Simple and easy EPI (SAC/Prac) Ideas?

[thatisanote]

Equip available to me is
 - the usual stuff: balances, balls, dynamics trolleys, stopwatches, string, etc
 - motion sensor (uses Logger Lite software)

Please suggest one that will be simple enough to get a good mark on. Our teacher has been constantly emphasizing choosign a really simple prac idea.

[Xavier1234]

you can always go with the mgh=1/2mv^2 E conservation law. what i did in my sac was measure the actual and compare it with the predicted height. then graph it, and explain. was pretty simple and got a good mark on it. problem is the experiment idea itself is fairly simple, hence popular so you might have clashes with other people. well i certainly did, so yeah. anyways goodluck
 

[schnappy]

Are you doing it in class or do you get to do the full write up outside of class? Will determine how intricate it should be.

[thatisanote]

Xavier, nice idea may end up using that.

Doing it in class - got some more info today,
need to choose by tonight (wednesday)

Teacher has said to do one of
 - coefficient of restitution (bouncing balls)
 - projectile motion (air resistance, different objects)
 - incline planes and the effect of friction (different surfaces)
 - terminal velocity
 - uniform centripetal motion with different types of thread/line (we did a prac where you hang a mass from fishing line and then spin another item around on the other end of the string)
 - vertical circular motion

i'm probably thinking either doing the bouncing balls and comparing the heights attained with the variable either being the type of ball, surface it lands on or the height it is dropped from; inclined plane with different surfaces (table vs newspaper vs cardboard); or now the conservation of energy as suggested by xavier

[thatisanote]

Okay Xavier, went with your idea

We are doing a pendulum type thing, with a retort stand, then a piece of string connected to a weight holder, which we then swing and will use the formula T = 2pi*sqrt(length of string in cm/gravity)

what should we do for the variables?
were thinking doing string length, and also showing that mass doesn't impact the time, and showing that the release hight doesn't impact the time

[schnappy]

Well I'd suggest doing something that requires experimentation (eg. friction) rather than a purely mathematical problem.