P1.
2
Student working scientifically
Name....................................................................... Class................... Date......................
Falling cake cups
Specification references
P5.6.1.5 Acceleration
P1.1.2 Changes in energy
P1.2.1 Energy transfers in a system
MS 2f, 2g, 3a, 3b, 3c, 4a
WS 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 4.5
Aims
In this worksheet, you will learn how to calculate the mean value of a set of
results and plot graphs with error bars.
Learning outcomes
After completing this worksheet, you should be able to:
plot scatter graphs from a set of data, including error bars for each point
calculate the mean value of a set of repeat results.
Setting the scene
Every object near the surface of the Earth is attracted by the Earth’s mass with a
force W m g, where W is the weight of the object, m is its mass and g is the
gravitational field constant g 9.8 m/s2. So why do some objects fall at a greater
rate than others?
Cut a piece of paper/card in the shape of a circle with diameter slightly smaller
than the diameter of a 2p coin. Then drop the 2p coin and the card together side
by side. What do you observe?
Now put the card on top of the 2p coin and let both fall together, but make sure
the 2p coin stays horizontal in its fall. What do you notice? Air resistance depends
on two factors:
the surface area of the falling object
the velocity of the falling object.
If any of these two factors increases, the air resistance will also increase. But
there will be a point when the air resistance cannot increase any longer. That is
when the air resistance becomes as big as the weight of the object. When this
happens, we say that the object has reached its terminal velocity.
© Oxford University Press 2017 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements
This resource sheet may have been changed from the original. 1
P1.2
Student working scientifically
Name....................................................................... Class................... Date......................
Task
Two students want to find out how the mass of a cake cup affects the terminal
velocity of the cake cup as it falls. They dropped an empty cake cup from a height
of two metres and measured the time it took for the cake cup to reach the ground.
Using the equation ‘distance travelled speed × time taken’ they calculated the
terminal velocity of the cake cup. They repeated their measurements two more
times and then added some Blu-Tack to the cake cup and calculated the terminal
velocity for each repeat reading.
Complete the table by calculating the mean terminal velocity for each mass of
cake cup.
Mass in g Terminal velocity Mean terminal velocity
Repeat
(0.01) in m/s (0.04) in m/s (0.04)
1 1.63
0.52 2 1.67
3 1.70
1 2.36
0.84 2 2.30
3 2.33
1 2.54
1.24 2 2.53
3 2.57
1 2.82
1.56 2 2.82
3 2.89
1 3.11
1.80 2 3.14
3 3.20
1 3.33
2.04 2 3.28
3 3.31
The two friends estimated the uncertainty in the terminal velocity to be 0.04 m/s.
Using graph paper draw a graph of the mean terminal velocity against the mass of
the cake cup. Then add error bars on the y-axis values (mean terminal velocity) and
draw a line of best fit. You will need a sharp pencil and a ruler to do a neat job.
© Oxford University Press 2017 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements
This resource sheet may have been changed from the original. 2
P1.2
Student working scientifically
Name....................................................................... Class................... Date......................
Questions
1 Look at the graph you drew in the task above to answer these questions.
a Describe the relationship between the mass of the cake cup and its
terminal velocity.
(2 marks)
b Are there any values you would measure again? If so, which ones, and why?
(2 marks)
c Does your line of best fit touch all the error bars in your graph? If not, what
could you suggest to these two students?
(2 marks)
d The trend of the data seems to be linear, but the line of best fit does not go
through the origin if it is extended to the y-axis. Suggest possible reasons
for this pattern. (Hint: think about possible problems with the method used.)
(3 marks)
© Oxford University Press 2017 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements
This resource sheet may have been changed from the original. 3
P1.2
Student working scientifically
Name....................................................................... Class................... Date......................
2 The two friends calculated the mean kinetic energy associated with each cake
cup when travelling at its mean terminal velocity. They plotted their results below.
a The mean kinetic energy associated with the cake cup is calculated
in joules. What did the two friends have to do to their data to obtain
a value in the SI unit for energy (J)?
(2 marks)
b Suggest why the relationship between the mass of the cake cup and its
associated kinetic energy is not linear. (Hint: think about the kinetic
energy equation.)
(3 marks)
© Oxford University Press 2017 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements
This resource sheet may have been changed from the original. 4
