Community and Resources for Experimentation-Focused Physics Labs

Physics Lab Exchange

A community-driven platform where physics lab instructors share, discover, and refine classroom-ready resources — from lab manuals to data analysis tools.

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Physics Lab Exchange community at a workshop

Built for IPLS Faculty

Resources designed specifically for Introductory Physics for Life Sciences courses, by instructors who teach them.

Editorially Reviewed

Every resource in our Vetted Library is reviewed by experienced educators before being published.

Community-Driven

Ask questions, join discussions, share your own materials, and connect with fellow physics lab instructors.

Featured Resources

Classroom-ready materials shared and refined by the IPLS teaching community.

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VettedLab Manual

Fluid Dynamics Lab: Viscosity of Biological Fluids

Dr. Sarah Chen · University of Washington

A complete 3-hour lab exploring fluid viscosity through biologically relevant examples including blood flow models.

Fluid MechanicsBiomechanics

34218 discussions

VettedActivity Set

Optics of the Eye: Lens Formation & Image Analysis

Prof. James Rivera · Cornell University

Hands-on activities exploring how the human eye forms images, with data analysis worksheets and instructor guide.

OpticsBiomechanics

28724 discussions

CommunityLecture + Lab

Thermodynamics of Cellular Metabolism

Dr. Anika Patel · Boston University

Integrated lecture and lab materials connecting thermodynamic principles to ATP synthesis and metabolic pathways.

Thermodynamics

15631 discussions

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Explore by Topic

Browse resources organized by physics discipline, each with connections to life-science applications.

Classical Mechanics

186 resources

Forces, motion, energy, and momentum in biological contexts

Thermodynamics

142 resources

Heat, entropy, and energy transfer in living systems

Fluid Mechanics

98 resources

Viscosity, flow dynamics, and pressure in biological fluids

Optics

124 resources

Light, lenses, imaging, and spectroscopy in life sciences

Biomechanics

165 resources

Physics of movement, skeletal systems, and biological materials

Electromagnetism

112 resources

Electric fields, circuits, and signals in neural and cardiac systems

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A Living Community

Physics Lab Exchange is more than a resource library — it's where IPLS instructors connect, discuss, and grow together.

Recent Activity

Dr. Maria Santos contributed Pendulum Motion in Gait Analysis
2 hours ago
Prof. Kevin Liu commented on Blood Flow Simulation Lab Guide
5 hours ago
Dr. Rachel Green updated Acoustic Resonance in Ear Canal Models
1 day ago
Prof. David Kim contributed Diffusion & Osmosis Data Analysis Toolkit
1 day ago
Dr. Emily Watson started a discussion on Best practices for virtual lab assessments
2 days ago

Active Discussions

How do you assess experimental design skills in IPLS?
23 replies·Active 3 hours ago
Integrating Python data analysis into intro labs
17 replies·Active 6 hours ago
Resources for teaching uncertainty and error analysis
12 replies·Active 1 day ago

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Join the Community

Connect with over 2,500 physics lab instructors. Share your materials, get feedback, and help shape the future of IPLS education.

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Upcoming Workshops

Join our next workshops and connect with fellow physics lab instructors.

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Lab Design Kickoff Summer 2026

upcoming

Jun 30, 2026 – Jul 2, 2026Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

The Lab Design Kickoff is a workshop to collaborate with peers & lab education leaders to create experimentation-focused introductory labs.

Lab Action Teams Summer/Fall 2026

upcoming

Jul 6, 2026 – Dec 21, 2026Remote

Lab Action Teams have 12 weekly remote meetings, facilitated by a Lab Mentor, to support each other in implementing their Lab Action Plans.

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About the Physics Lab Exchange

The Physics Lab Exchange supports university lab instructors in designing labs that emphasize experimental physics techniques and authentic scientific reasoning. Our platform provides classroom-ready teaching tools and connects instructors with peers and education leaders to create experimentation-focused, research-inspired labs.