Edexcel Physics A Level

Core Practical 1

Determine the Acceleration of a Freely-Falling Object

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Method 1: Using an Electromagnet

Open switch to break connections between battery and electromagnet in the primary circuit
and turn on the timer in the secondary circuit
Electromagnet demagnetises causing steel ball to fall a distance, h, from the bottom of the
ball to the top of the trap door
o h is measured using a ruler
When the ball falls through the trap door is breaks the connection of the timer to the
battery hence the timer stops
Record the time taken to fall h metres, t, repeat process three times, discard anomalies and
find average t
Vary h and record corresponding t
Given that s = h, u = 0, a = g, t = t, using = + :
2
t = h
g

Plot t2 against h, draw line of best fit, the gradient (m) will be
2
g=
m

Safety
If dropping off of a table, clamp electromagnet stand to table to prevent it toppling over
Be aware of falling ball – use a tray to capture ball at the bottom
Small currents used in circuit – no danger of electrical shock

Evaluation
Small t values: use larger distance to reduce uncertainty
Time delay between the timer starting and the ball being released due to residual
magnetism in ball: use a lower current so that the electromagnet has a weaker magnetic
field
No air resistance (not fast enough)

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Method 2: Using a trolley down a Ramp

Attach a card to top of trolley/object and measure its width using a ruler
Release it from top of ramp and start the stopwatch
Light gate at the bottom of the ramp will record the time for which the card passes through
o Calculate instantaneous final speed, v, of the card as:
length of card
v=
time

Once the card reaches bottom of the ramp stop the stopwatch and record time taken, t
Repeat procedure 3 times, discard anomalies and calculate mean t
Vary v (by reducing distance of the trolley from bottom of ramp) and record the respective
values of t
Given that u = 0, v= V a = g, t = t, using = + :
=

Plot v against t, draw line of best fit, the gradient (m) will be g

Safety
Be aware of falling trolley – use a tray to capture trolley at the bottom

Evaluation
Small t values: use larger distance to reduce uncertainty
Air resistance (for larger distances) records a smaller v
Friction between the ramp and the wheels of the trolley
Reaction time: use of stopwatch

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Method 3: Free fall of Card

Clamp a thin piece of card to the top and measure height, h, from the centre of card to the top
of the light gate using a ruler clamped parallel using a set square
Release the card from the top
Light gate at the bottom will record the time for which the card passes through
o Calculate instantaneous final speed, v, of the card as:
length of card
v=
time

Repeat procedure 3 times, discard anomalies and calculate mean v for the given h
Vary h and record the respective values of v
Given that s = h, u = 0, v= v a = g, using = +2 :
=2

Plot v2 against s, draw line of best fit, the gradient (m) will be 2g
m
g=
2

Evaluation
Small t values: use larger distance to reduce uncertainty
Air resistance acting on the card means the acceleration will be less than g
Reaction time has no effect on results as light gate is used to measure time
Path taken by card is not directly vertical introducing uncertainty in the measure of h: attach
blue tack to the bottom tips of the card for stability

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 Edexcel Physics A Level
Core Practical 2

Determine the Electrical Resistivity of a Material

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Method

At various points along the wire measure the diameter, d, repeat at 90o angles at the same
point, get about 6 readings and find average - check for zero error on micrometre
Find cross-sectional area, A, of wire as:
d
A=
4
Connect circuit as shown above
At 10cm intervals from crocodile clip, touch wire with probe, record voltage, v, and current,
I, readings on voltmeter and ammeter respectively
Calculate Resistance R, as
Measure length of wire, L, from one crocodile clip to the other, using a ruler
Vary L by changing position of the crocodile clips along the wire, and record corresponding
values of R
Plot R (y axis) against L and draw line of best fit with equation:
R= L
A
Calculate resistivity:
= gradient × A

Safety
Small voltage used so little danger of electric shock
Wire may get warm so don’t touch unless with probe

Evaluation
Highly varying voltage/current readings: remove power supply, voltmeter, ammeter and
replace with ohm-meter (connect crocodile clip/probe directly to it)
Uncertainty from micrometre is doubled as radius gets squared
Crocodile clip is not directly in contact with the exact end of the wire due to windings on the
end of the ruler
Poor connection between crocodile clips and wire/ dirty crocodile clips creates will mean a
higher resistance is measured
Constant does not change resistivity at high temps – this is not a source of error
Use ohm-meter to achieve resistance directly, reduce the wire heating (uses a very low
current)
Avoid pressure hard on wire, as deformation affects cross sectional area, and resistance
Ensure wire straight so length measurement accurate

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 Edexcel Physics A Level
Core Practical 3

Determine the EMF and Internal Resistance of an Electrical

Cell

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Method 1

Set up apparatus as shown in the diagram

Measure PD across the terminals, V T , using voltmeter
Vary current in circuit by changing value of load resistance, R using variable resistor,
measure pd (V) for several values of I
Repeat several times and find average V T and I
Plot graph of V T (y axis) and I (x axis) and draw line of best fit with equation:
V = Ir
o Gradient is negative internal resistance (-r)
o Y intercept is EMF, 16T34T

Method 2
Collect the same data as in Method 1 (Terminal PD and Current)
Find Power dissipated at load, P, using P = IV and read the load resistance, R, off the variable
resistor
Plot a graph of power dissipated against load resistance (P against R):

Power dissipated at the load resistance is a maximum value when:

Load resistance = Internal resistance

Safety
low pd so no danger of shock, but variable resistor may get hot, so handle with care

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Evaluation
For small voltage/current values use new cell or one with a higher E.M.F.
The terminal PD can be measured across the terminals of the power supply, or across the
component (provided there is only one component)
Keep temperature constant by opening switch between readings to prevent current flow in
between each trial
Check for zero errors on voltmeters and ammeters
Could use a multimeter as it is difficult to read meters simultaneously when there are
fluctuating readings on the meters

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Edexcel Physics A Level
Core Practical 4

Determine the Viscosity of a Liquid

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Method

Zero a mass balance with a 250cm3 measuring cylinder on top

Pour washing up liquid up to the 200cm3 mark, record the mass and determine the density
of the liquid using:
=

Measure the mass of the ball bearing using a top pan balance
Measure diameter of the ball bearing with micrometer (at several positions and find
average). Halve the diameter to get radius. Find volume of ball:
4
=
3
Calculate density of the ball bearing
Place elastic bands along the measuring cylinder 10cm apart, measured with a ruler
Drop the ball into the cylinder (use forceps to hold it securely)
Start the stopwatch when the ball touches the top of the washing up liquid, lap when the
bottom of the ball just passes a rubber band
Record these 2 times (t 1 and t 2 )
Repeat two more times with the same radius sphere
Repeat procedure for ball bearing with the same mass but varying radii
For each radius, find average t 1 and t 2 , calculate velocities, v 1 and v 2 and average to find v avg
for each radius
For each radius (where s is density of the ball bearing, and l is density of liquid) find the

2( )
=
9

Average the viscosity values to find mean viscosity

Safety
Spilled liquid can make it easier to slip on floors so mop up any spills
Use gloves if allergic to liquid
Wear goggles to avoid splashes in eye

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Evaluation
Keep temp roughly the same as it may change the viscosity of oil
Ensure the lap timer is hit for constant parts of the ball (i.e. right at the bottom of the ball)
Larger distance between elastic bands will lower percentage uncertainty, but there will still
be a high uncertainty in time due to human reaction time.
Light gates and data loggers can be used to eliminate uncertainty due to reaction time
Strong magnet could be used to remove ball bearings from the tube
If ball falls close to wall, repeat reading since the flow will no longer be laminar
If velocity at second band higher than first band, ball bearing might not have reached
terminal velocity when you started timing, so move bands further down tube and try again

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 Edexcel Physics A Level
Core Practical 5

Determine the Young’s Modulus of a Material

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Method

Using the micrometre screw gauge, measure the diameter of the wire (various points, 90o
angles, make an average) – and hence find the radius, r, in mm and convert to metres
Find cross sectional area, A, of wire in m2:
A= r

Set up equipment as shown above; clamp wire such that it is taut

Measure the distance between the two strips of paper tape; this is the original length, L
Add 100g masses at a time, each time measuring the new distance between the paper tape
o Calculate the force applied, F, as F = mass added x g
o Calculate the extension, x, as x = new length – original length
Repeat until the wire snaps
Calculate stress and strain for each value of F and x:
=

x
Strain =
L
Plot stress (y-axis) against strain (x-axis), find gradient of straight line section to find Young Modulus

Safety
Wire snaps and can recoil due to large amount of energy stored due to extension – wear
safety glasses whenever wire is under tension
Paper prevents wire from recoiling too much
Place tray with carpet under the masses to catch the masses when the wire snaps and
absorb energy upon impact with the floor
Do not stand directly under the masses

Evaluation
Use a large distance between the paper tape at the start, to reduce uncertainty
Use a thick enough wire to ensure that a wide range of values is given before the wire fails
(around 28SWG)
Wait for necking to finish before taking final length measurements
Area of the wire may not be constant so take several measures and find mean
For more precise reading, use smaller masses
Small extension hard to measure accurately; gives large percentage uncertainty
use a reference marker to avoid parallax when measuring extension;

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Edexcel Physics A Level
Core Practical 6

Determine the Speed of Sound in Air

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Method

Set timebase on oscilloscope to 100 ms/cm, and y-gain 0.1 volts/cm

Connect microphone to input on oscilloscope, activate second beam mode
Place microphone in front of the speaker and set signal generator to 1000Hz
Place a metre ruler between the signal generator and microphone
Move the microphone away from the loudspeaker, until the microphones wave has moved
one full wavelength along the signal generator’s wave, so the peaks and troughs line up
Measure the distance using the metre ruler as one wavelength
Keep moving microphone back and recording the distances at which the traces line up until
1 metre is reached
Convert the measured distances so as to record the length of one complete wavelength
o for the 2nd result divide length by 2 for one wavelength
o for the 3rd result divide length by 3 for one wavelength etc.
Find the mean wavelength
On the oscilloscope, find the time period (number of squares for 1 wavelength x timebase)
then invert (1/time period) to find actual frequency being produced
Vary the frequency on the signal generator to 2000Hz and 3000Hz and repeat procedure as
above
Calculate the speed of sound at each frequency using v=f and determine the mean speed of
sound

Safety
Hearing protection used as high frequency sound can be painful to listen to for long periods
of time
Sound not too loud to avoid ear damage

Evaluation
Changing the timebase until only 1 wavelength is shown, reduces uncertainty in
measurements
Finding the frequency from the oscilloscope overcomes uncertainties in the signal generator
Make sure oscilloscope dial is in calibrate position
The time interval is very small, so maximise the distance between microphones

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 Edexcel Physics A Level
Core Practical 7

Factors affecting the Frequency of a Vibrating String

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Method 1: Effect of Tension on Frequency
Attach 10g of mass to the end of the pulley and calculated tension as followed:
= ×
Switch on transducer and increase frequency until first harmonic is formed
First harmonic is observed when there is a standing wave on the string with 2 nodes and 1
antinode (wavelength = twice the length of the string)

Using timebase on oscilloscope, find frequency of first harmonic – record the frequency
Increase the amount of mass up to 100g in 10g increments, finding the first harmonic,
frequency and tension each time
Plot frequency against tension and frequency against square root tension to investigate the
relationship between the two variables

Method 2
Measure the mass and length of the string between transducer and pulley using a metre
ruler and a mass balance

=
Keep 10g of mass on the end of the pulley (keep tension constant) and the length of the
string constant
Change the string’s mass per unit length by using a thicker string or different material
Plot frequency against and draw line of best fit to determine the relationship between the
two variables

Method 3: Effect of Length on Frequency

Measure the length of the string between transducer and pulley using a metre ruler
Keep 10g of mass on the end of the pulley (keep tension constant)
Change length of string between pulley and transducer ( )

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 Record and plot fundamental frequency against length to find the effect of length on
fundamental frequency

Safety
No major hazards – string is elastic so won’t snap easily, low masses used, pulley firmly
attached to bench

Evaluation
Using oscilloscope overcomes uncertainty in signal generator
To measure one variable (Tension, Length, Mass/length) keep the other two constants
Don’t use heavier masses, in order to keep low frequencies required to form the first
harmonic
Set timebase on oscilloscope so one wavelength is on the display, to reduce uncertainty in
measuring the distance across timebase
Uncertainty at nodes measuring wavelength due to blur
For graphs, the following relationship applies:

= =

x length of string, T is tension and f is the fundamental frequency

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Edexcel Physics A Level
Core Practical 8

Determine the Wavelength of light

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Method 1: Double-slit Experiment

Shine monochromatic light (same wavelength) through 2 slits and to produce 2 coherent
wave sources
o If you use 2 sources the two waves will not be coherent
o Slits must be small enough to cause the diffraction of light and close enough to allow
interference
The coherent waves will interfere as they overlap
o Points of constructive interference form bright fringes on the screen
o Points of destructive interference form dark fringes on the screen
Measure the slit to screen distance, D, in metres
Measure the slit to slit distance, a, in metres
Measure the fringe separation, x
Calculate the wavelength as followed:
ax
=
D

Safety
Do not look into the laser, can cause eye damage

Evaluation
Conduct experiment in a darkened room as the light intensity is low, so the fringes are difficult
to see
In polychromatic (white) light, each colour has own set of fringes which overlap to blurred
fringes, but the edges of the fringe can be sharpened using a colour filter
o This provides more accurate values of x
Reduce percentage uncertainty in x by measuring across all fringes and diving by the no. of
fringes
Increase slit to screen distance to increase fringe separation (but this reduces the intensity of
light reaching the screen)

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Method 2: Diffraction Grating

Set up equipment as shown above with the diffraction grating at right angles to the light
from the laser, parallel to the screen
Find the slit width which is
Measure the distance, D, between grating and the screen with a metre rule
Measure the distance, x, by measuring the distance between the first orders and diving by 2
(to get the mean x between the 1st order and 0th order)
Using small angle approximations, find ( )
ENSURING YOUR CALCULATOR IS IN RADIANS – find wavelength using:
dsin
=
n

o – Wavelength of light (m)

o d – Slit width
o – Beam angle
o n – Order used (e.g. for 1st order, n=1)
Repeat for more order lines to get an average of wavelength
Repeat for a diffraction grating with a different number of slits per metre and average

Safety
Do not look into the laser, can cause eye damage

Evaluation
If slit width is bigger (less slits/metre) the pattern will not spread out as much
o if d is larger, Sin is smaller so, individual maxima are sharper
Place laser far enough from diffraction grating that a good spread of diffraction patterns can
be seen
Conduct experiment in a dark room
Use a Vernier scale to record x, in order to reduce percentage uncertainty
Larger grating to screen distance makes all x values greater, so reduces uncertainty
Measure from nth order on one side to other nth order on other side, so distance measured
larger so lower percentage uncertainty in x
Use grating with more lines per mm, so values of x greater so lower percentage uncertainty

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