Lab Supplies for Discover Physics

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For any family looking for a robust physics course, hands-on lab assignments are a must—and this involves purchasing supplies.

While most students’ favorite part of physics is the labs, it’s not essential that students complete all of the labs. We recommend parents have students complete a minimum of the first two labs where we teach students about lab report writing plus 13 more labs (a total of 15 labs).

Where to Buy Supplies?

 1. Purchase the First Semester Discover Physics Custom Kit

Cornerstone Educational Supplies has created a lab kit for those who would like to complete all of the labs (second semester kit will be released in several months). We recommend students complete 15 of the 26 labs in the lab book that accompany this course. However, if you would like to do all or most of the labs, this is the most economical way to purchase the specialty lab supplies.

2. Purchase supplies a la carte:

Most families won’t complete all of the labs. For those who will be picking and choosing which labs or want to purchase just a few supplies at a time, use the links in the list below to purchase items a la carte from Home Science Tools. 

Lab Supplies on a Budget

We understand the budget constraints of many homeschoolers — purchasing curriculum and supplies often for multiple children can be pricey!

We recommend your students plan to watch all of the lab videos and complete at least 15 labs for high school credit. Be sure to have your students complete labs that accompany lessons 1 and 2 where we teach students how to write lab reports.

So how can you make this work on a tight budget? One great way you can stay within your budget constraints is by completing the labs that only require easily obtainable lab supplies and supplies you can probably find around your house. 

Canadian Families

Please see this page for a special note on sourcing lab supplies. 

Lab Supplies for Discover Physics

Below are two lists of supplies you’ll need. On the left are lab supplies that need to be purchased from a lab supply company. On the right is a list of supplies you will like have around your house or that you can easily acquire from a local store. Alternatively, you can see a list by household and specialty supplies on this page.

Lesson 1: 

  • Stopwatch (preferably one that shows hundredths of a second)

  • Meter stick or yardstick

  • Scale
  • Paper ball
  • Baseball
  • Tennis ball
  • Pool ball
  • Orange

  • Option 1: Smart phone or video camera (preferably with a slow-motion filming option)

  • Option 2: Large board to create a ramp


Lesson 2: 
  • No supplies needed

Lesson 3: 
  • Bathtub
  • Camera
  • Light source (if camera does not have a flash)
  • Meter or yard stick
  • Ruler
  • Timer or metronome

Lesson 4: 
  • Empty 2-liter or 20 oz plastic pop bottle
  • Water
  • Ruler
  • Marker
  • Computer with microphone or smartphone
  • Online tuner (see online classroom for link)

Lesson 5: 
  • Various household items

Lesson 6:

Lesson 7: 

  • Thermometer (measuring below 0 °C and above 100 °C)

  • Small pot

  • 1 cup measuring cup

  • Spoon

  • Stove

  • Timer or stopwatch

  • Scale 

  • Water

  • Ice
     

Lesson 8: 

Lesson 9: 

  • Empty 20 oz. plastic bottle (made of sturdy plastic, PET/Recyclable 1)
  • Rubber balloon
  • Large bowl or plastic tub capable of holding water to surround the plastic bottle
  • Small weights that can fit inside the bottle (coins work well)
  • String and ruler or seamstress style tape measure 
  • Stove/pot with water
  • Thermometer
  • Sharpie marker

     

Lesson 10: Exam 1 (NO LAB)

Lesson 11: 

  • 1 smooth wood board (approximate 22-24 in long x 5-6 in wide)
  • 1 smooth wood board (approximately 6 ft. long by 6 in wide)
  • Meter stick
  • Stopwatch
  • Dynamics cart
  • Video camera, smart phone with video capabilities, or webcam 
  • Masking tape for marking
  • Marker

Lesson 12: 

  • 1 smooth wood board (approximately 6 ft. long by 6 in wide)
  • Meter stick
  • Stopwatch
  • Dynamics cart
  • Video camera, smart phone with video capabilities, or webcam (optional, preferred)
  • Masking tape for marking
  • Marker

      

Lesson 13:

Lesson 14:

Lesson 15:

  • 5 paper coffee filters
  • Meter stick
  • Stopwatch
  • Video camera

Lesson 16:

  • Spring scale
  • 2 dynamics carts
  • 50 g hooked mass
  • Meter stick
  • Stopwatch
  • Video camera
  • Masking tape
  • 1 smooth wood board, approximate 22-24 in long x 5-6 in wide
  • 1 smooth wood board, approximately 6 ft. long by 6 in wide


Lab supplies for more lessons coming soon!

 Lesson 17: 

  • 1 smooth wood board (approximately 22-24 in long x 5-6 in wide)
  • 1 smooth wood board (approximately 6 ft. long by 6 in wide)
  • 1 dynamics cart
  • 50 g mass
  • Spring scale or kitchen scale
  • Books for stacking
  • Meter stick
  • Stopwatch
  • Video camera
  • Masking tape 

Lesson 18: 

No lab

 

Lesson 19: 

  • 2 solid cylinders of different sizes and weights (smaller cans work best)
  • 2 hollow cylinders of different sizes and weights (smaller empty cans work best)
  • 2 hollow spheres of different sizes and weights (smaller balls work best, such as a ping pong ball)
  • 2 solid spheres of different sizes and weights (smaller balls work best)
  • 1 smooth wood board (approximately 6 ft. long by 6 in wide)
  • Books for stacking
  • Meter stick
  • Stopwatch
  • Video camera
  • Masking tape
  • Piece of string (long enough to wrap around each object)
  • Spring scale or kitchen scale

 

Lesson 20: Exam 2  (NO LAB)

Lesson 21: Measuring Electrical Charge with an Electroscope

Lesson 22: The Voltage of Food

Lesson 23: Electric Current

 

 

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