Name:____________

Date:_____________

Students in a different class completed a lab in which they measured how the pullback
angle of a spoon affected the flight distance of a ping pong ball launched from the spoon.
Figure A below is a graph comparing the pullback angle of the spoon to the flight distance
of a ping pong ball from a catapult. Answer the questions below referring to the graph.
Figure A.

Pullback Angle vs. Flight Distance

16
14
12
10
8
6
Flight Distance (ft)
4
2
0

Pullback Angle ()

1. What is the independent variable in this experiment? How can you tell (based
on the graph)?

2. What is the dependent variable in this experiment? How can you tell (based
on the graph)?

Name:____________
Date:_____________

3. If a student pulled the spoon back to an angle of 10 degrees, how far would
you predict the ping pong ball would travel?

4. If a student pulled the spoon back to an angle of 130 degrees, how far would
you predict the ping pong ball would travel?

5. What is the relationship between pullback angle and flight distance? Back up
your relationship statement with data that proves your claim.

6. What is the relationship between amount of potential energy stored in the

spoon and the amount of energy that was transferred into the ball? (ABCDE)
Here are
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6

the steps to writing a conclusion/ABCDE paragraph.

Assertion: Make a claim! Write a relationship statement.
Background: Written summary of the experiment.
Citation (Text): Find a resource (text) that you have that can help you defend
your claim. Refer to the text by Title and define the scientific term.
Citation (Data): Compare two data numbers to each other to prove that your
Assertion is correct.
Discussion: Explain how the data relates to the science term you defined in your
C section using examples and evidence from this particular lab.
End: Write a conclusion sentence that relates to your first sentence.