PH 102 LAB REPORT 1:

EXPERIMENT 3

Date: 20/04/2022 Week: 4

Name: RAHUL NARAYAN Partner’s name: KAVITA DEVI

Student Id: S11209112 Partner’s Id: S11198772

USES OF A BALANCED METRE RULE

AIM:

The principle of moments (which is also known as torque) was implemented in this experiment to
determine the mass of a meter rule and by the use of Archimedes’ principle the density of the rock was
found.

APPARATUS:

➢ A meter rule
➢ A cork
➢ A rock
➢ A long pin
➢ A stand with a clamp
➢ One 100g mass
➢ Some thread
➢ And a beaker of water.

METHOD:

Reference: (as per PH 102 Classical Physics Lab Manual pg11-12).

INTRODUCTION/THEORY:

When a force is exerted on a rigid object pivoted about an axis and the object tends to rotate this
phenomenon is known as 𝝉𝒐𝒓𝒒𝒖𝒆 or moment (has units of force times perpendicular distance).
Torque is a vector quantity and it should not be misunderstood as force. Moment helps to measure and
determine the force’s behavior on how it turns or rotate an object. Therefore, the equation of moment
is given by 𝜏𝑜𝑟𝑞𝑢𝑒 = 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 × 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 ,where the magnitude of force is multiplied by the
perpendicular distance measured from the pivot.

∑ 𝐴𝐶𝑊𝑀 = ∑ 𝐶𝑊𝑀

𝑆𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝐴𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 = 𝑆𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠

 l and to show that
In this experiment the above formula will be used to find

−𝒙(𝟏𝟎𝟎 + 𝒎)
𝒍= + 𝑨𝑮
𝒎
Furthermore, the second part of the experiment is the calculation of the density of the rock by
applying Archimedes’ principle, whenever an object is immersed in a liquid. There will be an apparent
loss of weight. The reason for the apparent loss of weight is because there is an upward force exerted by
the liquid in which the object was immersed. Archimedes’ principle states that the magnitude of the
buoyant force on an object always equals the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.

Archimedes found out that when an object is submerged in a liquid, the upthrust force acting on the
object is equal to the weight of the liquid displayed.

𝐵 = 𝑊1 − 𝑊2 = 𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑙𝑦𝑒𝑑, 𝑊𝑙

Whereby;

B – buoyant force (upthrust)

𝑊1 – weight of an object in air.
𝑊1 – weight of an object after immersion.

And the weight of the displaced liquid (𝑊𝑙 ) is calculated by

𝑊𝑙 = 𝑀1 − 𝑀2
𝑚
Moreover, the formula for finding density is given by 𝜌 = 𝑣
,therefore the density for this experiment
can be calculated by:
𝑀1
𝜌=
𝑀1 − 𝑀2

EXPERIMENT I: To determine the mass of the given meter rule.

RESULTS:

1. Distance AG = (50 ± 0.1)𝑐𝑚

2.

l (𝒄𝒎) ± 𝟎. 𝟏 2.5 5.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0

x(cm)±𝟎. 𝟏 25.1 24 21.1 15.9 10.5 5.6

 3. Plot a graph of l against x, showing error bars for both l and x. Use graph paper.

The graph of distance from the end of the meter ruler vs the distance from the mass to the pin

Graph of l Against x
50

40
y = -1.9038x + 50.344
R² = 0.9997
30
l(cm)±0.1

20

10

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30

-10
x(cm)±0.1

4. Calculate the slope and its error.

Slope = (-1.8 ±0.1) cm

5. Find from the graph the value of l for which x = 0.

y = 50.344
 −𝑥(100+𝑚)
6. Use the principle of moments and show that: 𝑙 = 𝑚
+ 𝐴𝐺

∑𝐴𝐶𝑀 = ∑𝐶𝑀
𝐹1 𝑑1 = 𝐹2 𝑑2

(100)𝑥 = 𝑚(𝐴𝐺 − 𝑥 − 𝑙)
100𝑥 = 𝑚𝐴𝐺 − 𝑚𝑥 − 𝑚𝑙
100𝑥 + 𝑚𝑥 = 𝑚𝐴𝐺 − 𝑚𝑙
𝑥 (100 + 𝑚) = 𝑚(𝐴𝐺 − 𝑙)
𝑥(100+𝑚)
= 𝐴𝐺 − 𝑙
𝑚

𝑥(100 + 𝑚)
− 𝐴𝐺 = −𝑙
𝑚
−𝒙(𝟏𝟎𝟎 + 𝒎)
𝒍= + 𝑨𝑮
𝒎

7. Obtain the value of m from your graph.

m = ( 110.57±𝟎. 𝟎𝟏)g

EXPERIMENT II: To describe the density of a given rock by applying Archimedes’ principle.

RESULTS:

8. Observations to be recorded in the table below:

l (cm)±. 𝟎𝟏 2.5 5.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0

𝑿𝟏 (cm)±𝟎. 𝟏 20.6 19.7 17.5 13.1 8.9 5.6

𝑿𝟐 (cm)±𝟎. 𝟏 26.2 24.7 22 16.5 10.9 5.7

 9. Plot the graphs of l against x1 (label this as A) and l against x2 (label this as B) on the same graph
paper. Error bars to be plotted as well.

Graph of l against A(X1) and B(X2)

50
y = -1.826x + 50.176
R² = 0.9999
40
y = -2.439x + 52.632
R² = 0.9977
30
A
l(cm)±0.1

20 B
Linear (A)
10 Linear (A)
Linear (B)
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

-10
X1(cm)±0.1
X2(cm)±0.1

10. Record the point of intersection of the curve A and B.

Point of intersection: ( 5.7 , 40 )

11. Calculate the slopes of A and B.

Slope of Curve A is (−𝟐. 𝟓 ± 𝟎. 𝟏)𝒄𝒎

Slope of Curve B is (−𝟏. 𝟗 ± 0.1) cm

12. Use the equation given in (6) and determine masses M1 (mass in air) and M2 (apparent mass in
water) of the stone. Remember that the 100 g mass in the equation is replaced now by the stone, while
m continues to be mass of the ruler. Record

𝐦𝟏 = (𝟕𝟓. 𝟕𝟒 ± 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏)𝒈
 𝐦𝟐 = (𝟏𝟐𝟏. 𝟑𝟎 ± 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏)𝒈
13.Find the relative density of the and its error.

𝛒𝐫 = −𝟏. 𝟔𝟔 ± 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏 𝐠/𝐜𝐦𝟑

Analysis:

Experiment 1:

Slope (refer to question 3)

𝑦 −𝑦
𝑚 = 𝑥2 −𝑥1
2 1

40−2.5
𝑚 = 5.6−25.1
37.5
𝑚 = −19.5

𝑚 = (−1.9 ± 0.1)𝑐𝑚

The value of l for which x=0 (refer to question 5)

y =-1.9038x + 50.344

y = -1.9038(0) + 50.344

y = 50.344

Value of m (refer to question 7)

−𝒙(𝟏𝟎𝟎 + 𝒎)
𝒍= + 𝑨𝑮
𝒎

−(𝟐𝟓. 𝟏)(𝟏𝟎𝟎 + 𝒎)
(𝟐. 𝟓) = + (𝟓𝟎. 𝟑)
𝒎
−(𝟐𝟓. 𝟏)(𝟏𝟎𝟎 + 𝒎)
(𝟐. 𝟓) − (𝟓𝟎. 𝟑) =
𝒎
(−𝟒𝟕. 𝟖)𝐦 = −𝟐𝟓𝟏𝟎 − 𝟐𝟓. 𝟏𝒎
 𝐦 = 𝟏𝟏𝟎. 𝟓𝟕

Experiment 2:

Slope (refer to question 11)

Slope of curve A:
𝑦 −𝑦
𝑚 = 𝑥2 −𝑥1
2 1

40−2.5
𝑚 = 5.6−20.6
37.5
𝑚 = −15

𝑚 = −2.5
𝑚 = (−2.5 ± 0.1)𝑐𝑚
Slope of curve B:
𝑦 −𝑦
𝑚 = 𝑥2 −𝑥1
2 1

40−2.5
𝑚 = 5.7−26.2
37.5
𝑚 = −20.5

𝑚 = −1.9
𝑚 = (−1.9 ± 0.1) cm

Masses (refer to question 12)

Determine the masses M1:

−𝒙(𝟏𝟎𝟎 + 𝒎)
𝒍= + 𝑨𝑮
𝒎
 −(𝟐𝟎. 𝟔)(𝟏𝟎𝟎 + 𝒎)
(𝟐. 𝟓) = + (𝟓𝟎. 𝟑)
𝒎
−(𝟐𝟎. 𝟔)(𝟏𝟎𝟎 + 𝒎)
(𝟐. 𝟓) − (𝟓𝟎. 𝟑) =
𝒎
(−𝟒𝟕. 𝟖)𝐦 = −𝟐𝟎𝟔𝟎 − 𝟐𝟎. 𝟔𝒎
𝐦𝟏 = (𝟕𝟓. 𝟕𝟒 ± 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏)𝒈
Determine the masses M2:

−𝒙(𝟏𝟎𝟎 + 𝒎)
𝒍= + 𝑨𝑮
𝒎

−(𝟐𝟔. 𝟐)(𝟏𝟎𝟎 + 𝒎)
(𝟐. 𝟓) = + (𝟓𝟎. 𝟑)
𝒎
−(𝟐𝟔. 𝟐)(𝟏𝟎𝟎 + 𝒎)
(𝟐. 𝟓) − (𝟓𝟎. 𝟑) =
𝒎
(−𝟒𝟕. 𝟖)𝐦 = −𝟐𝟔𝟐𝟎 − 𝟐𝟔. 𝟐𝒎
𝐦𝟐 = (𝟏𝟐𝟏. 𝟑𝟎 ± 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏)𝒈
Relative density (refer to question 13)

𝐌𝟏
𝛒𝐫 =
𝐌𝟏 − 𝐌𝟐
𝟕𝟓.𝟕𝟒
𝛒𝐫 =
(𝟕𝟓.𝟕𝟒−𝟏𝟐𝟏.𝟑𝟎)

𝛒𝐫 = −𝟏. 𝟔𝟔 ± 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏 𝐠/𝐜𝐦𝟑
 Discussion:

By implementing the principle of moments 𝐹1 𝑑1 =𝐹2 𝑑2 the mass of the ruler was determined.
−𝒙(𝟏𝟎𝟎+𝒎)
Later the expression was factorized into 𝒍 = + 𝑨𝑮 in order to find the mass of the
𝒎

meter ruler which is ( 110.57±0.01)g. The mass of the meter rule was obtained through the

help of the graph.

The gradients calculated were all negative which showed that the linear graphs have a

negative slope.

Moving on, by applying the principle of Archimedes’ the density of the rock was found. After

plotting the graph of l vs x for both weight in air and weight after being immersed in a liquid.

After plotting the graph, the point of intersection was obtained which is (5.7,40).

Conclusion:

Conclusively, the mass of the ruler was obtained by the expression 𝒍 = −𝒙(𝟏𝟎𝟎+𝒎)
𝒎
+ 𝑨𝑮, as derived from
the principle of moments. The mass was calculated from the graph whereby x became 0. Then
the value of mass was found by utilizing the length.

Finally the rock’s density was calculated to be ( ) by applying Archimedes principle. Before the
rock’s density was calculated, the graph of two slopes were drawn respectively, for l and x, whereby
the x-axis was represented by X1 and X2. The weight in air was represented as X1 and the weight
after being submerged in liquid was X2.

Reference:

✓ Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque
✓ PH102 Classical Physics Lab Manual(pg11-14)
✓ Textbook – Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics (pg257-258)
✓ Website: http://www.passmyexams.co.uk/GCSE/physics/turning-effect-
forces.html#:~:text=The%20principle%20of%20moments%20states,system%20cancel%2
0each%20other%20out
✓ PH102 Classical Physics Lab Manual(pg364-365)