation~(\ref{eq:k}) relates the force constant $k$ of the spring to the mass $m$ of the object, the constant gravitational acceleration $g$, and the change in length $\delta y$ of the spring.
Notice that the left side of Eq.~(\ref{eq:k}) is a parameter that cannot be measured directly, while those on the right is either a physical constant or a quantity that can be measured directly. The last equation of the theoretical framework should be the working relation that you wish to verify in the experiment.
IV. METHODOLOGY
A. Materials
Describe your equipment and its precision. If the equipment is special, describe its model number.
B. Methods
Describe your procedure for measuring the measurable variables in your working equation in Eq.~(\ref{eq:k}). You must draw figures. But unlike in Section II Theoretical Framework, the figures are now real world representations of the physical variables. Thus, instead of mass $m$, you have a block of wood. Do not anymore draw the force vectors, but only the string connecting the block to the spring. The spring, string, and block of wood should be labeled.
C. Statistical Toos
If you have some special statistical techniques aside from percent error and average, describe these here.
V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Describe first the result, such as a figure or table, then comment on it. Answer the question: Does my result for the unknown parameter in terms of the known parameter results to a relation that agrees with my statement of the problem in Section I? Devote at least one paragraph for each figure or table.
VI. CONCLUSIONS
This section contains three paragraphs. In the first paragraph, summarize your problem, what you did, and your important results. In the second paragraph, discuss whether your results agree with your hypothesis in the statement of the problem in Section I. Explain why do you think it agreed or not. And in the third paragraph, write your recommendations to improve the experiment.
REFERENCES
You should have at least 3 references that is not from Wikipedia. These references should be cited in the Introduction or in the body of the paper.
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