Physics Paper 1 Practicals

• Required practical 1 - Specific heat capacity?

  • Measure mass of water or metal block with a balance
  • Put an electric heater & thermometer or the block of metal that has slots for them
  • Connect the heater to a power supply, with an ammeter in series and a voltmeter in parallel
  • Record the initial temp.
  • Start the stopwatch, and record the temp. every 20 seconds

  Independent variable - energy/heat supplied

  Dependent - temperature
• Required practical 2 - Resistance of a wire?

  • Connect a constantan wire to a power supply or battery using crocodile clips, along with an ammeter in series and voltmeter in parallel
  • Measure length of wire between crocodile clips with a metre rule (taut wire), as well as the current and p.d.
  • Calculate resistance for each length using the rearranged form of Ohm's law, and plot these against length

  Independent variable - length of wire

  Dependent - resistance of wire
• Required practical 3 - IV characteristics?

  • Connect a component (fixed resistor, filament lamp or a diode) with an ammeter and variable resistor in series, and voltmeter in parallel.
  • Measure the current for varying p.d.'s (achieved by varying the variable resistor)
  • Include negative values by reversing the battery

  Independent variable - p.d.

  Dependent variable - current