Lab #1: The Sphere Rolling Down the Ramp Into the Plastic Truncated Cone (2021/2022)

 Problem #1: How does the variable that I'm changing affect how far a cup will slide on a plastic map?

Initial Predictions, Observations, Inferences:

Predictions
Observations
Inferences

Materials:

• ramp placemat with ruler in cm
• plastic cup with “door” cut out
• plastic cup
• grooved ruler
• A golf ball, a marble, a ping pong ball
• masking tape

Variables:

Independent
Dependent
Constants

Procedure: (Written in numbered steps)

1. We set up our materials as instructed.
2. We released a sphere down a ramp
3.  The sphere rolled down the ramp and pushed the cup.
4.  The cup moves in the direction the sphere pushes it. 
5. 
   

Results A:

Data Table 1: Distance (cm) the golf ball pushes the plastic cup

	Trial 1	Trial 2	Trial 3	Average
Golf Ball
Mass of ball =  _____ grams

Data Table 2: Distance (cm) the ping pong ball pushes the plastic cup

	Trial 1	Trial 2	Trial 3	Average
Ping Pong Ball
Mass of ball =  _____ grams

Additional Predictions, Observations, Inferences:

Predictions
Observations
Inferences

Data Table 3: Distance (cm) the marble pushes the plastic cup

	Trial 1	Trial 2	Trial 3	Average
Marble
Mass of ball =  _____ grams

 Problem #2: How does the variable that I'm changing affect how far a cup will slide on a plastic map?

Hypothesis: If I change this variable (Independent variable) then the cup will be affected in this way (dependent variable).

Data Table 4: Distance (cm) the ball pushes the plastic cup

Starting Height	Trial 1	Trial 2	Trial 3	Average
Height #1
Height #2
Height #3

Variables:

Independent
Dependent
Constants

Observations, Inferences:

	Put your data/numbers into words
Observations	What are the numbers saying?
Inferences	Why?  What happened?  What does this mean?  Explain your observations!

Analysis:

1. a. Experiment 1: Where did the cup travel the farthest?  What property about that variable causes the difference?

b. Experiment 2: Where did the cup travel the farthest?  What property about that variable causes the difference?

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2. Why was it important to test each drop three times? Why have three trials instead of just one? Why calculate an average?

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3. What is the importance of only changing ONE variable, while keeping the other variables CONSTANT?

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4. Predict what you think would happen if we performed the same experiment with sandpaper as your surface (outside part).

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5. a. Predict what would happen if we used an iron sphere to roll down the ramp.

    b. Predict what would happen if we used a foam sphere to roll down the ramp.

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6.  Construct a bar graph showing your results.  Use the following information to assist you with the graph: x-axis - YOUR Independent Variable, y-axis - distance the cup moved (cm), title - bar graph comparing how MY INDEPENDENT VARIABLE affects the distance a cup moves after being pushed by a golf ball released from the same height. 

Conclusion

What was your problem?

Restate your hypothesis.  Was it right? wrong?  why or why not? Did you change your hypothesis in the middle of your investigation?  If so, why? How is this investigation connected to 'real life'?

What did you learn in this lab?

What did you like about this lab?

What were some challenges you had to deal with?

What could you do next with this problem?  What other tests could you perform?

Write down any other additional thoughts, observations, inferences, etc.