What factors effect the distance a tub will travel along the floor.

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What factors effect the distance a tub will travel along the floor

I am investigating how changing the weight in a plastic tub affects the distance it travels when it is propelled by an elastic band.

There are a number of variables which can affect this experiment these are the weight of the tub, surface area of the tub, the size of the tub, how far the elastic band is pulled back, the strength of the elastic band, air resistance and the friction between the tub and the floor.  The variable that I will use is the weight of the tub.

From preliminary experiments I decided to vary the mass placed inside the plastic tub.  In doing so we must keep all other variables the same during the experiment.  I decided to use a force of 10N as too low of a force would not give accurate results as different masses would have similar results, and too high a force would result in the elastic band being snapped.  I also found a reasonable range of masses would be from 39.64g to 639.64g.

I Predict that the larger the number of masses placed inside the plastic tub is, the shorter the distance the tub will travel when propelled by an elastic band. I predict this will happen because the extra weight will slow down the plastic tub, as friction acts upon the tub as the elastic band is stretched back, the elastic potential energy stored in the band increases. When the elastic band is released the elastic potential energy is released from the elastic band in the form of kinetic energy. As the band hits the plastic tub, most of the energy transfers into kinetic energy moving the tub. As the elastic band hits the tub the forces become unbalanced and the tub moves. As the tub is pushed forwards friction acts upon it. This is because the two surfaces are not smooth. As a greater mass is placed inside the tub the surface of the floor and the bottom of the plastic tub are pushed closer together.  In this experiment the force exerted is going to be a constant 10N and so the tub will travel a shorter distance. Furthermore I predict that a mass of two times a previous mass will mean that when it is propelled by the elastic band it travels only half the distance.  During our experiment it is important that certain values are kept the same throughout so that fair and reliable results can be obtained.  The variables that I will keep constant are Amount of force applied to the elastic band, same elastic band, Same Plastic Tub and the same stool.  I will only change the weight of the tub.

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The apparatus that was available to use were

-Elastic band

-Stool

-Plastic tub

-Meter ruler

-Masses

-Meter rulers

To do the experiment I will follow this method

-The stool will be placed on the floor and the elastic band stretched between the chairs legs.

-A Student needs to sit on a stool so that the chair does not move.

-Two one meter rulers need to be placed on the floor. They will touch and go in ...

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