Chapter 2: Limitations and improvements
Method 1 Set up the apparatus as shown in Figure 2.4. The metre rule should be balanced with the centres of mass M and the 50 g mass each positioned 2 cm from each end of the rule. The distance between the centre of the 50 g mass and the string is y.
boss rod of clamp string loop
50 g mass
metre rule
sphere of modelling clay of mass M
y
E
2 cm
2 cm
stand
M PL
bench
Figure 2.4
Record this value of mass m (50 g) and the value of y in Table 2.5.
2 Change the mass m and slide the metre rule through the string loop until it is balanced again. Record the new values of m and y in Table 2.5. 3 Repeat step 2 with different values of m and record your data in Table 2.5.
Results
m/g
y / cm
SA
HINT The masses provided allow you to have seven different values of m.
Table 2.5
Data analysis
a How does y vary with m? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. b Plot a graph of y on the y-axis against m on the x-axis using the graph grid.
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