Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

College Physics I Lab (Face-to-Face)

PHYS 2015-02

Course: PHYS 2015-02
Credits: 1
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: PSCI
CRN: 12129

Course Description

A lab accompanying PHYS 2010. Computer data acquisition and hands-on experience with the concepts and topics discussed in the lecture. A minimum grade of “C” (2.0 or above) must be earned in this course before it can be counted in a physical science major or minor or as a prerequisite for any other course. (Fall, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Co-requisite(s): PHYS 2010 Registration Restriction(s): Intensive English Program majors may not enroll General Education Category: Physical Sciences

Required Texts

There are no required materials. The instructor will provide an instruction manual for each activity.

Learning Outcomes

In this lab course, students will have the opportunity to:

1. Apply fundamental principles of Physics to hands-on experiments.
2. Develop experimental data acquisition skills using a variety of measuring instruments and techniques.
3. Investigate relationships between physical quantities by observing the effects of varying parameters.
4. Perform data analysis using computational tools and evaluate experimental results by comparing to theoretical predictions.
5. Identify, estimate, and propagate sources of experimental uncertainty.
6. Link conclusions to objectives by presenting a technical argument detailing the data acquisition and analysis processes using appropriate scientific conventions.

Course Requirements

Course Mechanics
This lab course consists of weekly experiments intended to accompany, reinforce, and add to the material covered in the lecture. There are twelve experiments, each of which is accompanied by a lab report submission. Some experiments have informal lab reports, while others have formal lab reports. For informal lab reports, students may submit handwritten work directly on the exercise sheet. For detailed instructions on the expectations and evaluation criteria for formal lab report submissions, refer to the Lab-Writing Guide.
 
Students will be given a lab manual handout for each activity containing instructions on how to conduct the experiment and associated exercises. Students must perform the lab activity during their scheduled lab session, complete the exercises, and submit a lab report on time to receive credit. Attendance in person is required to complete the activities. Students will conduct the experiments in small groups and are encouraged to work together on analysis, but each student must complete and submit their own work as their own individual assignment. Each submission must be made as a single document in pdf format in Canvas. Lab reports are due by 11:59 PM on the night before the next lab meeting. Late work is not accepted under any circumstances. There are no makeup lab sessions and no resubmissions.
 
Course Assessment
The grade is determined solely by the scores on the lab reports. Each lab report counts equally toward the overall grade, regardless of whether it is a formal or informal report. The lowest score will be dropped from the overall grade. The one dropped lab report is intended to account for the realities of life that may cause a student to miss an experiment, miss a due date, experience technical difficulty, or earn a low score on a lab report. Makeup lab sessions are not offered under any circumstances.
 
| Category | Percentage
| Lab Reports | 100%
 
Final Grades
The grading scale is:
 
| Letter Grade | Score Range (%) | Description
| A | 93 – 100 | Excellent
| A- | 90 – 92.99 | Excellent
| B+ | 87 – 89.99 | Above Average
| B | 83 – 86.99 | Above Average
| B- | 80 – 82.99 | Above Average
| C+ | 77 – 79.99 | Average
| C | 73 – 76.99 | Average
| C- | 70 – 72.99 | Average
| D+ | 67 – 69.99 | Below Average
| D | 63 – 66.99 | Below Average
| D- | 60 – 62.99 | Below Average
| F | <60 | Failure

Course Outline

Experiment 1: Measurements
Experiment 2: Kinematics
Experiment 3: 1D Motion
Experiment 4: Projectile Motion
Experiment 5: Net Force
Experiment 6: Newton's Second Law
Experiment 7: Friction
Experiment 8: Energy and Power
Experiment 9: Impulse and Momentum in Collisions
Experiment 10: The Ballistic Pendulum
Experiment 11: Rotational Dynamics
Experiment 12: Conservation of Angular Momentum

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Late work is not accepted and will not be graded.

Attendance Policy

Attendance in person is required to complete the activities.

Course Fees

Course fees are $13.50 per credit hour.
 View SUU's Program and Course Fees.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.