Coffee Filter Physics Sl Ib Ia

Internal Assessment

IB Physics-7

Mr. Parent

14 January 2012

I. Design

• Purpose: o To determine how the surface area of a coffee filter affects the average velocity of the coffee filter from the same height.

• Variables: o Independent Variable ▪ Surface area- The area of the surface after the folds have been made o Dependent Variable ▪ The Average velocity- calculated by measuring the time and dividing by the distance to find the Average Velocity o Controls ▪ Coffee Filter ▪ Mass of Filter ▪ Height ▪ Timer ▪ Position ▪ Orientation of Filter

• Materials:

o 1 Coffee Filter o 1 Timer o 1 Meter Stick o 1 Ruler o 1 Tape

• Procedure:

I. Measure 1.5 meters off the ground and place tape on the wall to mark the height II. Grab the coffee filter and drop it from the measured height III. Measure and Record the time it takes for the coffee filter to fall IV. Repeat the trials adding half folds until all 5 rows and 5 Trials for each are completed

V. Data Collection and Processing

Table 1: Time required for coffee filter to fall using each trial

|Surface Area |Trial 1 |Trial 2 |Trial 3 |Trial 4 |Trial 5 |
|R=pi(r)2/(folds+1) | | | | | |
|324.28 cm2 |2.24 |2.31 |2.26 |2.29 |2.30 |
|162.14 cm2 |2.15 |2.16 |2.18 |2.12 |2.13 |
|81.07 cm2 |2.00 |2.06 |2.04 |2.02 |2.01 |
|40.54 cm2 |1.89 |1.88 |1.91 |1.92 |1.90 |
|20.27 cm2