International Baccalaureate Physics

4/PSOW

Measuring Instrument Circus

Aim:
You need practice in taking all measurements with a error and
then performing calculations to arrive at a final answer in the
form, for example:

or

Volume = 29 cm3 2 cm3

Volume = 29 cm3 6.9 %

There are also some useful tricks you can learn to improve the
accuracy of your experiments. Think about these methods and
include them when collecting your data.

IB Criteria Assessed
Data Collection and Processing,
Criteria
assessed

Aspect
1

Level
awarde
d

D
DCP
CE

Apparatus:
Metre rule, vernier, micrometer, marble, bag of rice, digital scales, mechanical balance, short length
of copper wire, 20 sheets of paper, stop watch, ping pong ball, measuring cylinder, tea cup.
Method:
You must use the available instruments to measure the following items:
1. the diameter of the marble.
2. the surface area of the marble.
3. the volume of the marble.
4. the mass of a grain of rice.
5. the diameter of the copper wire.
6. the time for a ping pong ball to fall from a height of 3 metres.
7. the volume of liquid in a tea cup.
8. the area of the rectangle below.

Data Collection and Presentation:

Record the raw data (both quantitative and qualitative) for the experiment in a suitable form.
Include uncertainties due to the precision of the measuring apparatus with a heading for each
column on your table.
Remember that your error estimates are not the only sources of error in the experiments. Look
for and think about other causes of errors - e.g.: is the wire the same thickness along the whole
length? There are several problems like this in the experiments. If you spot them, your
experimental results will be more accurate.
What assumptions did you make in your results? e.g. - are all rice grains the same size?
Process your quantitative raw data.
Specify what instrument you used and the methods you employed to improve the accuracy of
your results.

264395069.doc

International Baccalaureate Physics

4/PSOW

Internal Assessment Marking Form

Criteria

Design (D)

c=2

p=1

Conclusion and Evaluation (CE)

Data Collection and Processing (DCP)

n=0

c=2

p=1

n=0

c=2

p=1

n=0

Aspect 1

Aspect 2

Aspect 3

Defining the Problem and

selecting variables:
Formulates a focused
problem/research question
and identifies the relevant
variables.
Formulates a
problem/research question
that is incomplete or
identifies only some
relevant variables.
Does not identify a
problem/research question
and does not identify any
relevant variables.

Controlling the Variables:

Designs a method for the
effective control of the
variables.

Developing a method for

collecting data:
Develops a method that
allows for the collection of
sufficient relevant data.

Designs a method that

makes some attempt to
control the variables.

Develops a method that

allows for the collection of
insufficient relevant data.

Designs a method that does

not control the variables.

Develops a method that

does not allow for any
relevant data to be
collected.

Recording raw data

Processing raw data

Presenting processed data

Records appropriate
quantitative and associated
qualitative raw data,
including units and
uncertainties where
relevant.
Records appropriate
quantitative and associated
qualitative raw data, but
with some mistakes or
omissions.
Does not record any
appropriate quantitative
raw data or raw data is
incomprehensible.

Processes the quantitative

raw data correctly.

Presents processed data

appropriately and, where
relevant, includes errors
and uncertainties.

Processes quantitative raw

data, but with some
mistakes and/or omissions.

Presents processed data

appropriately, but with
some mistakes and/or
omissions.

No processing of
quantitative raw data is
carried out or major
mistakes are made in
processing.

Presents processed data

inappropriately or
incomprehensibly.

Concluding

Evaluating procedure(s)

States a conclusion, with

justification, based on a
reasonable interpretation of
the data.
States a conclusion based
on a reasonable
interpretation of the data.

Evaluates weaknesses and

limitations.

Improving the
investigation
Suggests realistic
improvements in respect of
identified weaknesses and
limitations.
Suggests only superficial
improvements.

States no conclusion or the

conclusion is based on an
unreasonable interpretation
of the data.

Identifies some weaknesses

and limitations, but the
evaluation is weak or
missing.
Identifies irrelevant
weaknesses and limitations.

Grade

Suggests unrealistic
improvements.

264395069.doc