EL121/2016

Engineering undergraduates have to submit various kinds of reports during their

academic work. The types of reports can be as follows:

Log books for field visits and research activities

Project reports
Industrial reports
Lab reports

This lesson introduces the writing of the lab reports.

What is a lab report?

It is a written report submitted based on an experiment taken place in a lab to

test a hypothesis or a scientific theory or properties of materials and submitted
after conducting it.

A lab report can include some or all of the following components. Guess what
should come under each section. See whether there are any differences among
the lab reports submitted for different departments. If so, what are they?

Component/ sub Purpose Civil Electrical Mechanical

heading Depart. Depart. Depart.
Labs Labs Labs
Cover page

Date

Title

Objectives
Apparatus/Material

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Introduction
Theory
Procedure
Observations
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
References

Now, take a look at the following lab report a student had submitted after
conducting an experiment with the following instructions.

The Floating Egg Experiment

Apparatus/ Material

Two drinking glasses

Two raw eggs
Table salt
Spoon

Procedure

Fill one of the drinking glasses almost to the top with plain tap water.
Gently drop one of the eggs into the water-filled glass. Fill the second
drinking glass half-full with water.
Add four tablespoons of table salt to the water, and stir.
Fill the rest of the cup with water, almost to the top.
Gently place the second egg into the salt water solution.

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Title: Experiment of the Floating Egg

Objectives: To experiment with eggs and water

Apparatus/ Material: 2 glasses, 2 raw eggs, 4 tablespoons of table salt, a spoon

and tap water.

Introduction:

Density is a measure of how much mass is contained in a given unit volume

(density = mass divided by volume). Water has a density of 1.0 g/cm3

Procedure:

First of all, one of the drinking glasses was filled almost to the top with plain tap
water. After that, one of the eggs was gently dropped into the water-filled glass.
Next, the second drinking glass was filled half-full with water. Then, four
tablespoons of table salt were added to the water, and stirred. After that, the rest of
the glass was filled with water almost to the top. Finally, the second egg was gently
placed into the salt water solution.

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Observations: It was observed that the egg in the first glass sank to the bottom
while the egg in the second glass floated.

Conclusion:

Study the following 3 experiments and write 3 separate reports assuming you have done the

experiments. Include the following components: Title, objectives, apparatus, theory, procedure,

observations and conclusion where applicable.

Floating Ping Pong Ball

Apparatus

1-liter bottle with cap

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Bendy straw
Ping pong ball
Hammer
Large nail
Scotch tape
Box cutter or similar tool

Theory

Bernoulli's Principle (find reference)

Experiment

1. Near the top of a 1-liter bottle, approximately where the bottle stops curving
and begins to straighten out, wrap a piece of tape. Try to wrap the tape as
straight as possible.
2. Using the tape as a guide, cut the top of the bottle off with the box cutters.
Again, try to make your cut as straight as possible.
3. *When performing this next step, make sure to find a work bench or similar
surface.*
4. Place the bottle cap, open side down, onto the work bench.
5. Center a large nail on the top of the bottle cap and use a hammer to punch a
hole in the cap.
6. Pull the nail out of the bottle cap and you should have a nice, round hole.
7. Test the bottle cap to see if a bendy straw will fit in the hole you've created.
If it does, you're good to go. If the hole is too small, find a larger nail and
widen the hole. If the hole is too large, you'll need to find another cap and
use a smaller nail.
8. Once you have the perfect bottle cap and hole, screw the cap onto the top of
the bottle and place the short end of the bendy straw through the hole.
9. Start blowing into the straw (the end opposite the bottle) and place the ping
pong ball over the stream of air. (The ping pong ball hovers in midair over
the bottle.)

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Ice-Tray Battery

Distilled white vinegar

5, 5 (13 cm) lengths of copper wire
5 zinc-coated (galvanized) nails, medium sized
Plastic ice tray
1 LED light, any color

Introduction

These kind of batteries __________________ (comprise) of two specific metals

that ________________ (suspend) in an acidic solution. With the Ice-Tray
Battery, the two metals _____________(be) zinc and copper. The zinc
___________ (be) in the galvanization on the nail (galvanization prevents rust) and
in the copper of the wire. The acid ______________ (come) from the vinegar
__________________(pour) into the ice tray. More specifically, since vinegar
____________(be) almost all water, the acid _________________(come) from the
4-8% of acetic acid _____________________(dissolve) in it. The two metal
components ________________ (be) electrodes. They ______________ (be) the
sites in a battery where moving electrons (the current) _______________(enter)
and then ______________(leave) the battery. With this vinegar, zinc, and copper

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set-up, the current ________________ (modal + flow) from the wire bridge
(copper), across the vinegar, to the nail (zinc), and then along the bridge to the
vinegar. The electricity _____________( pass) easily through the acidic solution
of vinegar in the wells. Some liquids ____________ (help) this flow and some
___________________( modal + stop) it altogether.

Once the Ice-Tray Battery __________________ (connect) to the LED,

complete or closed circuit _________________(created). As the electrons pass
through the LED, the electrical energy _________________ (excite) atoms inside
it and they ________________ (emit) a specific wavelength of color as they
______________________ (fall back) to a lower energy level. It
_____________________ (modal + see) as a lighted LED. The electrons
_________________ (pass) continuously one way through all of the components
unless the circuit ___________________ (break) or ________________ (open).

Experiment

Tightly wrap a piece of copper wire five times around a galvanized nail just under
the head of the nail. Leave a tail of wire extending straight out from the nail about
3 (8 cm).

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Repeat Step 1 with the remaining four nails and four pieces of copper wire.

Fill six wells of an ice tray with distilled white vinegar.

Youll create a circuit by placing each nail into one well of vinegar and making
sure the copper wire is bent so that it goes into the vinegar in the next well. The
wire is an electron bridge from one well into the next. Make sure the wire from one

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nail does NOT touch the nail or wire in any other well. There should be only
vinegar between the metals in each well.

Place one leg of the LED into the well with only a copper wire inside it and
place the other leg into the well with only a nail in it. If the bulb lights up, you
nailed it! If the bulb doesnt light up, just lift the bulb out of the well, rotate it a
half-turn to move the legs to the opposite well, and lower it back into the vinegar.
It lights up!

Seven-Layer Density Column

Light corn syrup

Water
Vegetable oil
Dawn dish soap (blue)
Rubbing alcohol

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Lamp oil (select a cool color like red, available at a shop)

Honey
Glass cylinder
Food coloring
Food baster
Seven plastic cups
Scale (optional)

Measure 8 ounces of each type of liquid into the seven plastic cups. Depending on
the size of the glass cylinder, you might need more or less of each liquid8
ounces is just a good starting point. You may want to color the corn syrup and the
rubbing alcohol with a few drops of food coloring to create a more dramatic effect
in your column. Here is the order of layers starting from the bottom and working
your way to the top:

Honey
Corn Syrup
Dish Soap
Water
Vegetable oil
Rubbing alcohol
Lamp oil

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Start your column by pouring the honey into the cylinder. It is very important to
pour the liquids carefully into the center of the cylinder. Make sure the honey does
not touch the sides of the cylinder while you are pouring. Its important to let each
layer settle before adding the next one. Take your time and pour slowly and
carefully.

The next layer is corn syrup. Again, try not to let the corn syrup touch the sides of
the container as youre pouring. The key is to pour slowly and evenly.

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Repeat the same procedure with the dish soap. Pour the soap directly into the
middle of the layer of corn syrup . . . and take your time pouring!

Stop for just a second to enjoy your success. Youre almost halfway to your goal of
stacking seven layers of liquid. The next liquid is water, and youll need to use the
food basterits like a giant medicine dropper for food. From this point forward,
its okay to let the liquids touch the sides of the cylinder. In fact, its a must! Dip
the tip of the food baster in the cup of water, squeeze the bulb, and draw up some
water. Rest the tip of the food baster on the inside wall of the cylinder and slowly
squeeze the bulb. Let the water slowly trickle down the glass to create the next
layer. Take your time!

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Youll use the food baster once again for the next layervegetable oil. Use the
inside wall of the cylinder to let the vegetable oil slowly trickle down and form the
next layer.

Wash the food baster with some soap and water in the sink before moving on to the
rubbing alcohol. If you have not already colored the rubbing alcohol, use a couple
drops of food coloring to make sure this layer isnt confused with water. Use the
food baster and the inside wall of the cylinder to add this next layer.

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Youre one layer away from success. Again, rinse the food baster in the sink before
moving on to the lamp oil. Since lamp oil is flammable, you must do this last step
away from any open flames. Use the food baster to draw up some lamp oil, which
has a low surface tension and easily leaks out of the food baster. Keep your finger
over the tip as you transport it over to the cylinder. By now youre a pro at this.
Use the baster and the inside wall of the cylinder to slowly add the final liquid
layer.

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