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Date May 2018 Marks available 2 Reference code 18M.3.SL.TZ2.1
Level Standard level Paper Paper 3 Time zone 2
Command term Estimate and Determine Question number 1 Adapted from N/A

Question

To determine the acceleration due to gravity, a small metal sphere is dropped from rest and the time it takes to fall through a known distance and open a trapdoor is measured.

M18/4/PHYSI/SP3/ENG/TZ2/01

The following data are available.

Diameter of metal sphere = 12.0 ± 0.1  mm Distance between the point of release and the trapdoor = 654 ± 2  mm Measured time for fall = 0.363 ± 0.002  s

Determine the distance fallen, in m, by the centre of mass of the sphere including an estimate of the absolute uncertainty in your answer.

[2]
a.

Using the following equation

acceleration due to gravity = 2 × distance fallen by centre of mass of sphere (measured time to fall) 2

calculate, for these data, the acceleration due to gravity including an estimate of the absolute uncertainty in your answer.

[4]
b.

Markscheme

distance fallen = 654 – 12 = 642 «mm»

absolute uncertainty = 2 + 0.1 «mm» ≈ 2 × 10–3 «m» or = 2.1 × 10–3 «m» or 2.0 × 10–3 «m»

 

Accept answers in mm or m

[2 marks] 

a.

«a 2 s t 2 = 2 × 0.642 0.363 2 » = 9.744 «ms–2»

fractional uncertainty in distance = 2 642 AND fractional uncertainty in time = 0.002 0.363

total fractional uncertainty = Δ s s + 2 Δ t t  «= 0.00311 + 2 × 0.00551»

total absolute uncertainty = 0.1 or 0.14 AND same number of decimal places in value and uncertainty, ie: 9.7 ± 0.1 or 9.74 ± 0.14

 

Accept working in % for MP2 and MP3

Final uncertainty must be the absolute uncertainty

[4 marks]

b.

Examiners report

[N/A]
a.
[N/A]
b.

Syllabus sections

Core » Topic 1: Measurements and uncertainties » 1.2 – Uncertainties and errors
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