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Improving Physics P6 Experiments' Accuracy (PRECAUTIONS)

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Hey everyone. So seeing as the Physics P6 is tomorrow, I thought I'd give a list of ways for improving the accuracy of the results (for experiments):

Minimizing heating effect of a current:
• Lower current
• Increase voltage
• Add a lamp
• Increase resistance of a resistor

To increase accuracy of ray diagrams
• View bases of pins since pins may not be vertical
• Keep pins further apart
• Use more pins
• Avoid parallax, explain action and reason
• Repeats and average

Adjustments made to experiments will be made to increase accuracy

Improvement made to experiments about heating effect and insulation
• Lids
• Repeats
• Stirring
• Record max. Temperature
• Add insulation
• Keep constant room temperature
• Avoid heat loss

How to check if a rule is vertical:
• Protractor
• Use of set square
• Plumb line
• Spirit Level

Precautions taken in experiments about formation of images by a lens
• Use a darkened area
• Meter ruler on bench or clamped
• Object and lens same height on bench
• Mark on lens holder to show center of lens
• Take more readings
• Avoid parallax error, explain action and reason
• Lens\screen perpendicular to bench

Variables in experiments about springs and stretching effect:
• Number of coils
• Length of spring
• Diameter\thickness of spring or wire
• Range of loads
• Length of wire
• Coil spring

Periodic time (T) is measured by timing a number (n) of oscillations, then divide the time taken for all the oscillations by the number of oscillations (n)

Drawing graphs:
• Label axis
• Choose a proper scale
• Well judged best fit line
• Thin and neat lines

Measuring the gradient:
• Draw a triangle on graph
• Use clear lines
• Triangle must be larger than half the line

Sources of error in calculating circumference by string method:
• Parallax
• Diagonal winding
• Thickness of string

Improvement made to calculating circumference by string method
• Avoid parallax error
• Repeats and average
• Thinner string
• Parallel winding of springs

It's not the BEST list in the world, but hopefully it will help... :wink:
Best of luck, Inshallah we'll all get A* :D
 
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period = time / number of oscillations and frequency =number of oscillations/time :)
 
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i have 2 questions..first of thnx 4 posting this ^_^
so i was wondering how do i explain my answer abt avoiding parallax error..do i just say look at the thing perpendicularly to avod it?
and how to measure the gradient using a triangle..don't we use the y2-y1/x2-x1 rule?
 
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@thecookiemonster
when decreasing the effect of heating, u increase the voltage not decrease because when voltage increase current decrease.
:D

narutogirl said:
i have 2 questions..first of thnx 4 posting this ^_^
so i was wondering how do i explain my answer abt avoiding parallax error..do i just say look at the thing perpendicularly to avod it?
and how to measure the gradient using a triangle..don't we use the y2-y1/x2-x1 rule?

avoid parallex error:
normally when viewing a measuring cylinder read the meniscus from the same line of it.

and for gradient i use the formula not triangle thingy :)


hope i helped :D
 
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How do we answer questions in which we have to use the help of a diagram......i basically don't noe how to draw the diagram :fool:
 
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let me get this straight cuz its kinda confusing
one time in p1 physics abt how to stop a cable from overheating they said use a copper cable with low resistance..so i got really confused
if u could just make it a bit clearer
so in a circuit...we have the current, resistance, voltage..resistance is prop. to voltage if current is constant but with time the current increases fa this increases temp which effects everything..urgh i got this all wrong..:/
oh btw thnx haochen ^_^
 
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narutogirl said:
let me get this straight cuz its kinda confusing
one time in p1 physics abt how to stop a cable from overheating they said use a copper cable with low resistance..so i got really confused
if u could just make it a bit clearer
so in a circuit...we have the current, resistance, voltage..resistance is prop. to voltage if current is constant but with time the current increases fa this increases temp which effects everything..urgh i got this all wrong..:/
oh btw thnx haochen ^_^

ur welcm :D
concentrate on temp., resistance, voltage, current when looking at the heat of the cable.
to reduce the current:
increase resistance and voltage
so the heat caused by the current will be less.

remember this :
when current increase temp. increase because of the heat produced by the current.
the voltage and resistance will decrease using the formula. R=V/I

hope i helped :D
gud luck in ur exam
(3 hr left :) )
 
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when voltage increase current decrease.
:D
[/quote]
It's the opposite mate, From I=V/R u can see that V and I are directly proportional.

Unless you're talking about power in transmission lines.
 
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