Skills Practice Lab DATASHEET FOR IN-TEXT LAB Physics …fhsregentsphysics.weebly.com/uploads/4/1/4/3/41435871/lab1.pdf · Examine the relationships between measured physical quantities

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

Holt Physics 1 The Science of Physics

In this laboratory exercise, you will gain experience making measurements as aphysicist does. All measurements will be made using units to the precisionallowed by your instruments.

OBJECTIVESMeasure accurately using typical laboratory equipment.

Measure length and mass in SI units.

Determine the appropriate number of significant figures for various measurements and calculations.

Examine the relationships between measured physical quantities by using graphs and data analysis.

MATERIALS LIST

SAFETY

• Perform this lab in a clear area. Falling or dropped masses can cause seriousinjury.

ProcedurePREPARATION

1. Read the entire lab procedure, and plan the steps you will take.

MEASURING LENGTH, WIDTH, THICKNESS, AND MASS

2. Record your data for steps 3–7 in the data table below.

Name Class Date

Physics and MeasurementSkills Practice Lab DATASHEET FOR IN-TEXT LAB

• 2 rectangular wooden blocks

• 15 cm metric ruler

• balance

• meterstick

• rectangular wooden block

• stopwatch

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5 Trial 6

Length (cm)

Width (cm)

Thickness (cm)

Mass (kg)



Name Class Date

Physics and Measurement continued

3. Use a meterstick to measure the length of the wooden block. Record allmeasured digits plus one estimated digit.

4. Follow the same procedure to measure the width and thickness of the block.Repeat all measurements two more times. Record your data.

5. Carefully adjust the balance to obtain an average zero reading when there is nomass on it. Your teacher will show you how to adjust the balances in yourclassroom to obtain an average zero reading. Use the balance to find the massof the block. Record the measurement in your data table.

6. Repeat the mass measurement two more times, and record the values in yourdata table. Each time, move the block so that it rests on a different side.

7. For trials 4–6, repeat steps 3 through 6 with the second wooden block.

MEASURING TIME AND DISTANCE

8. Record your data for steps 9–13 in the data table below.

Trial Distance Time (s)

1

2

3

4

5

6



Name Class Date


9. Perform this exercise with a partner. One partner will drop the wooden blockfrom a measured height, and the other partner will measure the time it takesthe block to fall to the floor. Perform this in a clear area away from othergroups.

10. One student should hold the wooden block straight out in front of him or herat shoulder height. Hold the block between your hands. Use the meterstick tomeasure the height to which the wooden block is raised. Record this distancein your data table.

11. Use the stopwatch to time the fall of the block. Make sure the area is clear,and inform nearby groups that you are about to begin. The student holdingthe block should release it by pulling both hands straight out to the sides. Thestudent with the stopwatch should begin timing the instant the block isreleased and stop timing as soon as the block hits the floor. In your data table,record the time required for the block to fall.

12. Repeat for two more trials, recording all data in your data table. Try to dropthe block from exactly the same height each time.

13. Switch roles, and repeat steps 10 through 12. Perform three trials. Record alldata in your data table.

Analysis1. Organizing Data Using your data from the first data table, calculate the

volume of the wooden block for each trial. The equation for the volume of arectangular block is volume � length � width � thickness.

2. Analyzing Data Use your data from the first table and your results fromitem 1 above to answer the following questions.

a. For each block, what is the difference between the smallest length meas-urement and the largest length measurement?



Name Class Date


b. For each block, what is the difference between the smallest calculatedvolume and the largest calculated volume?

c. Based on your answers to (a) and (b), how does multiplying several lengthmeasurements together to find the volume affect the precision of theresult?

3. Analyzing Data Did the block always fall from the same height in the sameamount of time? Explain how you found the answer to this question.

4. Constructing Graphs Using the data from all trials, make a scatter plot of thedistance versus the time of the block’s fall. Use a graphing calculator, com-puter, or graph paper.

Conclusions5. Drawing Conclusions For each trial in the first data table, find the ratio

between the mass and the volume. Based on your data, what is the relation-ship between the mass and volume?



Name Class Date


6. Evaluating Methods For each type of measurement you made, explain howerror could have affected your results. Consider method error and instrumenterror. How could you find out whether error had a significant effect on yourresults for each part of the lab? Explain the role of human reaction time inyour measurements.

Extension7. Evaluating Data If there is time and your teacher approves, conduct the

following experiment. Have one student drop the wooden block from shoul-der height while all other class members time the fall. Perform three trials.Compare results each time. What does this exercise suggest about accuracyand precision in the laboratory?

Chapter 134

In this laboratory exercise, you will gain experience making measurements as a

physicist does. All measurements will be made using units to the precision

allowed by your instruments.

PROCEDURE

Preparation

1. Read the entire lab procedure, and plan the steps you will take.

Measuring Length, Width, Thickness, and Mass

2. If you are not using a datasheet provided by your teacher, prepare a data

table in your lab notebook with seven columns and five rows, as shown

below. In the first row, label the second through seventh columns Trial 1,

Trial 2, Trial 3, Trial 4, Trial 5, and Trial 6. In the first column, label the

second through fifth rows Length (cm), Width (cm), Thickness (cm), and

Mass (kg).

OBJECTIVES

•Measure accuratelyusing typical laboratoryequipment.

•Measure length andmass in SI units.

•Determine the appropri-ate number of significantfigures for various measurements and calculations.

•Examine the relationshipsbetween measured physi-cal quantities by usinggraphs and data analysis.

MATERIALS LIST• 2 rectangular wooden blocks

• 15 cm metric ruler

• balance

• meterstick

• rectangular wooden block

• stopwatch

34

Lab PlanningBeginning on page T34 arepreparation notes and teachingtips to assist you in planning.

Blank data tables (as well as some sample data) appear on the One-Stop Planner.

No Books in the Lab?See the Datasheets for In-Text Labs workbook for areproducible master copy ofthis experiment.

CBL™ OptionA CBL™ version of this labappears in the CBL™Experiments workbook.

Safety CautionRemind students to be aware ofother groups’ activities. Fallingobjects can cause serious injury.

Skills Practice LabCHAPTER 1Skills Practice Lab

CHAPTER 1

Physics andMeasurement

SAFETY

• Perform this lab in a clear area. Falling or dropped masses can causeserious injury.

Length (cm)

Width (cm)

Thickness(cm)

Mass (kg)

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5 Trial 6

35

CHAPTER 1 LAB

Tips and Tricks• Remind students to record

all measured digits plus one estimated digit.

• Students may repeat all lengthmeasurements using the 15 cm ruler.

• Students should practice timing the falling block beforerecording falling-block data.

• Better results that are easier toreproduce will be obtainedwith a greater falling distance.

• Show students the proper wayto hold a meterstick when tak-ing a measurement.

• Show students how to adjust the balances to zero. If you areusing triple-beam balances,demonstrate handling the bal-ances and moving the masses to take a measurement.

• Demonstrate how to hold theblock between your hands andrelease the block by pullingyour hands straight out to thesides. Show how this methodprevents the block from turn-ing, whereas other methodscause the block to turn.

• Make sure students know howto operate and read a stop-watch.

CheckpointsStep 3: Make sure all studentsperform all measurements.Students should be able toexplain how they assign significant figures to their measurements.

Step 5: Students may need helpusing the balance for the first time.For some balances, instrumentdrift may prevent a continuouszero reading, so an average zeroreading will be the goal.

35The Science of Physics

3. Use a meterstick to measure the length of

the wooden block. Record all measured

digits plus one estimated digit.

4. Follow the same procedure to measure the

width and thickness of the block. Repeat

all measurements two more times. Record

your data.

5. Carefully adjust the balance to obtain an

average zero reading when there is no

mass on it. Your teacher will show you

how to adjust the balances in your class-

room to obtain an average zero reading.

Use the balance to find the mass of the

block, as shown in Figure 1. Record the

measurement in your data table.

6. Repeat the mass measurement two more

times, and record the values in your data

table. Each time, move the block so that it

rests on a different side.

7. For trials 4–6, repeat steps 3 through 6

with the second wooden block.

Measuring Time and Distance

8. If you are not using a datasheet provided by your teacher, prepare a sec-

ond data table in your lab notebook with three columns and seven rows,

as shown below. In the first row, label the columns Trial, Distance (m),

and Time (s). Label the second through seventh rows 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Figure 1Step 3: Always record measurements to the precisionallowed by your instruments.Step 5: Make sure you know how to use the balances inyour classroom. The balance should read zero when there is no mass on it. The number of significant figures in your meas-urement will be determined by your instrument, the objectbeing measured, and the purpose of your measurement.

Trial Distance (m) Time (s)

1

2

3

4

5

6

CHAPTER 1 LAB

Chapter 136

9. Perform this exercise with a partner. One partner will drop the wooden

block from a measured height, and the other partner will measure the

time it takes the block to fall to the floor. Perform this in a clear area away

from other groups.

10. One student should hold the wooden block straight out in front of him

or her at shoulder height. Hold the block between your hands, as shown

in Figure 2. Use the meterstick to measure the height to which the wooden

block is raised. Record this distance in your data table.

11. Use the stopwatch to time the fall of the block. Make sure the area is

clear, and inform nearby groups that you are about to begin. The student

holding the block should release it by pulling both hands straight out to

the sides. The student with the stopwatch should begin timing the

instant the block is released and stop timing as soon as the block hits the

floor. In your data table, record the time required for the block to fall.

12. Repeat for two more trials, recording all data in your data table. Try to

drop the block from exactly the same height each time.

13. Switch roles, and repeat steps 10 through 12. Perform three trials. Record

all data in your data table.

36

Step 10: Students should holdthe block at about shoulderheight for each trial. In step 13,the second student should holdthe block at his or her own shoulder height.

Step 11: Before recording data,students should practice untilthey can demonstrate that thetimer starts at the moment theblock is released and stops whenthe block hits the floor.

ANSWERSAnalysis1. Answers will vary, dependingon the blocks used. Make sureanswers have the right number ofsignificant figures. For sampledata, block 1 Trial 1 has a volumeof 1.60 × 102 cm3.

2. Answers will vary.a. For the sample data block 1,

the answer is 8.15 cm.b. For the sample data block 1,

the answer is 14 cm3.c. Students should recognize

that the answer becomes lessprecise as several values aremultiplied and that the dif-ference between the highestand lowest answers becomesgreater.

3. Student answers should statethat the block always falls fromthe same height in the sameamount of time. If studentsanswer the question by findingthe ratio between distance andtime, they will find different val-ues for different heights.

4. The graph should show onepoint for each height from whichthe block fell.

Figure 2Step 10: Hold the block betweenyour hands.Step 11: Release the block bypulling both hands straight out tothe sides. It may take some practiceto release the block so that it fallsstraight down without turning.

37

CHAPTER 1 LAB

Conclusions5. Answers should state that bothwooden blocks have the samemass-to-volume ratio, eventhough their masses and volumesare not the same. Some studentsmay realize that this value is thatof the density of the wood.

6. Student answers will vary butshould include an analysis oferror in the laboratory. Studentsshould understand that reactiontime is part of the error in theblock experiment.

Extension7. Typically, a range of values is reported as different classmembers measure the time of thesame event. This result shouldlead students to realize that forshort times, error can be a signif-icant factor.

37The Science of Physics

ANALYSIS

1. Organizing Data Using your data from the first data table, calculate

the volume of the wooden block for each trial. The equation for the vol-

ume of a rectangular block is volume = length × width × thickness.

2. Analyzing Data Use your data from the first table and your results

from item 1 above to answer the following questions.

a. For each block, what is the difference between the smallest length

measurement and the largest length measurement?

b. For each block, what is the difference between the smallest calculated

volume and the largest calculated volume?

c. Based on your answers to (a) and (b), how does multiplying several

length measurements together to find the volume affect the precision

of the result?

3. Analyzing Data Did the block always fall from the same height in the

same amount of time? Explain how you found the answer to this question.

4. Constructing Graphs Using the data from all trials, make a scatter

plot of the distance versus the time of the block’s fall. Use a graphing cal-

culator, computer, or graph paper.

CONCLUSIONS

5. Drawing Conclusions For each trial in the first data table, find the

ratio between the mass and the volume. Based on your data, what is the

relationship between the mass and volume?

6. Evaluating Methods For each type of measurement you made, explain

how error could have affected your results. Consider method error and

instrument error. How could you find out whether error had a signifi-

cant effect on your results for each part of the lab? Explain the role of

human reaction time in your measurements.

EXTENSION

7. Evaluating Data If there is time and your teacher approves, conduct

the following experiment. Have one student drop the wooden block

from shoulder height while all other class members time the fall. Perform

three trials. Compare results each time. What does this exercise suggest

about accuracy and precision in the laboratory?

T34

Lab

Proc

edur

esThe Holt Physics Lab ProgramIntroductionHolt Physics offers you and your students several options for classroom labs. Each chapter in the textbook is followed by a full-scale laboratory investigation— either a Skills Practice Lab or an Inquiry Lab. Skills Practice Labs are investigations of physics principles in a traditional, multi-step format. In contrast, Inquiry Labs provide students with a predetermined set of materials and a stated goal and challenge students to design an experiment to satisfy the goal. The workbook Datasheets for In-Text Labs contains reproducible masters of the complete procedure for each lab. These datasheets provide space for students to record their data and answers. This workbook also contains a Skills Practice version of each textbook-based Inquiry Lab. The fully-articulated steps in these versions offer you the option to use a more traditional approach.

Appendix K in this textbook contains some end-of-chapter labs modified for use with CBL 2 equipment. The workbook CBL™ Experiments contains reproducible masters of the complete procedure for each lab in Appendix K. It also contains CBL 2-modified versions of some end-of-chapter labs and extra, scenario-based CBL 2 labs that correspond to most book chapters. Alternate versions of the labs using first-generation CBL (rather than CBL 2) equipment can be found at go.hrw.com.

The textbook also contains many Quick Labs, which are brief demonstrations that require few materials. Some Quick Labs are appropriate as homework assignments and are designated as such in the Teacher Edition.

A separate Laboratory Experiments workbook contains two types of additional full-scale labs. Discovery Labs allow students to explore physics phenomena before they study the corresponding chapter. Invention Labs are open-ended inquiry-based labs couched in terms of an engaging, real-world scenario. Students are challenged to test a material or invent a device to solve a specific problem. In lieu of a traditional lab report, students submit a patent application for their invention or process.

The following pages contain preparation notes and teaching tips for the chapter labs and Appendix K labs found in this textbook.

Teaching Tips for Inquiry Labs Prior to starting an Inquiry Lab, each student or group should turn in a detailed procedure for approval. You may wish to start this process a few days before the lab period, to allow yourself time to review the procedures and to allow the students time to make necessary revisions.

Compare student procedures to the Sample Procedures found on the following pages. Use the Checkpoints following each sample

procedure as guidelines for things to look for in the procedures and to identify areas where students may need extra help when carrying out the procedures in the lab. Students may use a procedure that differs from the sample procedure only if the alternate procedure meets the following conditions:

• The procedure is safe.• The procedure can be done in the allotted time.• All necessary materials are available.• The procedure will prepare the students to answer the questions

at the end of the lab when they are finished.

Before starting the procedure, students should revise their procedures according to your comments. You may want to look over revised procedures before granting final approval.

Evaluate student procedures according to organization, clarity, completeness, safety, how well they follow the steps of the scientific method, and how well they prepare students to answer the questions at the end of the lab. Return procedures with your comments to students before they begin the lab.

T35

Lab ProceduresAdditional Support for In-Text LabsCh.1 Skills Practice Lab: Physics and Measurement Planning Recommended time: 1– 2 lab periods

Classroom organization: Each lab group should have two students. Students should alternate duties so that each student performs all steps. For the second part of the lab, each group needs a large, clear area to work in. If possible, consider conducting this part of the lab in a large, open space, such as outdoors or in a gymnasium.

Materials (for each lab group) • 3 wooden blocks• alarm stopwatch, 12- or 24-hour• balance: portable, electronic balance or triple-beam balance

with weight• meterstick• metric ruler, 15 cm long

Required Precautions: Wear eye protection and other required safety equipment when cutting wood blocks. Follow all instructions and safety guidelines for the equipment. Do not work with power tools without other people present.

Materials Preparation: The wood blocks should be cut from standard 2 in. by 4 in. lumber. For future labs, each lab group should have 4 blocks, cut into lengths of approximately 10 cm, 15 cm, 20 cm, and 25 cm.

Ch.2 Skills Practice Lab: Free-Fall Acceleration PlanningRecommended time: 1 lab period Calibrating the recording timer may be done separately, or it may be skipped entirely if the period of the timer is known.

Classroom organization: Each lab group should have two students. Each group needs a level work surface at least 0.5 m above the floor with an edge to clamp the stand base onto. Each group needs clear floor space of at least 1.0 m2. For the recording timer calibration, each group needs enough open space so the student can walk away from the timer in a straight line for 3.0 s.

Materials (for each lab group) • 1-position support base and rod, 1.3 cm � 91 cm• balance: portable, electronic balance or triple-beam balance

with weight• C-clamp• meterstick

Additional Materials (for chapter lab) • alarm stopwatch, 12- or 24-hour• metric hooked mass set• recording timer: acceleration timer, tabletop acceleration timer,

or compact spark timer• replacement paper tape, 13 mm• replacement carbon disks

Additional Materials (for Appendix K lab) • 3 wooden blocks of different masses• LabPro® or CBL 2™ interface• roll of masking tape• thin foam pad• TI graphing calculator with link cable• V-clamp• Vernier motion detector

Required Precautions: Wear eye protection and other required safety equipment when cutting wood blocks. Follow all instructions and safety guidelines for the equipment. Do not work with power tools without other people present.

Materials Preparation: The wood blocks for the Appendix K procedure should be cut from standard 2 in. by 4 in. lumber. Each lab group should have 4 blocks cut into lengths of approximately 10 cm, 15 cm, 20 cm, and 25 cm.

Ch.3 Inquiry Lab: Velocity of a ProjectilePlanning Recommended time: 1 lab period

Classroom organization: Each group must have at least two students. Each group needs a level surface at least 0.5 m above the floor, with at least 2.0 m of space in front of the surface.

Materials (for each lab group) • 1-position support base and rod, 1.3 cm � 91 cm• aluminum sheet, 12.5 cm � 25 cm, 0.0010 in. thick• C-clamp• carbon paper, 4 sheets• cardboard box• inclined plane• meterstick• right-angle clamp for 1.3 cm rods• roll of black nylon cord• roll of adhesive packing tape• roll of adhesive tape, 0.5 in. wide• roll of masking tape

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Skills Practice Lab DATASHEET FOR IN-TEXT LAB Physics …fhsregentsphysics.weebly.com/uploads/4/1/4/3/41435871/lab1.pdf · Examine the relationships between measured physical quantities