Curriculum
- 25 Sections
- 92 Lessons
- 70 Hours
- 1.1 - Physical quantities and measurement techniques5
- 1.1Use of rulers and measuring cylinders to find a length or a volume
- 1.2Describe how to measure a variety of time intervals using clocks and digital timers
- 1.3Determine an average value for a small distance and for a short interval of time by measuring multiples (including the period of oscillation of a pendulum)
- 1.4Quiz Test 1Copy10 Minutes2 Questions
- 1.5TestCopy
- 1.2 - Motion4
- 1.3 - Mass and weight1
- 1.4 - Density1
- 1.5 - Forces5
- 1.6 - Momentum1
- 1.7 - Energy, work and power5
- 1.8 - Pressure1
- 2.1 - Kinetic particle model of matter5
- 2.2 - Thermal properties and temperature5
- 2.3 - Transfer of thermal energy5
- 3.1 - General properties of waves6
- 3.2 - Light7
- 3.3 - Electromagnetic spectrum2
- 3.4 - Sound3
- 4.1 - Simple phenomenon of magnetism3
- 4.2 - Electrical quantities5
- 4.3 - Electric circuits7
- 18.1Circuit diagram – Circuit components and their functionsCopy
- 18.2Effective or equivalent resistance in series and parallel circuitsCopy
- 18.3Behaviour of series and parallel circuitsCopy
- 18.4Function of LDR (Light Dependent Resistor) and thermistorCopy
- 18.5Potential divider and potentiometerCopy
- 18.6Use of relay in a circuitCopy
- 18.7Diode in half and full wave rectifier bridgeCopy
- 4.4 - Electrical safety2
- 4.5 - Electromagnetic effects6
- 5.1 - The nuclear model of the atom2
- 5.2 - Radioactivity5
- 6.1 - Earth and the Solar System2
- 6.2 - Stars and the Universe3
- Paper 6 instructions3
Determine an average value for a small distance and for a short interval of time by measuring multiples (including the period of oscillation of a pendulum)
Learning Objectives
- The average value for a small distance
- Measurements of short intervals of time
- Understanding and Calculating the period of a simple pendulum
Contents to learn
Average value for small distance
For precise measurements of small distances, we take repeated measurements and then take their average.
- Repeated Measurements: Record the distance several times under the same conditions.
- Calculating the Average: Add all the measurements and divide by the number of readings.
Example
Find the length of a pencil.
Find the length of the pencil five times i.e. 5.1 cm, 5.2 cm, 5.1 cm, 5.3 cm, and 5.2 cm.
Average length = 5.1+5.2+5.1+5.3+5.2/5 = 5.18 cm
Measurements of short intervals of time
Measurement of short intervals of time is crucial in experiments due to human reaction time or short physical processes.
- Measurement of time: Use a digital stopwatch for time measurement and measure the time interval multiple times.
- Average Calculation: Sum all the recorded times and divide by the number of measurements to get the average.
Example: An object falls from a certain height and measures its average time when it collides with the ground.
We record readings four times i.e. 2.1 s, 2.2 s, 2.1 s, and 2.2 s.
Average time = (2.1 + 2.2 + 2.1 + 2.2) s / 4 = 2.15 s.
Understanding and Calculating the period of a simple pendulum
Simple pendulum
A point mass attached with an inextensible and weightless string whose other end is connected with fixed support (e.g. stand) is called a simple pendulum.
Basic terms of pendulum:
Oscillation
One Complete round trip of a pendulum is called oscillation i.e. form A→C→A→B and back to A
Time period (T)
Time taken by a pendulum to complete one oscillation.
Frequency (f)
It is a number of oscillations completed in one second.
f = 1/T
where f = frequency, measured in Hertz (Hz)
How to determine the time period of a pendulum using a stopwatch?
Set the pendulum into motion.
Note the time for 20 oscillations by using a stopwatch.
Find the time for one oscillation by using the formula
Period of one Oscillaiton =T = t/n
where t = time noted by watch
n = no. of oscillation
T = time period
Example
If 20 oscillations of a simple pendulum take 60 s
Period of one Oscillaiton =T = t/n = 60/20 =3 s
