O-LevelPhysicsForces5054/31 · May/June 2023 · Q314 Marks

In this experiment you will investigate a falling mass. You have been provided with: • a pulley attached to a stand • two 100g mass hangers attached by a length of string • a metre rule • a stop-watch • one piece of adhesive putty labelled 5.0g • four other pieces of putty each with mass 2.0g. The supervisor has set up the apparatus as shown in Fig. 3.1. Do not remove the pulley from the stand.[Figure 3.1]

(a)(i)The bottom of mass hanger A is at a height h above the floor as shown in Fig. 3.1. (i) Measure h. h = ...................................... cm[1]
(a)(ii)Describe one source of error when measuring h and suggest one improvement to the procedure to reduce this error. source of error improvement[2]
(b)(i)Place the piece of adhesive putty labelled 5.0g on mass hanger A. (i) Take two measurements t₁ and t₂ of the time it takes for the mass hanger to fall to the floor and determine the average time tAV for the mass hanger to fall to the floor. You may need to give the hanger a gentle push to start the movement. Show your working. tAV = ......................................[2]
(b)(ii)Add one 2.0g piece of adhesive putty to hanger A. There is now a total mass m of 7.0g of putty on the hanger. Repeat (b)(i). Continue adding further 2.0g masses, one at a time, and repeating (b)(i) until there is a total mass m of 13.0g of putty on the hanger. Record all your measurements, including (b)(i), in Table 3.1. Complete the headings and give units. total mass m of putty on hanger Table 3.1[3]
(c)On the grid provided on page 9, plot a graph of time tAV on the y-axis against the total mass m of putty on the x-axis. Draw the best-fit curve.[4]
(d)Describe the relationship between tAV and m shown by the graph.[2]

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Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2023). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[1] (a)(i) candidate's measurement, 98.0 ± 1.0 cm, to nearest mm ;
[1] (a)(ii) One source of error specifically aimed at reducing that error in measuring the height h, e.g. Source of error: difficult to hold rule still; or source of error: difficult to put rule vertical;
[1] (a)(ii) One improvement to the procedure to reduce this error, e.g. improvement: use a set square set against the base of rule ; or improvement: use a clamp to hold the rule in place ; (The second mark for improvement cannot be awarded if no source of error is given. Improvement must match source of error.)
[1] (b)(i) Two measurements of time written down and average calculated ;
[1] (b)(i) to more than 1 significant figure and correctly rounded ;
[1] (b)(ii) column headings with units and separators () or /;
[1] (b)(ii) five sets of readings of t(av) with correct trend;
[1] (b)(ii) consistent recording of raw time readings (d.p. or sig.figs);
[1] (c) axes labelled with units ;
[1] (c) suitable, convenient, sensible scale ;
[1] (c) all values in table plotted to nearest ½ small square ;
[1] (c) smooth curve of best fit ;
[1] (d) time decreases as mass increases ORA ;
[1] (d) non-linear (owtte) ;

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