Course

Physics for Life Sciences Lab

Faculty
Science & Technology
Department
Physics
Course Code
PHYS 1308
Credits
2.00
Semester Length
15 weeks.
Max Class Size
36
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lab
Typically Offered
To be determined

Overview

Course Description
The course will consist of a series of labs involving both activities and experiments based on concepts covered in PHYS 1108 and PHYS 1208. Experiments in mechanics, heat, optics and electricity are designed to augment the concepts covered in the Physics for Life Sciences courses.
Course Content

The course will consist of a series of labs involving both activities and experiments based on concepts covered in PHYS1108 and PHYS1208, or Physics for the Life Sciences.    

The activities are designed to improve your understanding of certain concepts and to familiarize you with equipment and techniques.

The experiments are designed to help you become familiar with the experimental methods used to describe the world around us and to validate scientific theories.

All the experiments require preparatory work, which is shared between group members. Hence, clear verbal communication skills and group work are expected.

 The exact experiment will be chosen when the course occurs. The investiagations will include topics such as 

  • The Simple Pendulum
  • Mechanics of Accelerated Motion
  • Waves
  • Mapping Electric and Magnetic Fields
  • Direct Current Measurements
  • The Oscilloscope and Alternating Currents
  • Oscilloscope Applications
  • Electromagnetic Induction
  • Fluid Dynamics
  • Refraction of Light
  • Thin Lenses and Microscope
  • Polarized Light
  • Lasers
  • The Grating Spectrometer
Learning Activities

Laboratory work. 

Means of Assessment

Prelab Assignments    5-15%

Worksheets and Lab Notebooks  50-75%

Practical Lab Test     10-25%

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this laboratory course, the student will be able to demonstrate their ability to 

  1. carry out and make a written description of quantitative physical experiments, with due recognition of systematic and random errors and uncertainities.
  2. use basic lab instruments that are commonly used in making physical measurements in laboratory work in a professional and safe manner.
  3. llustrate how some basic physical principles apply to specific real situations in the lab.
  4. communicate clearly and professionally in writing.
  5. communicate clearly and professionally while speaking.
  6. work well in small groups.
Textbook Materials

Douglas College Physics 1308 Lab Manual

Requisites

Prerequisites

PHYS1107 or PHYS1108 or equivalent  

Corequisites

PHYS1208 should be taken before or concurrently

Equivalencies

None. 

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer Details for PHYS 1308
Alexander College (ALEX) DOUG PHYS 1208 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1308 (2) = ALEX PHYS 102 (4)
Athabasca University (AU) No credit
Capilano University (CAPU) DOUG PHYS 1208 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1308 (2) = CAPU PHYS 111 (4)
Capilano University (CAPU) DOUG PHYS 1108 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1308 (2) = CAPU PHYS 110 (4)
College of the Rockies (COTR) COTR PHYS 1XX (3)
Columbia College (COLU) DOUG PHYS 1108 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1208 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1308 (3) = COLU PHYS 1st (8)
Coquitlam College (COQU) No credit
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) KPU PHYS 1XXX (1)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) DOUG PHYS 1108 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1308 (2) = KPU PHYS 1101 (4)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) DOUG PHYS 1208 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1308 (2) = KPU PHYS 1102 (4)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) DOUG PHYS 1108 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1208 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1308 (2) = KPU PHYS 1101 (4) & KPU PHYS 1102 (4)
Langara College (LANG) DOUG PHYS 1108 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1208 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1308 (2) = LANG PHYS 1101 (4) & LANG PHYS 1XXX (4)
Langara College (LANG) DOUG PHYS 1208 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1308 (2) = LANG PHYS 1XXX (4)
Langara College (LANG) DOUG PHYS 1108 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1308 (2) = LANG PHYS 1101 (4)
North Island College (NIC) DOUG PHYS 1208 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1308 (3) = NIC PHY 100 (3) & NIC PHY 101 (3)
Okanagan College (OC) DOUG PHYS 1208 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1308 (2) = OC PHYS 1XX (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU PHYS 130 (2)
University Canada West (UCW) DOUG PHYS 1108 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1308 (2) = UCW PHYS 101 (3)
University Canada West (UCW) UCW PHYS 1XX (3)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) DOUG PHYS 1108 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1308 (2) = UBCV PHYS_V 1st (3)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) UBCV PHYS_V 119 (1)
University of Northern BC (UNBC) DOUG PHYS 1208 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1308 (2) = UNBC PHYS 101 (4)
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV PHYS 1XX (2)
University of Victoria (UVIC) DOUG PHYS 1108 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1208 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1308 (3) = UVIC PHYS 102A (1.5) & UVIC PHYS 102B (1.5)
University of Victoria (UVIC) DOUG PHYS 1108 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1208 (3) & DOUG PHYS 1308 (2) = UVIC PHYS 102A (1.5) & UVIC PHYS 102B (1.5)

Course Offerings

Winter 2025