PHYS 111LPhysics 1 Laboratory
- Units
- 0.25
- Faculty
- Science
- Subject
- Physics
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 3 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
Biweekly lab for students who have taken or are taking PHYS 111.
Prerequisites
None listed.
Corequisites
- Completed or concurrently enrolled in:
- PHYS111 - Physics 1 (0.50)
Antirequisites
Leads to
Fall 2026 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAB 001 | 7001 | 31 / 72 | Sep 15 09:30–12:20 Sep 29 09:30–12:20 Oct 20 09:30–12:20 Nov 3 09:30–12:20 Nov 17 09:30–12:20 |
| LAB 002 | 7002 | 65 / 72 | Sep 15 14:30–17:20 Sep 29 14:30–17:20 Oct 20 14:30–17:20 Nov 3 14:30–17:20 Nov 17 14:30–17:20 |
| LAB 003 | 7003 | 43 / 72 | Sep 17 09:30–12:20 Oct 1 09:30–12:20 Oct 22 09:30–12:20 Nov 5 09:30–12:20 Nov 19 09:30–12:20 |
| LAB 004 | 7004 | 51 / 72 | Sep 17 14:30–17:20 Oct 1 14:30–17:20 Oct 22 14:30–17:20 Nov 5 14:30–17:20 Nov 19 14:30–17:20 |
| LAB 005 | 7005 | 51 / 72 | Sep 18 14:30–17:20 Oct 2 14:30–17:20 Oct 23 14:30–17:20 Nov 6 14:30–17:20 Nov 20 14:30–17:20 |
| LAB 006 | 7006 | 0 / 72 | Sep 22 14:30–17:20 Oct 6 14:30–17:20 Oct 27 14:30–17:20 Nov 10 14:30–17:20 Nov 24 14:30–17:20 |
Winter 2027 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAB 001 | 7390 | 0 / 36 | Jan 18 14:30–17:20 Feb 1 14:30–17:20 Feb 22 14:30–17:20 Mar 8 14:30–17:20 Mar 22 14:30–17:20 |
| LAB 002 | 7391 | 0 / 36 | Jan 19 09:30–12:20 Feb 2 09:30–12:20 Feb 23 09:30–12:20 Mar 9 09:30–12:20 Mar 23 09:30–12:20 |
| LAB 003 | 7392 | 0 / 36 | Jan 19 14:30–17:20 Feb 2 14:30–17:20 Feb 23 14:30–17:20 Mar 9 14:30–17:20 Mar 23 14:30–17:20 |
| LAB 004 | 7393 | 0 / 36 | Jan 20 14:30–17:20 Feb 3 14:30–17:20 Feb 24 14:30–17:20 Mar 10 14:30–17:20 Mar 24 14:30–17:20 |
| LAB 005 | 7394 | 0 / 36 | Jan 21 09:30–12:20 Feb 4 09:30–12:20 Feb 25 09:30–12:20 Mar 11 09:30–12:20 Mar 25 09:30–12:20 |
| LAB 006 | 8211 | 0 / 36 | Jan 21 14:30–17:20 Feb 4 14:30–17:20 Feb 25 14:30–17:20 Mar 11 14:30–17:20 Mar 25 14:30–17:20 |
| LAB 701 | 8258 | 218 / 9999 | Online or by arrangement |
Reviewed on UW Flow
22% liked it23% easy30% useful
From 303 ratings and 67 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
Honestly...my whole class had a really hard time understanding our TA because he did not speak/ understand english very well. We had to figure out what to do on our own for every lab since every time we asked the TA for help, he did not know the answer to our question. When it comes to the exam, you just have to memorize the formulas and wing it.
Nov 2016 · didn’t like it · 3 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
This is the worst and most useless course I have ever had the misfortune of taking. Let's start with the actual content of the course, the only physics concepts you're really doing is in the lab itself and the rest is just calculations with excel and finding uncertainty, which is vaguely based off the physics concept the lab is on. The lab report has to be written in class while you're performing the experiment and mind you, this has to be all done within 3 HOURS. The lab reports are super long as well dragging on 4 parts where you have to redo your experimental setup to get a different uncertainty. It really deviates from what you learn in the actual Physics 111 course, so everything you…
Dec 2025 · didn’t like it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Honestly I don't want to be too harsh, but the course is so poorly designed. The TAs don't even understand half of the experiments, but they expect you to. Most of the concepts is just graphical analysis, which no one ever teaches you so you have to teach yourself. Just take the L and move on, don't even waste your time trying to get a good grade.
Apr 2017 · didn’t like it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
This class is the worst class ever, I feel sorry for those that have to take it. Never saw the course instructor, blatantly vague TA notes for experiments. Pre-lab and Post-lab assignments contained wrong answers. Exam worth 30% that you have to pass or else you automatically fail. Absolutely no help in preparation for the exam other than a "All content is relevant and may be on the exam."
Dec 2025 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Truthfully, the worst course I have ever taken in my entire life. This is not an exaggeration. The course is split into 5 labs all worth 20% of your grade. It is out of 18 marks and easily can lose marks because there are ZERO instructions provided, and that of which is, is very confusing and basically a puzzle to try and understand itself. Overall, if you get the hang of your TA's marking - because they are literally what run this course and all mark differently - and use the same format once you get the hang of it, it's fairly straight forward. Working with peers is literally what got me through this course.
Nov 2021 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
45 posts and comments in 39 threads mention PHYS 111L, May 2014 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Spring 2024
Life Sci 2 points, 11 comments
“Hi!! I'm a grade 12 student that recently got into the life sci program and is still debating between waterloo and life-sci at uts. What are your honest thoughts about the Life-sci program?? …”
u/Midnight1131: “Waterloo doesn't do life science, you'll be immediately placed in the major you selected on OUAC. Some of them are very different than the others, so you should be mindful of that. …”
u/smol_pumpkinnn: “… I would suggest doing PHYS 111L in the Fall Term as it meets the 0.25 required Lab Credit, and it's super easy (90+) if you have good groupmates. …”
Fall 2022
BIRDIEST courses of all time 24 points, 38 comments
“Hi folks. What courses would you say are the BIRDIEST of all time? I won't need to pick courses till Winter but I'm trying to start getting a list together. …”
u/uuhhhhggg: “Phys111L is probably the easiest possible science class Copy spreadsheet Follow simple experiment(swinging a pendulum) Put answer on spreadsheet Do it again four times 95% grade”
Spring 2022
Any tips for these classes? 5 points, 14 comments
u/S09s02: “… - BIOL 130/ BIOL 130L - CHEM 120/ CHEM 120L - PHYS 111/ PHYS 111L - MATH 127 - PSYCH 101”
Winter 2022
If I take a lecture class, is it's lab component mandatory? 3 points, 5 comments
u/SquishSquishB1sh: “I'm a psych student (life sci) and I wanted to take PHYS 111 next semester, does that mean I have to take PHYS 111L as well? Thank you!”
Fall 2021
Do labs have to be with lectures 1 point, 1 comment
u/quenty12r: “If I have already taken the lecture for a lab class, can I take the lab by itself in another term or would I have to redo the lecture to take the lab. For example I'm currently in Phys 111 lecture. Would I have to retake it if I needed to take Phys 111L”
Winter 2021
Is it possible to take Phys 112 L with phys 122? 4 points, 3 comments
“I took Phys 122 in my 1b term but I didn't take 122L since I was in the math faculty. I am approaching graduation soon and I would need 2.25 more credits so I can take 5 courses or 4 courses and one …”
u/kolliflower: “I think you could do it, I took Phys 111L with Phys 121. Make sure to check your course requirements to ensure it doesn’t have to be the 122L. I just had to request an override”
Fall 2020
Phys 111L and soc 101 grades out yet? 0 points, 1 comment
Are professors allowed to curve marks downward because some TAs have been marking more generously? 3 points, 6 comments
u/PMmeyournicepiano: “My Phys 111L professor said the marks in each TA section will be normalized so that all sections have the same average (70-80) because some TA section have really high averages. Keep in mind... this course is not very difficult. …”
Biol130 Lab 3 points, 5 comments
u/smolstate: “… As a biochemistry student, I’d opt to take phys111L to satisfy the 0.25 lab credit in place of the biology lab. If anybody is in this program, could you advise on if skipping biol130L would have a detrimental impact on the rest of my undergrad? …”
PHYS 111L Help 2 points, 1 comment
Spring 2020
PIC OF 1A BIOMED SCHEDULE PLS :) 0 points, 3 comments
“Hi! Does anyone have a pic of their 1A term in Biomed program. I wanted to look at old schedule, but Quest only seems to show current term! Thanks :)”
u/QueenOfThisThrone: “I don’t have a picture, but for 1A I had: CHEM 120/120L BIOL 130/130L MATH 127 ENGL 108F PHIL 145 Most students also had PHYS 111/111L instead of the second elective but I deferred it to third year. …”
Biomedical Sciences First Year Freshman Pls Send Whelp 0 points, 12 comments
“Hello there, I am going be be a first year in Biomed Sci ᕙ(\▿´)ᕗ. Since the course selection period just started for this program, I was wondering if any kind souls in upper years can pls pls pls …”
u/youngezzy: “… you know how to do this course Other than that I guess BIOL 130/130L, CHEM 120/120L, PHYS 111/111L, elective, maybe Math 127 but you can do 2 electives instead if you want a lighter courseload dm me also if you want specific advice 😇”
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2026–27The official entry
- Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
- Schedule of Classes, Fall 2026Instructors, rooms, live seats
- Quest Class SearchWhere you enrol
- Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
- UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
- WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them