Aim
My aim is to heat a squash ball in water at different temperatures. Then hold the ball at a certain height and let it go. Once it has bounced quickly record the height at one bounce. My objective is to see if temperature has an effect on the bounce of the ball. Each test will be done three times to ensure that I get the best results as possible.
Preliminary Work
For my preliminary work I used a 100ml of water. Then I put the squash ball in the beaker and started heating. I noticed that the ball was half in the water and half out. So I took this in mind, if I did the experiment again I would use 120ml of water. To begin with we started at 900c. We timed the squash ball in the beaker once it reached the temperature. We only did one trial run, it was then decided that we should repeat each experiment three times.
Prediction
I predict that the squash ball will bounce higher as the temperature increases. By using my knowledge on atoms I know that as the temperature increases the atoms in the ball vibrate more. This means that when it hits the ground the atoms push each other away forcing the ball to bounce higher. When the temperature is lowered the opposite occurs because the atoms have less energy and therefore push each further away. I predict that when the ball hits the ground it begins to slow down because loses its energy (temperature) and as it does so it deforms. What’s happening here is that kinetic energy of the ball is being used to do work deforming the ball. Some this energy is stored as potential energy in the deformed ball (sometimes called elastic potential energy) and some is converted to heat and sound.
Apparatus required carrying out experiment
- Squash Ball.
- Ruler.
- Beaker.
- Tripod / Gauze / Heat Proof Mat.
- Bunsen Burner.
- Water.
- Retort stand and clamp
- Tongue (to pick ball out of water)
Diagram
Method
- Collect all equipment. (Including safety equipments)
- Fix the clamp on to the retort stand
- Carefully screw the ruler on to the stand using the clamp. Make sure that the ruler is touching the table or ground.
- Collect the rest of the apparatus.
- Set up the equipment as shown on the diagram.
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First test will be done at room temperature, which is about 200c.
- Someone will be ready to check where exactly it bounces.
- Once it has bounce you will quickly record the height and note it down.
- This will be done another two times to ensure accurate results.
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Next you will raise the temperature to 300c.
- This time you will put the squash ball in water at 250ml
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Then boil the water at 300c and hold the squash ball with the tongue so that the whole of the squash ball is in the water.
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Once it has reached the temperature quickly get the ball out and let it bounce once.
- Record the results.
- Follow the same method another two times to ensure accurate results.
- Done second experiment.
- Follow steps 10-15 for the next seven temperatures.
Fair Test
To ensure the experiment is carried out fairly the following factors will be considered:
- Make sure I record the height accurately.
- Use the same ball for all experiments.
- Drop the ball on the same table from the same height.
These variables should be considered:
- The volume of water
- The starting temperature of the water
- The size and shape of the container
- Whether the container was insulated
Safe Test
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To ensure that the experiment is safely carried out the following factors will be considered:
- Care will be taken when taking out the squash ball from the water by using the tongue because it may cause the skin to burn.
- The experiment will be done in the middle of the table because if it is done near the end it could fall.
Experiment Results
Above are my results for my experiment. I repeated each test three times to get the best possible result,
by working out an average. I interpreted the average onto a Line of best-fit graph for an overall result. As you can see as the temperature increases the bounce of the ball also increases. As you can see there is an anomalous result of this may be due to misreading the thermometer or the measurements may be incorrect.
All my results were interpreted on to graphs
Analysis of results
From the results of my experiment I drew graphs to show what had been obtained from the experiment more clearly. The graphs clearly show that as the temperature of the squash ball increases the height increases. The line of best fit runs through all three results, which were obtained. This shows that my results were valid but there was an exception on the second experiment I had an anomalous result this could have been due to misreading of the ruler or heating of the water to long. So I decided that I would get the two results, which I thought could not be out of proportion and got the average out of them two. The results clearly show that as the temperature of the squash ball increases the height, which the ball bounce increases.
Conclusion
From my results I conclude that as the temperature of the ball increases the height which the ball bounces increases. When a solid is heated it expands. The molecules inside energize and have more energy and bounce around the solid. The hotter the solid becomes, the more the atoms vibrate. This causes the solid to expand slightly when heated. Before the ball is released energy is stored as gravitational potential energy (mgh). Potential energy is the energy of position, and it depends on the mass of the ball and its height above the surface. The formula for gravitational potential energy is PE = mgh where m is the mass of the ball measured in kg, g is the gravitational acceleration constant of 9.8m/se c2, and h is the height if the ball in m. as the ball falls through the air, the potential energy changes to kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is energy of motion. The formula for kinetic energy is KE= ½ mv2, where m is the mass in kg and v is the velocity in m/sec2. Both potential and kinetic energy have units of joules (j).
As the ball falls through the air, the Law of Conservation of Energy is in effect and states that energy is neither gained nor lost, only transferred from to another. The total energy of the system remains the same; the potential energy changes to kinetic energy, but no energy is lost. When the ball collides with the floor, the ball becomes deformed. Once the ball leaves the ground it will start to slow down as it rises and its kinetic energy is converted back to gravitational potential energy. Because some of its initial energy has been converted to heat and sound it will finish up with less gravitational energy than it started with i.e. the rebound height is less than the starting height.
Evaluation
I think that the method I chose to obtain evidence was successful. The results are very consistent and accurate. There is one anomalous result. This was in the second test this may have been due to misreading of the ruler or heating of the water to long. It can be difficult to get conditions identical for every time we carry out the experiment, as identical conditions are essential for 100% accurate results. Accuracy is good, but it is very difficult to be completely accurate. In this experiment it would be impossible to get accurate results unless there was more advanced equipment used.
The procedure was suitable and I was able to obtain the evidence I needed and was able to come to a conclusion from them, however if I carried out the investigation again, I would use a different method. I would have used a laser pin pointed on a mechanism where by it would be sensitive to motion and it will detect the position of the ball.
I think that my results are quite reliable. I think this is because they all. More or less, fit into a pattern and the line of best fit on the graph runs through nearly all the points. To make my results more reliable I could repeat the experiment more times. As the more times you repeat the experiment the more reliable they are. I could always measure accurately the amount of water, which I acquire. I could always warm the water to the right temperature. The last improvement that I would make is to always keep the squash ball in the water to prevent other parts not being warmed up.
The evidence is sufficient to support a firm conclusion. I have plenty of evidence to support the conclusion and the evidence is mostly accurate. I can tell the evidence is generally accurate because the line of best fit on the graph runs through most pf the points. To extend this investigation I could use extra squash balls to ensure the ball doesn’t dome how get affected. I could investigate in the different massed squash ball and see how weight affects the bounce of a squash ball. For further investigation how different characteristics of a squash ball affects the bounce of a squash ball. For instance if it I used a Neoprene squash ball or a Norbonene squash ball. These are two different types of rubber material.