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Full-Text Articles in Physics
Quantifying Measurement Error In Digital Instruments, William B. Laing Iii, Sean Bryant
Quantifying Measurement Error In Digital Instruments, William B. Laing Iii, Sean Bryant
Faculty Works
A first lab experiment clearly illustrates that a glucose meter is actually an excellent source of both random and systematic error, much to the surprise to students and physicians alike. A histogram is constructed and the utility of the standard deviation and standard error to quantify the uncertainty in each measurement and in the mean value, respectively, is demonstrated. From the first lab on, students are challenged to express and interpret confidence intervals in order to form quantitative conclusions. Assessments reveal that many students find this to be surprisingly challenging.
The Physics Of Human Performance: An Ideal Lab, William B. Laing Iii, Harold Mayer
The Physics Of Human Performance: An Ideal Lab, William B. Laing Iii, Harold Mayer
Faculty Works
Physics lab goes to the gymnasium, where students calculate the mechanical power required to walk on an inclined treadmill in watts and convert to units power used to measure human performance: VO2, and METs. Students learn how to use two linear regression models: the ACSM "walking equation" to estimate the actual power expenditure of walking and the Rockport 1 mile test to estimate their own VO2max. Students use models to prescribe exercise parameters for themselves and for two cases. The IDEAL lab collaboration is developing labs that are open, applied to life, and rigorously quantitative.