Experiments for Physics ATP:
HEAT:
Calculating Heat Capacity:
Apparatus: Solid block (specific heat capacity of which is to measured), Drill, Thermometer,
Heater (of known power), Cotton wool.
Procedure:
-Drill two holes in the block.
-Measure the mass of the block.
-Place the heater in one of the blocks, the thermometer in the other.
- Use cotton wool to properly insulate/lag the block.
-Note the initial temperature of block.
- Turn on the heater for 300s.
-Calculate Heat Energy Supplied by heater using formula Q=Pt.
-Note the final temperature of block.
-Specific heat capacity = Q/m*(change in temperature).
Calculating Cooling Rate of Water:
Apparatus: Heater, Thermometer, Beaker, Stopwatch, Beaker containing Water.
Procedure:
-Place the heater into the beaker and turn it on to raise the temperature of water to 60 deg.
-Stir the contents of the water and place thermometer into the beaker.
-Note the starting temperature and turn on the stopwatch.
-Take readings of the thermometer and stopwatch at regular intervals (for e.g. 60 sec).
-Draw up a table and plot a graph to conclude your experiment.
Discussing the Cooling Effect of Evaporation.
Apparatus: Clothe, Tap, Thread, Beaker containing water at r.t.p, Thermometer.
-Wet the clothe by running tap water on it, when it is completely soaked, tie it to the sides of the
beaker using the thread.
-Place the thermometer in the water and note the reading.
-After 2-3 regular intervals note the reading.
-The temperature will be lower than the initial temperature hence proving that evaporation
causes cooling.
Picking a better insulator:
Apparatus: Two large cans, two small cans, cotton wool, polystyrene beads, boiling water,
thermometers, stopwatch.
Procedure:
-Put the small cans into the large cans and insulate the small can with the help of (a) cotton wool
and (b)polystyrene beads.
-Pour the boiling water into the small cans and place the thermometers in them.
-Start the stopwatch and take readings of temperature at regular intervals.
-Plot two tables for each insulator.
-The small can that has the higher temperature over the fixed period is better insulated.
-Hence, the object that provides a less temperature loss over the period is the better insulator.
LIGHT:
Refraction of Light using Ray Box:
Apparatus: Ray Box, Rectangular piece of glass, Plain paper, Pencil..
Procedure:
-Place the Plain paper below the rectangular piece of glass.
-Project a ray towards the glass.
-Make two points to mark the incident ray, two to mark the refracted ray and two to mark the
emergent ray.
-Join all the lines. Measure the angles. Calculate refractive index.
-Repeat with different angles. Snell's law - Shown.
Reflection of Light using Pins:
Apparatus: Pins, Mirror.
Procedure:
-Place two pins infront of the prism to represent the incident ray.
-Look for the reflection of the pins on the mirror.
-Place the pins on the reflection to represent reflected ray.
-Draw a normal and measure the angles.
-Angle i = Angle r, proving laws of reflection.
ELECTRICITY:
Effect of temperature on resistor:
Apparatus: Resistor, Battery, Connecting wires, Ammeter, Voltmeter, Oven.
Procedure:
-Make a circuit with the battery, connecting wires, ammeter and voltmeter, resistor.
-Measure the resistance of the resistor using the formula R=V/I.
-Heat the resistor in the oven. Place the resistor back into the circuit.
-Measure the readings again and calculate R=V/I.
-Draw up a conclusion about how the resistance increases as temperature increases.
SOUND:
Speed of Sound (direct method):
Apparatus: Two observers, Gun, Stopwatch.
-The two observers are set apart at a known distance.
-One observer has the gun, the other has the stopwatch.
-Observer A fires the gun, Observer B starts the stopwatch when he sees the puff of smoke.
-Observer B stops the stopwatch when he hears the sound. The time is noted.
-Speed = Distance/Time is applied.
-The observers swap positions and repeat the experiment.
-The values are averaged and the speed of sound is obtained.
Speed of Sound (indirect method):
Apparatus: Two observers, Large building, stopwatch.
Procedure:
-The observers are stand side by side, their distance from the building is measured.
-Observer A yells/claps. Observer B starts the stopwatch on hearing the first yell.
-Observer B stops the stopwatch when he hears the echo.
-Speed = 2*distance/time
