Practicals (Paper 1)

Question 1

What is the method for carrying out an experiment to measure the effect of mass on the acceleration of a trolley?

Answer 1

• Set up a ramp with two light gates being held up by clamp stands
• Place a trolley on the ramp and let it pass through the two light gates
• Record the velocity from the first light gate and the second light gate, use the equation (final velocity - initial velocity) / time to calculate the acceleration / deceleration
• Repeat with trolleys of different masses and observe the effect of the change in mass on the acceleration

Question 2

What is the method for investigating waves?

Answer 2

• Set up a ripple tank with a motor attached, a light source above the water and a stroboscope pointing at the water
• Calculate the frequency of the waves by counting the number of waves that pass a point each second
• Use the stroboscope to ‘freeze’ the waves and find their wavelength using a ruler
• Calculate the wave speed using the equation: wave speed = frequency x wavelength

Question 3

What is the method for investigating refraction?

Answer 3

• Place the rectangular block on A3 paper and draw around it with a sharp pencil
• Draw the normal lines which are at a right angles to the block
• Mark the angles of incidence from 0 degrees and increase in 10 degree intervals until 80 degrees using a protractor
• Start with the 0 degrees angle, point the light ray towards the block and mark its exit point with a sharp pencil dot
• Remove the glass block and join the and joint the dot to the point of incidence, this is the angle of refraction
• Repeat for all angles from 10 to 80 degrees

Question 4

What is the method for investigating radiation of thermal energy?

Answer 4

• Fill Leslie’s cube with hot water at a known temperature
• Place a thermometer a small distance away from the side and plug the top of the cube with a bung
• Measure the temperature at a distance of 10cm from each of the four sides of the cube for a period of 5 minutes, taking readings ever 30 seconds

Question 5

What is the method for investigation absorption of thermal energy?

Answer 5

• Fill Leslie’s cube with cold water at a known temperature and plug the cube with a thermometer and a bung
• Heat each side one at a time with a radiant heater around 10cm away from the cube
• Record how the temperature of the water changes every 30 seconds, over an appropriate period of time