Part of The Student Room Group

  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

Investigating the factors related to the crater formed by a falling object.

Extracts from this document...

Introduction

IB Physics SL 2

Leo Tran

1/17/12

W2

Mr. Chorman

Design Lab

Investigating the factors related to the crater formed by a falling object.

Research

The aim of the experiment is to investigate the relationship between the height from which a ball is being dropped on sand and the diameter of the crater it formed from its impact on the sand. This will be done by dropping the ball from fixed heights and then measuring the diameter of the crater formed for each height using an accurate meter scale.

If the drop height of the ball is increased then the diameter of the crater will also increase. As the drop height is increased, the potential energy of the ball will also increase since PE = mass * g * height.

...read more.

Middle

Data Table

DROP HEIGHT(cm)

± 0.5

DIAMETER OF THE CRATER (cm)

DIAMETER OF THE CRATER (cm)

DIAMETER OF THE CRATER (cm)

...read more.

Conclusion

able>

Uncertainty

Since the residual for each mean value of the diameter of the crater is greater than the uncertainty of the meter stick (which is 0.5 cm), we use the greatest residual (which is 1.3 cm in this case) as the uncertainty value for each mean value of the bounce height.

Graph of the Data

Drop Height (cm)

Diameter Of The Crater (cm) ± 1.3 cm

10

4.3

20

5.7

30

6.7

40

7.7

50

8.3

image00.png

The gradient of the graph is 0.100cm/cm. The graph is linear and proportional and all the data points lie on the best straight line (as constructed by the computer).

Next, I calculate the uncertainty in the graphing results.

image01.png

The maximum gradient is 0.165 cm/cm and the minimum gradient is 0.035 cm/cm. Again, the best-straight line gradient is 0.100 cm/cm.

The gradient and its uncertainty are thus 0.100 ± (0.165 – 0.035)/2 = 0.100 ± 0.065 cm/cm.

So, gradient or slope and its uncertainty = 0.10 ± 0.07 cm*cm-1

...read more.

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our International Baccalaureate Physics section.

Found what you're looking for?

  • Start learning 29% faster today
  • 150,000+ documents available
  • Just £6.99 a month

or


Here's what a teacher thought of this essay

3 star(s)

This report suggests a good investigation by choosing appropriate variables. However, due to the large uncertainties and small number of data points, an incorrect interpretation of the data has resulted. It is not a linear relationship as stated even though it appears to be. 3 stars.

Marked by teacher Pete Golton 06/06/2013

Not the one? Search for your essay title...
  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

See related essaysSee related essays

Related International Baccalaureate Physics essays

  1. Aim: ...

    Attach all necessary wiring (seek teacher guidance if unaware of what do it). 6. Attach the tape (by means of sticky tape) to the end of the model cart 7. Make sure that there is some sort of block or stopping point at the bottom of the slope, for safety

  2. Physics Lab Report. Aim: To find out how a light dependent resistor is affected ...

    Uncertainty In Log resistance Uncertainty In Log Of Light Intensity 0.05 0.04 0.07 0.04 0.09 0.04 0.05 0.04 0.07 0.04 0.09 0.04 0.09 0.04 Now we plot a graph of log of light intensity against log of resistance with error bars.

  1. Experiment to measure the speed of sound in a resonance tube

    It is caused because generally there is space between the fork and the pipe end, causing the air column to vibrate a short distance beyond the edge of the tube.

  2. Investigating How The Index Of Refraction Is Affected By Different Temperatures Of Water

    Plug the ray box to a power source 4) Then you must make sure that the cover for the ray box is set in which one ray of light is coming out of the ray box. There must be a single, linear ray of light should be coming out of the ray box.

  1. Physics IA bouncing ball

    Grab the rubber ball and place it with one hand besides the 10cm mark in the ruler. 4. With the other hand have the chronometer in 0 seconds and be ready because as you are going to release the ball you have to start the count in the chronometer.

  2. How does the mass of the paper helicopter affect the drop time of the ...

    Another control would be using 5 paperclips of each with a mass of .7g (�.1g). Measure each paperclip by placing them (on at a time) onto the electric scale and record. Apparatus and Materials: 1. Printer paper 2. Scissors 3.

  1. IA Lab report rubber bands

    4,10 4,50 4,00 4,20 28,00 Rubber 2 0,04 1,75 1,00 1,70 1,20 1,50 1,43 35,75 Circumference: 0,22 0,09 1,80 2,10 2,40 2,10 2,40 2,16 24,00 Length: 0,11 0,13 2,70 2,30 2,40 2,60 2,35 2,47 19,00 All lengths are in meters.

  2. An experiment to find the Resistivity of Pencil leads in different degree of hardness

    Hypothesis: Pencil lead is made from a combination of finely ground graphite and clay, mixed with water and pressed together it is then heated into thin rods at high temperatures. Graphite is largely made up of carbon, which is quite a good conductor of electricity, but clay is not.

  • Over 160,000 pieces
    of student written work
  • Annotated by
    experienced teachers
  • Ideas and feedback to
    improve your own work