Physics lab - Cantilever Beam
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Introduction
Name: Laraib Hussain
Class: IB 1
Date: 1st March 2011
Physics Lab 2: Cantilever Beam
Title: Bending of a cantilever beam
Aim:To investigate the bending of a cantilever beam and to determine the mathematical constants involved in the equation x = kln
Hypothesis and Theory:The depression of a cantilever beam is given by the equation 
The depression of a cantilever beam
, is related to its length,
, by the equation , where
. The length of the beam varies with the depression according to the mass that has been used. If we plot a graph with these variables we will get a curve, but it is not clear from this curve what the values of k and n work out to be.
Middle
Quantitative Data:
Table of Results:
Load | Depression (± 0.05 cm) | Length (± 0.05 cm) | ln x (± 0.05 cm) | ln l (± 0.05 cm) |
Trial 1: Beam 1 200.00 | 22.00 | 80.00 | 3.09 | 4.38 |
18.50 | 75.00 | 2.92 | 4.32 | |
16.50 | 70.00 | 2.80 | 4.25 | |
12.50 | 65.00 | 2.53 | 4.17 | |
10.50 | 60.00 | 2.35 | 4.09 | |
8.50 | 55.00 | 2.14 | 4.01 | |
6.50 | 50.00 | 1.87 | 3.91 | |
4.00 | 45.00 | 1.39 | 3.81 | |
3.00 | 40.00 | 1.10 | 3.69 | |
2.00 | 35.00 | 0.69 | 3.56 | |
1.00 | 30.00 | 0.00 | 3.40 | |
Trial 2: Beam 2 400.00 | 21.00 | 80.00 | 3.04 | 4.38 |
17.50 | 75.00 | 2.86 | 4.32 | |
14.50 | 70.00 | 2.67 | 4.25 | |
13.50 | 65.00 | 2.60 | 4.17 | |
9.00 | 60.00 | 2.20 | 4.09 | |
7.00 | 55.00 | 1.95 | 4.01 | |
5.00 | 50.00 | 1.61 | 3.91 | |
3.50 | 45.00 | 1.25 | 3.81 | |
2.50 | 40.00 | 0.92 | 3.69 | |
1.50 | 35.00 | 0.41 | 3.56 | |
1.00 | 30.00 | 0.00 | 3.40 |
Conclusion
Evaluation:
Limitations of the experiment:
- The time allocated for the experiment was not enough for repeating the experiment to get more readings.
Weaknesses of the experiment:
- The rulers used were not calibrated properly.
- The rulers were bent; hence it will affect the length of depression.
Possible sources of error:
The possible errors that were made were parallax errors when taking the readings.
Possible improvements to the experiment:
- More time should be allocated for the experiment so that the experiment could be repeated to get more accurate results.
- Proper Calibrated Meter Rulers should be used.
- Meter Rulers which are straight and not bent should be used.
This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our International Baccalaureate Physics section.
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