When a metal ball drops through a liquid, the liquid provides a frictional force on the ball that acts against the ball’s motion.
Design an experiment to find out how the density of a liquid in a measuring cylinder is related to the average speed of a metal ball as it falls through the liquid from the surface to the base of the cylinder.
The average speed of the ball is found from:
average speed $= \dfrac{\text{distance travelled}}{\text{time taken}}$.
The setup of the apparatus is shown in Fig. 4.1.
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Plan an experiment. In your plan, include: any extra apparatus required; a concise description of the procedure, including what you will measure and how you will make the measurements accurate; the variables you will keep constant; a results table for your measurements (you do not need to fill in any readings); how you will process your results in order to reach a conclusion.
Worked solution & mark scheme
This 6-mark question has a full step-by-step worked solution and mark scheme. One marking point: “A ruler or measuring tape and a stopwatch/timer/clock” …