PRACTICALs

• Specific heat capacity practical

  1. Insert electrical heater into beaker of water or metal block

  2. Measure mass and initial temperature

  3. Turn on heater and measure temperature every 20 seconds

  4. Also measure current and potential difference of heater

  5. Use equation: specific heat capacity = energy supplied / (mass x temperature change)
• Resistance of a wire

  Resistance is directly proportional to length of wire
• Density practical

  1. For regular objects: measure mass and dimensions to calculate volume

  2. For irregular objects: use displacement method to find volume

  3. For solutions: measure mass and volume to calculate density
• Springs practical

  1. Hang increasing masses from spring, measure extension

  2. Plot force against extension to find spring constant (gradient of line)
• Newton's Second Law practical

  1. Attach masses to trolley, let them fall to accelerate trolley

  2. Use light gates or stopwatch to measure acceleration

  3. Plot force against acceleration, gradient gives mass
• Waves practical (ripple tank)

  1. Measure wavelength by projecting waves onto screen

  2. Measure frequency from signal generator

  3. Calculate wave speed using wave equation
• Waves practical (standing waves)

  1. Vary frequency until simplest standing wave formed on string

  2. Length of string is half the wavelength, use with frequency to calculate wave speed
• Infrared absorption practical

  1. Compare infrared radiation from different surfaces of Leslie cube

  2. Compare temperature rise of materials wrapped around boiling tubes
• Insulation practical

  Wrap beakers of hot water in different insulation, measure temperature drop
• Refractive index practical


  1. Shine light through glass/plastic block at different angles

  2. Measure angles of incidence and refraction

  3. Calculate refractive index using sin(i)/sin(r)