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IB Physics Yr. 1
IB Lab Report
Due: 5th Jan, 09
Introduction / Purpose
Hypothesis
Design
Materials Required
Photogate(±0.0001s)
Meter stick (±0.001m)
Cart
Inclined Plane(1m±0.01m)
Stand
Protractor(±1°)
Procedure
1. When all the materials are acquired, set up the apparatus as the
figure below.
2. Measure
the angle
of the
inclined
plane
with the
help of
the
protractor.
(In our case,
the first
angle is
12°±1°)
3. Measure the length of the side of the car.(in our case it was
0.050±0.001m)
4. Set the photogate at almost 2/3 rd the way down the ramp and
note the point at which it is set.(in our case, it was set at
0.50m±0.01m)
5. Put the car at the top of the inclined plane and set the
photogate at zero.
6. Without any applied force, release the cart and let it move all the
way down the ramp.
7. Record the time in the timer of the photogate and set the
photogate to zero again.
8. Without changing the position of the photogate on the ramp,
repeat the steps 4, 5 and 6 two more times in order to get 3
trials.
9. After measuring 3 trials for the first data point move on to the
next by changing the angle of the ramp(fix the ramp in the next
possible hole of the stand, in our case the next data point was
17°±1°)
10. In total measure down 6 data points with 3 trials each.
Data collection
The table below shows the time taken for the 0.05cm side of the
car to pass through the photogate at different angles of the inclined
plane.
time(s) y
the Trail 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
ramp(°) (±
s)
12 0. 0405 0. 0407 0.040 8 0. 0407 0.002
17 0.0 331 0. 0334 0.0 331 0.0 332 0.002
22 0. 0285 0. 0287 0.02 84 0.02 85 0.002
30 0. 0244 0.0242 0.0243 0.0243 0.001
36 0.0225 0. 0222 0. 0222 0. 0222 0.002
42 0.02 07 0.02 06 0.02 07 0.02 07 0.001
± 1° ± 0.0001 ±0.002
With help of the average time, the velocity of the cart is found
and shown below in the table.
Data processing
In all cases Data Point 1(12 °±1 °) has been taken into
account
= (0.0405+0.0407+0.0408) / 3
= 0.0406666667
= 0.0407s
= (0.0408 – 0.0405) / 2
= 0.00015
= ±0.0002
= 0.0407s ± 0.0002s
Instantaneous Velocity =
[(Distance of the car side / Time elapsed) / Distance of the position of
the photogate]
= (0.050m / 0.0407s) / (0.50m)
OR
= (0.050m / 0.0407s) X 2
(Velocity X 2 = Inst. velocity)
= 2.457002487
-1
= 2.5 ms
= (0.001) + (0.0002)
X 100
(0.050m) (0.0407s)
= 2.49 %
-1
= 2.49 % of 1.23ms
= 0.030601
-1
= ±0.03 ms ………………………………………….
(Uncertainty for velocity)
-1
Uncertainty for Inst. Velocity = (± 0.03 ms ) /
(±0.01)
= (0.03) + (0.01)
X 100
-1
(1.23 ms ) (0.50m)
= 4.44 %
-1
= 4.44 % of 2.5ms
= 0.1109756098
= ±0.1
-1 -1
= 2.5 ms ± 0.1 ms
Uncertainties of other data points = 0.1+ 0.1 + 0.2 + 0.2 + 0.2 + 0.3
6
= 0.1833333
= ±0.2………………………. (Average uncertainty)
Slope of the Graph = Rise / Run
= (24.5 / 2.3)
-2
= 10.7 ms (Value of acceleration due to
-2
gravity = 9.8 ms )
= 9.2 % Error
CONCLUSION
Overall the experiment was carried out with minimum errors.
There were six data points with three trials each. The investigation was
carried out as stated in the procedure. The experiment was related to
find one factor that affects the motion of a cart on an inclined plane.
The factor used in my experiment was the increase in angle of the
inclined plane (or the height of the ramp). The data and the graph
clearly show that as the angle/height of the ramp increases the
velocity of the cart increases as well. This means that they are directly
proportional.
Evaluation
As it can be seen from the graph and the data table that there
were some errors in the investigation. The percent error that was
calculated to be 9.18 % assures the fact that there were flaws in my
experiment. One big error was that the whole ramp setup was never
flat and straight. Because of this, the car was at different heights
hence having different potential energy and furthermore changing the
velocity of the cart. Also, it was almost never that the cart left the top
of the ramp without an applied force. This changed the velocity of the
cart hence altering the values in the data table. Also, during the
experiment a couple of times, the cart slammed into the photogate.
This changed the position of the photogate by a centimeter or two.
This hence gave different values of the time which later changed the
values of the calculated instantaneous velocity.
Self-improvement