Tick-Tock Torture – or the EPI strikes back!

So here we go again – it’s time for your second chance at the Extended Practical Investigation (EPI). Before you even begin thinking about this one, you need to think about the first EPI you did.

Spend some time – recall what you had to do – the skills you had to use. Think about the assessment you completed; what was it like – how do you wish you had prepared for it?

Well now you have a second chance – it’s time for the EPI again. You know what the topic is (Determination of acceleration due to gravity by means of a pendulum), so you should be making plans *right now* as to how you are going to use your time.

You only have 3 periods, and you will be using the third to write your report. Here is a file that gives you some more specifics about the project, and here is the marking guide. You should be planning exactly how you will go about using your time. Here is a video that shows a similar experiment to the one you will do:

The student in the above video does some things right, but there are many improvements needed. Think about the following questions (the answers are not simply yes or no!)

1. Is the mass of the pendulum bob relevant? If yes, why? If no, why should you use one at all?
2. Is the pendulum string important? Why? What measurements of it should be made? How should it be strung to support the bob? How long should it be/ What length(s) will you use?
3. How should the pendulum be supported? Does the support matter?
4. How should the pendulum swing? Straight back and forward or otherwise? How wide should the arc of the pendulum be?
5. How will you measure the period of the oscillation? From which point to which point? Why?
6. Have you tried running this experiment at home and seeing what can go wrong with it?
7. Have you planned your time budget, and who will do what it your group?

Those are some starting questions, and if you don’t feel stressed, YOU SHOULD!

See you in class!

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