Beyond Labz

The stockroom is used to select and place items on the Transfer Tray for a particular experiment that will be carried out on the virtual laboratory table. The essential features of the stockroom are described in the following list.

• Transfer Tray. Items needed for a particular experiment are clicked which places them on the Transfer Tray. These items are then available for placement in the motion area of the laboratory table, wherever needed.

• Lab Book. The lab book is used to record procedures and observations while performing experiments in the virtual laboratory. Data from the experiments can also be saved as tables in the lab book which can also be copied and pasted into an external spreadsheet program for further analysis. See the Lab Book section for more details on using the lab book.

• Clear Lab. The clear lab option allows users to return all items from the Transfer Tray and table to the Stockroom.

Available Items

Items available for the various experiments that can be performed in the virtual free motion laboratory are described below.

Objects
Ball. The ball is used in projectile motion experiments. It can be made of several different materials to learn about how surface texture affects free fall. Air friction and all gravities can be applied to the ball.
Sled. The sled is used in projectile motion experiments and on the ramp. It can be made of several different materials. Air friction and all gravities can be applied to the sled.

Frictions
Air Friction. Air friction simulates the effect of air resistance on the motion of the ball or sled. Air friction can be used in projectile motion experiments.

Forces
Rocket. The rocket can be attached to the ball or sled and can be fired for set time intervals or indefinitely. The magnitude of the force can be adjusted, and the rocket can be attached at various angles to the ball and sled.
Plunger. The plunger is used to impart a short duration force or impact on a ball or sled. The magnitude of the impact can be adjusted, and the plunger can be attached at various angles to the ball or sled.

Gravities
Upward Gravity. The upward gravity is used to apply gravity in an upward direction. The strength of the gravity can be adjusted. Although the motion table appears vertical when viewed on the screen, gravitational forces must be applied explicitly.
Downward Gravity. The downward gravity is used to apply gravity in a downward direction similar to what would be experienced on a planet or moon. The strength of the gravity can be adjusted.
Right Gravity. The right gravity is used to apply gravity in a rightward direction. The strength of the gravity can be adjusted.
Left Gravity. The left gravity is used to apply gravity in a leftward direction. The strength of the gravity can be adjusted.
Radial Gravity. Radial gravity simulates a gravitational sink or the gravity experienced as objects are attracted to a central force field. This gravity is similar to the gravitational field associated with large bodies such as planets and moons.

Allowable Combinations

Only certain combinations of the stockroom items can be selected from the stockroom. The focal object is the object that will be in motion, and the allowed objects are forces and frictions that can be applied to the focal object. These combinations are as follows.

	Rocket or Plunger, Air Friction, Any Gravity
	Rocket or Plunger, Air Friction, Any Gravity

Preset Experiments

The presets tab allows you to start the lab at predefined points, totally ready to run already. To select one of these experiments, click on the 'Presets' tab on the right side of your screen and click on the desired experiment from the "Lab Presets" list . The appropriate objects, forces, and gravities will be automatically selected and placed in the on the table. The provided preset experiments that are included with the lab cover many of the fundamental free motion experiments that demonstrate important concepts. These preset experiments are only a small set of the large number of experiments that can be designed and implemented in this simulation. 

Anytime you click "Save Lab", a link is created in the "My Saved Labs" tab in Presets to allow you to come back to that point in the lab in the future.