DATA ANALYSIS PRACTICE

1. Data analysis question.

The speed v of waves on the surface of deep water depends only on the wavelength λ of the
waves. The data gathered from a particular region of the Atlantic Ocean are plotted below.

–1
The uncertainty in the speed v is ±0.30 m s and the uncertainty in λ is too small to be shown
on the diagram.

(a) State, with reference to the graph,

(i) why v is not directly proportional to λ.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) the value of v for λ = 39 m.

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

IB Questionbank Physics 1
 (b) It is suggested that the relationship between v and λ is of the form

v= a 

2
where a is a constant. To test the validity of this hypothesis, values of v against λ are
plotted below.

2
(i) Use your answer to (a)(ii) to show that the absolute uncertainty in v for a
2 –2
wavelength of 39 m is ±5 m s .

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(3)

2 2 –2
(ii) The absolute uncertainty in v for a wavelength of 2.5 m is ±1 m s . Using this
2
value and the value in (b)(i), construct error bars for v at the data points for
λ = 2.5 m and 39 m.
(1)

IB Questionbank Physics 2
 (iii) State why the plotted data in (b)(ii) suggest that it is likely that v is proportional to
.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(iv) Use the graph above to determine the constant a.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(3)

k
(v) Theory shows that a = 2 π . Determine a value for k.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(1)
(Total 11 marks)

IB Questionbank Physics 3
2. This question is about electrical resistance.

The graph shows the variation with temperature T of the resistance R of an electrical
component.

(a) A student hypothesizes that the resistance is inversely proportional to the temperature.
Use data from the graph to show whether the hypothesis is supported.

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(3)

(b) A second student suggests that the relationship is of the form

IB Questionbank Physics 4
 b
lg R = a + T

where a and b are constants.

The student plots the graph below. Error bars have been included for the sake of clarity.

IB Questionbank Physics 5
 (i) Explain how the graph drawn could be used as evidence to support the student’s
suggestion.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

(ii) Use the graph to determine the constants a and b.

b: .......................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

a: .......................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(4)

(iii) Using your answers to (b)(ii), determine a value for the resistance of the
component at a temperature of 260 K.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 11 marks)

IB Questionbank Physics 6
3. Data analysis question.

Gillian carried out an experiment to investigate the craters formed when steel balls are dropped
into sand. To try and find the relationship between the diameter of the crater and the energy of
impact of steel balls of the same diameter, she dropped a steel ball from different heights h into
sand and measured the resulting diameter d of the crater. The data are shown plotted below.

(a) The uncertainty in the measurement of d is ±0.40 cm; the uncertainty in h is too small to
be shown. Draw error bars for the data point (0.2, 0.047) and the data point (2.0, 0.10).
(2)

(b) Draw a best-fit line for the data points.

(2)

(c) The original hypothesis, made by Gillian, was that the diameter of the crater is directly
proportional to the energy of impact of the steel balls. Explain why the data does not
support this hypothesis.

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(3)

IB Questionbank Physics 7
 (d) Since Gillian’s data did not support her hypothesis, she researched to find alternative
hypotheses. She found that there are two theories used to predict a relationship between d
and h. In order to find which theory is best supported by the data, she processed the data
in two separate ways. The processed data are shown below.

(i) Draw a line of best-fit on each graph.

(2)

IB Questionbank Physics 8
 (ii) State and explain which theory is best supported by the student’s data.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 11 marks)

IB Questionbank Physics 9