During my experiment I will be reading the current of the circuit. I will be changing my variable, length by having 10 different measurement readings starting with 30cm and finishing with 3cn going down by 3cm each time. Using this large variation in lengths will mean that my readings are more precise. I will also take 2 readings for each measurement by breaking the circuit and reconnecting it. All my current readings will be taken in mA, as this will enable patterns to be seen in my results and on graphs.
The current will gradually become weaker as the graphite paper gets longer. Because there is a further distance for the electrons to travel and there is more resistance. I also think that resistance will increase, as the length of graphite paper gets longer. The potential difference will be kept the same throughout the experiment. I will be using a 12V power supply/cell.
As you can see from my graph and my table of results as the graphite paper becomes longer in length the current becomes weaker and therefore less. There is a very sharp drop to begin with and that is because of the amount of resistance increasing due to the increasing length of the graphite paper.
There is obviously a clear trend that as the length of graphite paper increases the current decreases and gradually works its way down to zero.
As you can see from this graph and table of results as resistance increases, current deceases. This is because as the amount of resistance increases more electrons are prevented from moving and therefore the passing of current through the graphite paper is made harder as the longer the graphite paper the higher the resistance and the fewer electrons that flow the lower the current.
There is clearly a trend that as the current decreases resistance increases. The decreasing of the current is due to resistance.
As you can see from my graph and set of results as the length increases resistance increases as well. That is because when the length gradually increases there is a further distance for the electrons to travel and more likely for them to be prevented flow due to more collisions with other particles.
There is a clear trend between resistance and length, as length increases so does resistance.
From all my results I can decipher that as the graphite paper gets longer the current flowing through the graphite paper decreases. The current decreases due to resistance and as the length of the graphite increases so does resistance.
Conclusion
Graphite is not a particularly good conductor of electricity and as you can see from my results not much electricity is conducted after 12cm. As the graphite paper is not a particularly good conductor and that therefore means that resistance affects the flow of electricity. Resistance slows the flow of current. The resistance has a very clear affect from 6cm when the current drops from 9.425mA to 4.55mA, which is a pretty big drop in current over only 3cm.
From all my results we can learn that as the length of graphite paper increases the amount of current decreases. We also learn that as the current decreases and the length increases resistance increases.
As I predicted the current did gradually get weaker as the length of graphite paper increases I was also correct when predicting that the resistance would also increase when the length of the graphite increases. Although I did predict the rough out come I did not believe there would be such an abrupt drop in current to begin with.
Evaluation
The procedure used for my investigation worked well as it obtained accurate and valid results, which were needed.
My results were very accurate and there were no anomalies the points did not precisely align but I will put that down to human error.
Throughout my investigation everything ran smoothly. The only part of my procedure that I would change would be the measuring and cutting of the graphite paper I would find a way to make it more accurate. But that was it everything else worked very well and ran smoothly.
I believe my results are very reliable and support my conclusion there were no anomalies and it is extremely unlikely that all of my results are anomalies.
To provide additional relevant evidence in my investigation I would make more readings and measurements to hopefully allow for more accurate results. I would also make all my measurements of the graphite paper more accurate and use a more precise ammeter. All of the additional improvements may allow for more accurate results and therefore a more accurate and precise investigation.
