QUEEN’S 6A Labs

LAB # 1

DATE: November 30, 2020

TOPIC: Electrical Quantities (Resistance)

PROBLEM STATEMENT: A student plugs in a new 10 ft smart phone charger in an electric

outlet and realizes that it takes a longer time to charge the phone than the old 3ft smart phone

charger. Plan and design a lab to investigate this observation.

Experiment: 2 Skills: O/R/R AND A/I

Use the following link to access the simulation:

https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/cheerpj/photoelectric/latest/photoelectric.html?
simulation=photoelectric
Aim: To verify the Photovoltaic effect.
Theory questions
1) Before you begin, what will happen: 
a) To the electrons at the metal surface when light strikes it?
b) If the light intensity slider is moved?
2) Do you think all intensities of light will liberate electrons? Explain.
3) Do you think all wavelengths of light will liberate electrons? Explain.
APPARATUS:  
DIAGRAM (IF NEEDED)
METHOD:
Part 1 – Intro to Photoelectric Effect   
1) What can you change in the simulation? 
1. Select a metal to study.  
 2. Set the intensity to 10% and adjust the wavelength until you emit your first electron
3. Based on your chosen metal answer the following questions: 
a. At what wavelengths was it first possible to remove electrons? 
4. Increase and decrease the wavelength and observe.
b.  What wavelengths were most effective in releasing electrons (larger or smaller than the
wavelength at (a))? 
5. Increase and decrease the intensity of the light and observe
c. How does the intensity affect the emission of electrons from the metal? 
Part II – Finding a Model for the Photoelectric Effect
6. Enable the graphs of the simulation and alter the x and y components of each graph and
state their relationship.
6. Describe the three graphs you can view in the simulations by filling in the results table
below. 
6. Propose a mathematical equation for the photoelectric effect using the terms we have
discussed in class (work function, incident light, max E of ejected electrons). 
6. Use the simulation to verify your model and make a graph of the maximum electron
energy vs. the light frequency. Use Best fit equation for your graph 

RESULTS: 

Graph Relationship Explanation (using physics terms)

Current vs. Light Intensity

Electron Energy vs. Light

Frequency

Selected metal: ___________________

light wavelength light frequency electron stopping voltage Ejected Electron KE

(nm) (Hz) (V) (eV)
Discussion 
In 2-3 paragraphs explain your understanding of the photoelectric effect include a discussion on 

 Intensity and wavelength of the incident light

 Wave model and its breakdown 

Conclusion – 

Experiment: 3 Skills: O/R/R

Inverting Amplifier
AIM: Determine the effect of negative feedback on the gain and bandwidth of an Operational
Amplifier.
APPARATUS: Dual voltage power supply (± 12 V), 741 Operational Amplifier, Cathode Ray Oscilloscope,
Resistors (1 kΩ, 10 kΩ, 100 kΩ) and function generator (0 – 1 MHz).
Conclusion:

Experiment: 4 Skills: PD

TOPIC: Resistance

PROBLEM STATEMENT: Plan and design an experiment to determine the IV characteristics

for a metallic conductor, Filament lamp and Semiconductor.

Experiment: 5 Skills: O/R/R and A/I

Topic: Atomic and Nuclear Physics

Aim: - To verify some of the principles of radioactivity using coins as simulating atoms.

Apparatus and material: - 250-300 copper coins, plastic containers,

Method: - Shake the entire set of coins in a plastic container provided and then invert the container
after the shaking on the work bench. Count and remove all the coins that come to rest on
HEADS. It may be necessary to carefully remove the coins that they do not stack on top of
each other. Put back the rest of the coins in the original container and shake it once more and
invert on the bench and count and remove the ones that fall on HEADS. Repeat the process
until about five coins remain in the container. Plot on a graph, the total number left for each
trial against the throw number (label it graph 1). Remember that the curve should be smooth
and need not to pass through all the points.

Results Problems: (1) Write down an activity equation to represent the function in graph 1 above. (2) Let
‘No’ represent the initial number of coins used in the experiment, and the ½N o coins remained
when one-half the initial amount of coin was removed, derived an equation for the half-life
(t1/2), using this data and the equation write previously.

(3.) Also, use the data to plot a linear graph (Label graph 2). From the graph, determine the
half-life of the coins in terms of throws and from this information, find the decay constant.

Discussion:

1.) Define radioactivity and half-life of a radioactive substance.

Experiment: 6 Skills: O/R/R and M/M

Topic: Electrical Quantities

Aim: To determine the resistivity of a length of a nichrome wire.

Apparatus and material: metrestick, power supply, nichome wire, electrical leads ammeter and
potentiomete.

THEORY

The resistance of an electrical conductor depends on several factors. For a wire conductor, the
resistance, of course, depends on the type of conducting material, and also on (a) the length, (b) the
cross-sectional area, and (c) the temperature of the wire. As might be expected the resistance of a wire
conductor is directly proportional to its length l and inversely proportional to its cross-sectional area A.
The important material constant, which characterized the resistance, is expressed in terms of a quantity
called resistivity.

For example, a 4m length of wire has twice as much resistance as a 2-m length of the same wire. Also,
the larger the cross-sectional area, the greater the current flow (less resistance) for a given voltage.
These geometrical conditions are analogous to those for liquid flow in a pipe.

The longer the pipe, the more resistance to flow. But, the larger the cross-sectional area of the pipe, the
greater the flow rate or the smaller the resistance to flow.
The material property of resistance is characterized by its resistivity ρ, and at given temperature,

R= ρl

From this equation, resistivity can be seen to have the units Ωm or Ωcm. Common metal conductors
-6 .
have resistivities on the order of 10 Ω cm. Another name sometimes used for resistivity is specific
resistance, indicating that it is specific for a given material.

To determine the resistivities of some materials, a circuit arrangement as illustrated in will be used. The
current probe measures the current I in a wire conductor on the conductor board and the
instrumentation amplifier registers the voltage drop V across the conductor. Then, the resistance of the
wire, by Ohm's law, is R = V/I.

If we graph R vs. l for a wire of cross-sectional area A (found from the diameter d measurement, d/2 = r
2
and A = π r ), the slope of the graph will be the resistivity/area. The resistivity the conductor can be
calculated by multiplying the slope by the area

Method:

Diagram of the plan view of a potentiometer

1. Connect a series circuit of two dry cells or power supply (3.0 V), an
ammeter to a potentiometer as shown above. The key should be
considered as a tapping switch and must be QUICKLY position at
the 10.0 cm mark on the wires thus closing circuit. Note the reading
on the ammeter.
 2. Move the switch so as to increase the length of wire to 20.0, 40.0
60.0, 80.0 and 100.0 cm respectively and record the current values
in a table. Please note the uncertainty in the readings obtained from
instruments.

Caution: to prevent the wire from overheating, do not keep the jockey key too
long on the wire. You must take each current reading swiftly.

3. Use a micrometer screw gauge to measure the diameter of the wire used and
record the value in SI unit.

Length of wire(l ) /m Current( I) / Amps Resistance (R) / Ώ

0.10 ± 0.0005 1.20 ± 0.05 2.50 ± 0.0007
0.20 ± 0.0005

4. Plot a graph of resistance (R) against length (l) and determine the slope
5. Use the slope of the graph to determine the resistivity of the wire.
Discussion:

6. Define the resistivity of a material.

7. Comment on the graph obtained results and the graph obtained and explain
how the results can be improved.

Experiment: 8 Skill: MM

MM LAB

DATE

TITLE: INTERNAL RESISTANCE AND EMF

AIM: TO SET UP A CIRCUIT TO DETERMINE THE INTERNAL RESISTANCE AND EMF OF A DRY
CELL

APPARATUS:
8. SET UP CIRCUIT AS SEEN ABOVE (2)
9. PLACE VOLTMETER IN PARALLEL WITH BATTERY (1)
10. MEASURE VOLTAGE WITH 1Ω RESISTOR CONNECTED (1)
11. MEASURE VOLTAGE WITH SWITCH OPEN (1)
12. WHY CONNECT VOLTMETER IN PARALLEL? (1)

13. PLACE AMMETER IN SERIES WITH BATTERY (1)

14. MEASUTRE CURRENT WITH 1Ω RESISTOR CONNECTED (1)
15. MEASURE CURRENT WITH SWITCH OPEN (1)
16. WHY CONNECT THE AMMETER IN SERIES? (1)
17. WHAT HAPPENS TO THE VOLTAGE AND THE CURRENT WHEN THE SWITCH IS OPEN
AND WHY?