EXPERIMENT PHYSIC FORM 4

CHAPTER
1
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.8
2.10
2.12

TITLE
Period of oscillation
Mass and period of oscillation
Momentum
Mass and acceleration
Mass and gravitational acceleration
Height and velocity
Force and extension of spring

1 PERIOD OF OSCILLATION
Question:
1.

2.

Answer:
Inference: The period of oscillation depends on the length

Hypothesis: When the length of pendulum increses, period of oscillation decreases.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between the length of pendulum and the period of oscillation.
Manipulated: length of the pendulum, l
Responding: period of oscillation, T
Fixed: mass of the pendulum, m
Apparatus & material: string, retort stand, pendulum bob, stopwatch, plywoods and protractor.
Arrangement of apparatus:

Procedure:
1. A pendulum of the length 20.0 cm is prepared as shown above. The pendulum bob is
displaced to one side at a small angle (10*) and then released.
2. The time taken for pendulum to make 20 complete oscillations is recorded using a stopwatch.
3. The experiment is repeated using the pendulum of lengths 40.0cm, 60.0cm, 80.0 cm and
100.0cm.
Tabulation of data:
Length, l/cm
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
Analysis of data:

Time, t/cm

Oscillation, T/s

2.3 MASS AND PERIOD OF OSCILLATION

Question:
1.

2.

Answer:
Inference: Inertia depends on its mass.
Hypothesis:When the larger the mass, the larger the inertia.
Aim: To investigate the relationship between mass and inertia.

Manipulated: Mass of plasticine, m

Responding: Period of oscillation, T (inertia)
Fixed: Stiffness of the hacksaw blade
Apparatus & material: Stopwatch, hacksaw blade, pasticine, G-clamp
Arrangement of apparatus:

Procedure:
1. The apparatus is arranged as shown above.
2. The mass of the plasticine is measured and fixed at 50.0g
3. The hacksaw blade is oscillated to one side and the oscillation period is measured using a
stopwatch.
4. The experiment is repeated using plasticine mass of 75.0g, 100.0g, 125.0g and 150.0g.
Tabulation of data:
Mass of plasticine, m/g
50.0
75.0
100.0
125.0
150.0
Analysis of data:

2.4 MOMENTUM

Period of oscillation, T/s

Question:
1.

Answer:
Inference: The different parts that results from an explosion system move off with different
momentum.
Hypothesis: The total momentum of an exploding system is conserved.
Aim: To investigate that momentum is conserved in an explosion.
Manipulated: mass of the trolley, m
Responding: velocity of trolley, v
Fixed: internal fore, F
Apparatus & material: trolleys, blocks of wood, metre rule, mallet and table.
Arrangement of apparatus:

Procedure:

1. Trolley A and B are placed just touching one another on the smooth surface of table. The
spring-loaded plungger of trolley A is compressed. Each trolley represents a mass of 1 unit.
2. The blocks were adjusted so taht both trolley hit the blocks at the same time.
3. The plungger of trolley A is released by tapping the release dowel rod with a mallet. Trolley A
and B explode and move apart in opposite directions.
4. The distance travelled by the trolleys, DA and DB are measured. These can be used to
represent the velocities of the trolleys, A and B.
5. The experiment is reopeated using 2 then 3 stacked trolleys placed facing trolley A.
Tabulation of data:
Mass of trolley A, MA
1 unit
2 unit
3 unit
Mass of trolley B, MB
1 unit
2 unit
3 unit
Analysis of data:

Distance, DA/ cm

Momentum of A, MA x DA

Distnce, DB/ cm

Momentum of B, MB x DB

It is noted that the magnitude of the momentum, MADA = MBDB.

Thus, total momentum of an exploding system is conserved. The hypothesis is accepted.

2.5 M ASS AND ACCELERATION

Question:
1.

2.

Answer:
Inference: Acelleration depends on mass
Hypothesis: When mass increses, acceleration decreases
Aim: To investigate the relationship between
Manipulated: mass, m
Responding: acceleration,a
Fixed: force, F
Apparatus & material: ticker tape, ticker timer, trolley, smooth plane, wooden block, power supply,
pulley, slotted weight, string.
Arrangement of apparatus:

Procedure:
1. The appartus is arranged as shown above.
2. A slotted weight of 100g is attached on the end of the string. A trolley is connected to the
ticker tape.
3. The ticker timer is switched on and the slotted weight is relessed.
4. The acceleration of the trolley is calculated from the ticker tape using
5. The experiement is repeated using 2 trolleys, 3 trolleys, 4 trolleys and 5 trolleys.
Tabulation of data:

Mass, m/units
1
2
3
4
5

Acceleration, a/cms-2

Analysis of data:

2.8 MASS AND GRAVITATIONAL ACCELERATION

Question:
1.

Answer:
Inference: Gravitational acceleration is independent of mas.
Hypothesis: When the mass of object increases, the gravitational acceleration of object remain the
same.
Aim: To investigate the relationship between the mass of the object and the gravitational acceleration
of object.
Manipulated: mass of object,m

Responding: gravitational acceleration, a

Fixed: height of the object being dropped, H
Apparatus & material: ticker timer, ticker tape, power supply, retort stand and weight.
Arrangement of apparatus:

Procedure:
1. The apparatus is arranged as shown above.
2. The end of the ticker tape is attached to the weight and the other end is attached to the ticker
timer.
3. The end of the ticker timer is attached to a weight of mass, m= 50g.
4. The ticker timer is switched on and the weight is released.
5. The ticker tape is cut into 11 ticks to determine the gravitational acceleration of the weight.
6. The gravitational accelerationb of the weight can be determined using
7. The experiment is repeated using the mass of weight, m= 100g, 150g,
200g and 250g.
Tabulation of data:
Mass of the weight, m/ g
50
100
150
200
250
Analysis of data:

2.10 HEIGHT AND VELOCITY

Question:

Gravitational acceleration, g/ ms-2

1.

2.

3.

4.

Answer:
Inference: Velocity depends on gradient of the slope.

Hypothesis: When the greater the gradient of the slope, the higher the velocity of the trolley.
Aim: To investigate the relationship between the gradient of the slope and the velocity of the trolley
Manipulated: height of the wooden block, H (gradient)
Responding: velocity of the trolley, v
Fixed: mass of the trolley, m
Apparatus & material: ticker tape, ticker timer, trolley, smooth plane, wooden block and power
supply.
Arrangement of apparatus:

Procedure:
1.
2.
3.
4.

The apparatus is arranged as shown above. The height of the plane, H is set to 10.0cm.
The ticker timer is switched onand the trolley is released.
The ticker tape is analysed to determine the final velocity, v of the trolley.
The experiment is repeated using H=12.0cm, 14.0cm, 16.0cm and 18.0cm.

Tabulation of data:
Height, H/ cm
10.0
12.0
14.0
16.0
18.0
Analysis of data:

2.12 FORCE AND EXTENSION OF SPRING

Question:

Velocity, v/ cms-1

1.

2.

3.

Answer:
Inference: Extension of spring depends on force applied.

Hypothesis:When the force increases, the extension of spring increases.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between the force and the extension of spring.
Manipulated: force, F
Responding:extension of spring, x
Fixed: stiffness of spring
Apparatus & material: slotted weight, weight holder, needle, metre rule, retort stand with clamp and
spring.
Arrangement of apparatus:

Procedure:
1.
2.
3.
4.

The apparatus is arranged as shown above.

The weight of the load is measured and fixed at 0.05N.
The extension of the spring is measured using metre rule.
The experiment is repeated using loads of weights of 0.10N, 0.15N, 0.20N and 0.25N.

Tabulation of data:
Force, F/N
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
0.25
Analysis of data:

Extension of spring, x/ cm