Practicals

• Newtons second law experiment (F=ma):

  1. Set up apparatus - trolley and card which will interrupt light gate twice, add length of card to software so light gate can measure velocity
  2. attach string over pulley and hook known mass - provide acceleration
  3. mark start line so it starts at same place
  4. put trolley on start line and pull string taut - release it
  5. record acceleration measured by light gate
  6. repeat twice and collect mean
• Speed of sound - Oscilloscope:

  1. set up oscilloscope so dected waves at each microphone are shown as seperate waves
  2. start with both microphones next to speaker, them move away slowly until two waves are aligned on display, but have moved exactly one wavelength apart
  3. measure distance between microphones to find one wavelength
  4. to find speed use equation v=fλ
• Speed of water ripples:

  1. using signal generator attached to dipper in ripple tank - create water waves at set frequency
  2. use lamp to see wave crests on screen below - make sure size of waves shadow are same size as waves
  3. distance between each shadow is equal to one wavelength, measure distance between 10 and divide by 10 to find mean wavelength
  4. use v=fλ to calculate wave speed
• Waves on string:

  1. set up equipment by attaching signal generator to vibration transducer, add string to vibration transducer and pull over pulley and add masses on end
  2. set frequency on signal generator until clear wave
  3. measure the wavelength by measuring 5 wavelengths and divide by 5 to find mean
  4. use frequency on generator
  5. find speed by using v=fλ
• Label the parts

  A) Oscilloscope

  B) microphone

  
• Label the parts

  A) dipper

  B) shadow

  C) signal generator

  
• Label the parts

  A) signal generator

  B) vibration transducer

  
• Label the parts

  A) light gate

  B) card

  C) trolley

  D) pulley

  E) mass

  
• Refraction:

  1. place transparent rectangular block on piece of paper and trace around it
  2. use ray box or laser to shine ray at middle of block from one side and trace incident ray and where light ray emerges on other side
  3. remove block and with ruler join up incident ray and emerging point to show refracted ray
  4. draw the normal point where light entered, use protractor to measure angle of incident and angle of reflection
  5. repeat with different materials, keeping incident angle the same