Investigation in the loading of a cantilever

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Catherine Needham 12SL                Physics Practical – 07/11/02

Investigation in the loading of a cantilever

Aim & Hypothesis

I anticipate that the loading of the cantilever will show a proportional increase in the depression of the wooden ruler which will relate directly to the mass which is applied to it. This relationship is expressed in Hooke’s Law, which states that “stress is directly proportional to strain.” I believe that the experiment which I am going to carrying out involving the cantilever will support this and will show that that increase in mass on the ruler will result in a proportional increase in the depression. If this is the case then I will be able to draw a graph of my results and then use this to work out an unknown mass by knowing the depression of the beam.

Safety

RISK ASSESSMENT – LEVEL ONE

This experiment does not carry many hazards. Bags and coats will be moved out of the way to ensure that no one will trip over them. Whilst loading the beam care will be taken to make sure that the ruler will not spring back when the masses are placed on by holding it steady letting go slowly when they are on. The clamp used to fasten the ruler to the table will be sufficiently tight to hold the ruler with no danger of it slipping or moving, (yet not so tight  that it could damage the table.)

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Variables

Independent Variable:        Mass on ruler

Dependent Variable:        Depression of ruler

I have kept the distance that the ruler is from the edge of the table constant, (95cm is over the edge of the table.) I have not altered the set up of the apparatus throughout the experiment for measuring either the depression for the known masses or the unknown mass. I have kept the way that I have measured the depression the same throughout and to ensure that this is as accurate as possible I have used a protractor to take the measurements, (see ‘method'.) ...

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