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Electric and magnetic ideas become measurable
Many 204 topics can feel abstract in lecture, but the lab makes them concrete by tying them to devices, readings, and patterns that students can inspect directly.
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01:750:206 · Physics · School 01 — New Brunswick School of Arts and Sciences
General Physics Lab 206 is the second laboratory half of Rutgers' general physics sequence. It complements 01:750:204 by asking students to investigate electrostatics, circuits, magnetism, optics, and modern-physics topics such as atomic spectra and radioactive decay through hands-on measurement and analysis.
Can I take it?
Extended Gen Physics Lab · General Physics · General Physics Laboratory
How hard?
Students rate teaching
SIRS · 1,212 responses · 2014–2025
Spring 2027
32 open in snapshot · 1 instructor
When it meets
Busch, C/D
Checked-in sections · current seat counts are unavailable.
M 8:30 AM · Busch, C/D · 32 sections · 32 open
AI-generated overview
Higher means more demanding · AI summary
5 units · topic sequence may vary by instructor
The term opens with two electrostatics labs, which usually means students move from charge-and-force intuition into more careful reasoning about field behavior and how invisible electric effects can still be inferred from measurements.
Once current enters the picture, the course shifts from static charge to dynamical systems. Students work through DC circuits and then magnetic-force behavior, which is where careful setup and interpretation matter because the direction of effects is just as important as the magnitude.
The middle of the lab sequence ties changing fields to changing currents. Faraday's law, RLC behavior, and electromagnetic waves push students to think about time-dependent processes instead of only equilibrium measurements.
The optics portion shifts the experimental style again. Ray-based reasoning appears in geometric optics, while interference asks students to extract meaning from wave patterns and spacing rather than from simple single-number measurements.
The final labs move into modern-physics territory. Instead of seeing physics as only a mechanics-or-circuits course, students end by connecting discrete spectra and decay behavior to the idea that measurement can reveal structure far beyond what is directly visible.
Public discussion about 206 itself is limited, but the available 205/206 thread paints a consistent picture: students tend to see the lab as more manageable than its reputation when they work with a good partner, prepare for the short quizzes, and ask for help when the write-up language feels vague.
Many 204 topics can feel abstract in lecture, but the lab makes them concrete by tying them to devices, readings, and patterns that students can inspect directly.
In electrostatics, magnetism, and optics, a correct number is not enough if the sign, orientation, or qualitative interpretation is wrong.
Interference and oscillation labs reward students who can move between formulas and visual patterns rather than treating every result as a simple plug-in calculation.
Atomic spectra and radioactive decay show how experimental signals can reveal microscopic structure without requiring students to jump immediately into advanced theory.
Common pitfall
Instead
Write down what counts as positive direction or potential difference before comparing results.
Common pitfall
Instead
Relate every equation back to the actual setup so the numbers still make physical sense.
Common pitfall
Instead
Expect the representation to change from current-and-voltage diagrams to ray or wave pictures, and adjust your reasoning style accordingly.
Common pitfall
Instead
Because the reports are collaborative and submitted during lab, each student should understand the graph, conclusion, and main calculation before leaving.
32 open · Busch, C/D
| Section | Status | Instructor | Meeting | Campus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0116277 | Open | Hao Wang | Monday 8:30 AM-11:30 AM at PAB 223PAB 223 | Busch |
| 0216278 | Open | Hao Wang | Monday 12:10 PM-3:10 PM at PAB 223PAB 223 | Busch |
| 0316279 | Open | Hao Wang | Monday 3:50 PM-6:50 PM at PAB 223PAB 223 | Busch |
| 0416280 | Open | Hao Wang | Monday 7:30 PM-10:30 PM at PAB 223PAB 223 | Busch |
| 0516281 | Open | Hao Wang | Tuesday 8:30 AM-11:30 AM at PAB 223PAB 223 | Busch |
| 0616282 | Open | Hao Wang | Tuesday 12:10 PM-3:10 PM at PAB 223PAB 223 | Busch |
| 0716283 | Open | Hao Wang | Tuesday 3:50 PM-6:50 PM at PAB 223PAB 223 | Busch |
| 0816284 | Open | Hao Wang | Tuesday 7:30 PM-10:30 PM at PAB 223PAB 223 | Busch |
| 0916285 | Open | Hao Wang | Wednesday 8:30 AM-11:30 AM at PAB 223PAB 223 | Busch |
| 1016286 | Open | Hao Wang | Wednesday 12:10 PM-3:10 PM at PAB 223PAB 223 | Busch |
| 1116287 | Open | Hao Wang | Wednesday 3:50 PM-6:50 PM at PAB 223PAB 223 | Busch |
| 1216288 | Open | Hao Wang | Wednesday 7:30 PM-10:30 PM at PAB 223PAB 223 | Busch |
| 1316289 | Open | Hao Wang | Thursday 8:30 AM-11:30 AM at PAB 223PAB 223 | Busch |
| 1416290 | Open | Hao Wang | Thursday 12:10 PM-3:10 PM at PAB 223PAB 223 | Busch |
| 1516291 | Open | Hao Wang | Thursday 3:50 PM-6:50 PM at PAB 223PAB 223 | Busch |
| 1616292 | Open | Hao Wang | Thursday 7:30 PM-10:30 PM at PAB 223PAB 223 | Busch |
Historical student surveys
Teaching
4.31
Course quality
4.04
Response rate
34.5%
Coverage
137 offerings · 2014–2025
| Instructor | Offerings | Teaching | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hao Wang | 19 | 4.43 | 4.08 |
| Brian Lee | 15 | 4.65 | 4.15 |
| Eric Mendelsohn | 15 | 3.80 | 3.53 |
| Samira Rajabi | 11 | 4.24 | 4.03 |
| Hao Wang | 10 | 4.44 | 4.34 |
| Wang H. | 8 | 4.68 | 4.48 |
Catalog and planning context
Credits
1
Current campuses
Busch, C/D
Current availability
32 open of 32
Catalog terms
Fall, Spring, Summer
Core codes
None listed
Loaded terms
4
(01:750:201)<em> OR </em>(01:750:203)<em> OR </em>(01:750:205)
No direct degree-list membership appears in the checked-in requirement index.