Physics Lab
Height of Ball Drop v/s The Depth of the Crater | By Tejas Shah, IBDP Year 1 | | | | | | |
* Aim- To find the relationship between the depth of crater and the height from which it is dropped. * Research Question- Does the height from where the ball is released affect the depth of the crater. * Hypothesis- If we increase the height of the drop of the ball; the depth of the crater would increase. This is because as there is loss in potential energy subsequently there is a gain in kinetic energy. The equation PE = m x g x h supports the fact that as height increases (keeping the mass constant) the energy stored, that is, the potential energy increases. So when the ball is released the energy stored inside the ball would get converted to kinetic energy of motion which collides with the clay slab resulting in a crater. Thus increasing the height increases the energy stored in the ball and so when dropped, more of the energy would be converted to kinetic energy as a result of which the velocity at which the ball would strike the crater would be more and increasing the impact force of collision resulting in a deeper crater. * Variables- * Dependent- The depth of the crater. * Independent- The height at which the ball is dropped from. * Control- * Mass of ball * Type of clay used * Volume of clay used * Type of ball used * The dimensions of the clay slab used in each experiment * Methods to control the variables- * To increase the accuracy of the height of the ball-drop one can perform the experiment by the wall where markings according to our requirements of the ball drop can be made. * Air resistance can also greatly affect the experiment due to which this practice has to be performed in a closed room and fans should be switched off at all times so as to reduce air resistance to the minimum . * To keep the mass constant use the same
* Aim- To find the relationship between the depth of crater and the height from which it is dropped. * Research Question- Does the height from where the ball is released affect the depth of the crater. * Hypothesis- If we increase the height of the drop of the ball; the depth of the crater would increase. This is because as there is loss in potential energy subsequently there is a gain in kinetic energy. The equation PE = m x g x h supports the fact that as height increases (keeping the mass constant) the energy stored, that is, the potential energy increases. So when the ball is released the energy stored inside the ball would get converted to kinetic energy of motion which collides with the clay slab resulting in a crater. Thus increasing the height increases the energy stored in the ball and so when dropped, more of the energy would be converted to kinetic energy as a result of which the velocity at which the ball would strike the crater would be more and increasing the impact force of collision resulting in a deeper crater. * Variables- * Dependent- The depth of the crater. * Independent- The height at which the ball is dropped from. * Control- * Mass of ball * Type of clay used * Volume of clay used * Type of ball used * The dimensions of the clay slab used in each experiment * Methods to control the variables- * To increase the accuracy of the height of the ball-drop one can perform the experiment by the wall where markings according to our requirements of the ball drop can be made. * Air resistance can also greatly affect the experiment due to which this practice has to be performed in a closed room and fans should be switched off at all times so as to reduce air resistance to the minimum . * To keep the mass constant use the same