Physics Paper 2 required practicals

Ripple tank (6 steps)

1. Set up a ripple tank 5cm deep with water

2. Adjust height of wooden rod so it touches surface of water

3. Switch on lamp + monitor

4. Measure lengths of a few waves + find mean wavelength

5. Count no. waves passing a point in 10s then ÷10 to find frequency

6. Calculate wave speed using equation

Waves in a solid (6 steps)

1. Attach string to vibration generator + hang 200g mass and pulley to pull string taught

2. Place wooden bridge under string near pulley

3. Switch on vibration generator + adjust wooden bridge until stationary waves can be seen

4. Measure lengths of a few half waves then ÷no. waves then x2 to find wavelength

5. Frequency = frequency power supply

6. Calculate wave speed using equation

Ray box (8 steps)

1. Set up a ray box, slit and lens so a narrow ray of light is produced

2. Place a 30cm ruler near middle of A3 paper : draw straight line parallel to longer sides + second line at right angle to this line (label N for normal)

3. Place longest side of rectangular acrylic polymer against first line + draw block

4. Use ray box to shine a ray of light at point where normal meets block (incident ray)

5. Move paper to change angle of incidence

6. Mark pathway of incident ray, reflected ray and ray leaving box with crosses

7. Remove block and join crosses to show paths of light rays

8. Repeat with glass block

Infrared (4 steps)

1. Place a Leslie cube on a heat resistant mat

2. Fill it with boiling water + replace lid

3. Leave for a minute to let surfaces heat to temp. water

4. Use IR detector to measure intensity of IR from each surface

Stretching a spring (8 steps)

1. Secure a clamp stand to bench using a G clamp

2. Use bosses to attach 2 clamps to clamp stand

3. Attach spring to top clamp and ruler to bottom

4. Adjust ruler so vertical + - mark level with top of spring

5. Measure + record length of spring

6. Add 100g slotted mass carrier to hang on spring

7. Measure and record new length of spring

8. Keep adding masses and recording new length until total of 1kg mass

Acceleration (8 steps)

1. Position an air track on a bench with a pulley at one end and 2 light gates above the track

2. Cut an interrupt card and attach it to an air track glider

3. Connect the glider to a hanging mass by a string the length of the air track, passing over the bench pulley - make sure the card will pass through both light gates before the mass strikes the foor

4. Set data logging software to calculate acceleration

5. Add 5x 20g slotted hanging masses to end of string

6. Release glider, record weight + acceleration

7. Repeat 2x and find a mean

8. Repeat removing 1 slotted mass each time