What Is the Time Taken for Each Oscillation with a Change in Force Applied at the Edge of a Scale?

Cantilever

Design

Research question:

What is the time taken for each oscillation with a change in force applied at the edge of a scale?

The Variables:

Independent variable:

• The amount of force applied.

Dependent variable:

• The time taken for each oscillation.

Controlled variables:

• Constant width, length and breath of the scale.
• Same weight and material of the scale.
• The amount of water (force) dropped on the scale.
• Leveled smooth surface where the clamp is placed.
• Distance where the scale and the clamp are put together to be constant

The apparatus:

• One 100cm scale
• Cantilever
• Water
• Pump with different forces
• Sticky tape
• A smooth flat table/ surface
• Stopwatch
• Protractor
• Power socket

The setup:   [pic 1]

Controlling variables

• Independent variable: The amount of force applied.

The amount of force applied on the scale, should be constant for each force the experiment is carried out. This force should be increase by 0.5 N every time the experiment is carried out again. The water can be poured from about 10 cm above the ruler. This should be kept constant every time the experiment is carried out for a different force.

To measure the force applied, the pump should be used, and the particular force required should be set on it. This force should be measured every time there is a change / increase in the force that is applied on the scale.

Also, the force applied should not increase to the level to while that the scale doesn’t oscillate any more and breaks off the clamp. For each force, the experiment should be carried out 3 times to attain accuracy.

• Dependent variable: The time taken for each oscillation.

The time taken for each oscillation can be determined through the use of the stopwatch. Due to the increase in the force applied on the scale, the time taken for each oscillation will keep increasing. This should be done, by taking in account the time taken for 10 oscillations and dividing the time by 10 to attain accuracy and gain the time for each oscillation.

The beaker should be kept at a constant height from the scale to reduce errors as a increase in distance might increase/decrease the force applied. When the scale has oscillated 10 times, the stop watch should he stopped, thus giving us the time taken for 10 oscillations.

Assuming that each oscillation will take the same amount of time, to find out the time taken for each oscillation, the time recorded on the stopwatch should be divided by the number of oscillations (which in this case is 10).

• Dependent variable: The angle moved by the scale.

The angle moved by the meter ruler will depend upon the force put on the ruler. With the increase in the force, the angle will increase. This angle should be measured by using a protractor.