Lab #1: The Sphere Rolling Down the Ramp Into the Plastic Truncated Cone (2022/2023)

  Initial Predictions, Observations, Inferences:

Predictions
Observations
Inferences

Materials:

• ramp placemat with ruler in cm
• plastic cup with “door” cut out
• ruler (cm)
• A marble
• Wood block
• masking tape

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

Data Table 1: Distance (cm) the marble ball pushes the plastic cup
Starting Height = __._cm	Trial 1	Trial 2	Trial 3	Average
sphere = marble				__._cm

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.   Record your observations and inferences. 

Variables:

Independent
Dependent
Constants

Data Table 2: Distance (cm) the marble ball pushes the plastic cup
Starting Height = __._cm	Trial 1	Trial 2	Trial 3
sphere = marble				__._cm

Hypothesis: If I change this variable (Independent Variable),

then the cup will be affected in this way (Dependent Variable),

and I think this because.....

               If I change ______________________ then

the cup will ______________________________;

and this is my reasoning ______________________.

Data Table 3: Distance (cm) the marble ball pushes the plastic cup
Starting Height = __._cm	Trial 1	Trial 2	Trial 3
sphere = marble				__._cm

Data Table 4: Distance (cm) the marble ball pushes the plastic cup
Starting Height = __._cm	Trial 1	Trial 2	Trial 3
sphere = marble				__._cm

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. 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.

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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. Propose: What could you do to your experimental setup to increase the amount of energy that the cup moves?  i.e. How can we get the plastic cup to move even further?

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7.  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.