Lab #

Date :
Title: Work, Energy and Power
Aim : To determine the power of a person running and walking up a flight of stairs
Apparatus / Materials: stopwatch, stairs, person ( male and female), metre rule
Diagram of Apparatus:

Method:
1. The height of the flight of stairs was measured.
2. The time taken for individuals to run and walk up the flight of stairs was recorded.
3. The mass of individuals were measured and recorded.
Results
Mass/ Individual Time/s Time/s Power exerted Power exerted
kg Walk Run Walk/Watt Run/Watt

1kg = 2.2lbs
HEIGHT OF STAIRS -=
Discussion
● Talk about work, energy, power, efficiency
● Importance of machines
● Discuss your results
Precautions
● Atleast 2
Sources of error
● At least 2
Conclusion
● Answer your aim
Lab#
Date:
Title: Specific Heat Capacity
Aim: To determine the specific heat capacity of a piece of metal by the method of mixture.
Apparatus/Material: Beaker, thermometer, metal, string, triple beam balance, water.
Diagram:

Method:
20-50g of water was placed in a Styrofoam cup and its initial temperature taken.
The mass of a piece of metal was measured and the metal was set to boil for five minutes.
The hot metal was removed and placed in the water in the cup and the final temperature of the
mixture was recorded.
Results:
Mass Grams Kilograms
Empty cup
Metal
Cup and water
Water

Temperature o
C
Water in cup (initial)
Metal in water (boiling water)
Mixture (final)
Calculations:
Heat lost by metal = heat gained by water
mcΔT = mcΔT

Discussion
- Discuss heat capacity and Specific heat capacity including formula.
- Compare experimental value to actual value
- State the name of the metal that has that specific heat capacity range
Precautions:

Sources of error:
Conclusion
The specific heat capacity of the metal was determined to be ………………….

Lab#
Date:
Title: Latent Heat of Fusion
Aim: To estimate the latent heat of fusion of ice
Apparatus/Materials: water, ice cubes, thermometer, balance, Styrofoam cup
Diagram of Apparatus:

Method:
1) 20-50 grams of water at 5-10 degrees celsius above room temperature was placed in
a styrofoam cup.
2) Small pieces of ice was placed in the warm water until the temperature decreased 5-10 degrees
celsius below room temperature
Results:
Quantity Mass/g Mass/kg
Mass of Polystyrene cup
Mass Polystyrene cup and water
Mass of water
Mass of cup +water + melted
ice
Mass of melted ice

TEMPERATURE DEGREE CELSIUS

Initial temperature of warm water
Initial temperature of water
Final temperature of water formed by ice
Initial temperature of ice

Calculations:
Mw x Cw x ∆Tw = Mice x Lf + Mice x Cice x ∆ Tice
Discussion
- Discuss latent heat of fusion and unit
- Compare the experimental value to literature value
- Mention possible sources of errors
Precaution
Sources of errors
Conclusion - The specific latent heat of fusion of ice was found to be …………..

Lab #

Date:

Title: Reflection

Aim: To verify the law of reflection using pins.

Apparatus: pins, cardboard, blank paper, protractor, plane mirror, ruler

Diagram of Apparatus:

Procedure:
normal line
1. Attach the blank paper to the cardboard.
2. Use a ruler to draw a horizontal line (mirror line) and a protractor to produce a broken normal
line (a line perpendicular to the horizontal line).
3. Draw lines at angles of 10°, 20°, 30°, and 40 ° to one side of the normal line. Label these lines as
A, B, C and D respectively.
4. Place the mirror on the mirror line, ensuring that it is aligned with the line.
5. Place two pins on line A.
6. Use two additional pins to plot a line where the two pins on line A appear to be perfectly in line
with each other and the other two pins as seen from the reflection in the mirror.
7. Draw a line to connect the points obtained using the two additional pins and label this line A r .
8. Repeat steps 5-7 for lines B, C and D to produce lines B r , Cr and Dr .

Results:

Paste the paper on which the work was done with the appropriate labels in your book.

For example:
 The angles formed between
lines A, B, C and D and the
normal line should be equal to
the angles formed between
their corresponding lines and
the normal line. (Ar, Br, Cr and Dr
respectively).

Discussion:

Precautions:

Sources of Error/Limitations:

Conclusion:

Lab # 20

Date:

Title: Refraction

Aim: To determine the refractive index from air to glass using Snell’s law.

Apparatus: pins, cardboard, blank paper, protractor, rectangular glass block, ruler

Diagram of Apparatus:

blank paper
pins

cardboard

Procedure:

1. Place the glass block in the middle of a sheet of blank paper and draw its outline
 with a pencil.
2. Remove the glass and draw a normal line about 2 cm from the end of the glass block.
3. Using the protractor and ruler, draw in lines 30°, 40° and 50° degrees from the normal. (Put the
flat end of protractor on normal line)
4. Place a piece of cardboard underneath the paper.
5. Place two pins along the line forming the 30° angle.
6. Carefully place the glass block on the outline drawn.
7. View the two pins through the glass block at eye level. While looking through the glass, adjust
your position until the two pins appear to line up.
8. Place a pin near the edge of the other side glass to mark where the first two pins line up.
9. Look through the glass again and place a 4th pin so it lines up with the other three pins.
10. Remove all the pins and connect the pin hole dots with a ruler and pencil. This line should be
extended to touch the block outline.
11. Repeat steps 5-10 for the 40° and 50° angles, respectively.
12. Plot a graph of sin i vs. sin r and use its gradient to determine the refractive index.

Results:

Paste the paper on which the work was done with the appropriate labels in your book.

For example:

Title:

Angle i/° Sin i Angle r/° Sin r

30

40

50

Calculations:

1. Gradient of the sin i vs. sin r = y 2 – y1/ x2 – x1

(Value for gradient = Refractive idex)

Discussion:
Precautions:

Sources of Error/Limitations:

Conclusion:

Lab #
Date:
Title: Speed of sound in air
Aim: To estimate the speed of sound in air using echoes.
Apparatus: wood percussion clappers, stopwatches, wall, tape measure

Diagram of Apparatus:

wall

wooden
clappers
Clap

Echo Person with

clappers

Procedure:
1. The experimenters should stand approximately 40 m from the wall.
2. Record the temperature of the surroundings.
3. Use the wooden clappers to make 5 claps and record three values for the time taken for
the last echo to be heard simultaneously.
4. Repeat step 2 for 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 claps respectively.
5. Plot a graph of average time taken vs. number of claps and use its gradient to estimate the
speed of sound.
Results:
Temperature (°C) =
Distance from the wall (m) =
Number of Time taken for last echo to be
claps heard/s
t1 t2 t3 tavg
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Title:

Calculations:
1. Gradient of average time vs number of claps graph (m) = y2 – y1/ x2 – x1

(Value for gradient = time taken for one echo to be heard)

2. The sound waves must travel to the wall and back to the experimenter for the echo to be
heard. Therefore,
distance travelled by sound waves = distance from the wall x 2
3. Speed of sound in air = 2 x distance travelled/time taken

Discussion:
Precautions:
Sources of Error/Limitations:
Conclusion:
Lab #:
Date:
Title: Radioactivity
Aim: To determine the half-life of a simulated radioactive process.
Apparatus/Materials: 1-dollar coins, tabletop, can/jar
Diagram of apparatus:

Method:
1. A quantity of coins was counted and placed in a jar.
2. The coins were shaken and then displaced in an open space.
3. All heads were retrieved and the process was repeated until one was left.
Results:
# of throws Heads Tails
0
1
 2
3
4
5
6
7
Title: Table showing the number of heads and tails after each throw
Calculations:
1st half-life =
T½=
2nd half-life =
2nd T½ = time difference between the 1st and 2nd t1/2
3rd half-life =
3rd T½ = time difference between 2nd and 3rd t 1/2
T½ average =
Discussion:
- Discuss radioactive decay
- What is half life
- What type of relationship the decay curve is showing and how it simulates radioactive
decay
Source of Error:
Limitation:
Precaution:
Conclusion: The average half-life of the simulated radioactive process was found to be …….
Lab #
Title: Lens
Date:
Aim: To determine the focal length of a convex lens.
Apparatus/Materials: meter rule, light source, candle, lens
Diagram: lens image distance
Object distance
Light source screen

Meter rule

U- Object distance
V- Image distance
Procedure:
1) The apparatus were set up as shown in the diagram above.
2) The object distance was varied by changing the position of the lens.
3) The image distance was measured and recorded at the same point where the most focused
image was formed on the screen.

Results:
u/cm v/cm 1/u /cm-1 1/v /cm-1

Discussion:
- Differentiate between the two types of lens
- Explain the different features of a lens
- State the type of lens used in experiment
Precaution:
Sources of Error:
Limitation:
Conclusion: The focal length of a convex lens is

Sample P and D Report

Lab#:

Title: Thermal Physics

Date:

Problem Statement:

Hypothesis: Cooking takes less time on an electric stove when compared to on a gas stove with
both at half turn

Aim: To determine if cooking changes with a change in the store used.

Apparatus and Materials: Stoves (Bunsen burner, hot plate), food, pot, water, timer,
thermometer

Method:
 1. Set up apparatus as shown
2. Admit heat to the apparatus
3. Record the time taken for the water to boil.
4. Place recorded info in a suitable table

Variables:

● Controlled – turn of knob, type of pot, food, water used

● Manipulated – type of stove
● Responding - cooking time

Expected Results:

Type of stove Time taken/mins

Gas Stove

Electric Stove

2. As the water is heated its temperature should increase.

Treatment of Results:

● Compare the times taken for water to boil

● The heat sources which takes the least time is the faster source of cooking

Precaution:

● Use a lid
● Complete in a wind free environment

Limitation:

● Purity of the water used

● Size of pot

Sources of error:

● Parallax when reading thermometer

● Heat loss to the environment