Physics

IA2

Conditions

Context

You have completed the following practicals in class:

●     Conduct an experiment to determine the horizontal distance travelled by an object projected at various angles from the horizontal (mandatory practical).

●     Conduct an experiment to investigate the relationship between the centripetal force acting on an object moving in a circle of constant radius and the frequency of revolution.

●     Conduct an experiment to investigate the effects of electrostatic charge on various materials, e.g. on trickling water, Coulomb meter.

Task

Modify (i.e. refine, extend or redirect) an experiment in order to address your own related hypothesis or question.

You may use a practical performed in class, a related simulation or another practical related to Unit 3 (as negotiated with your teacher) as the basis for your methodology and research question.

In order to complete the assessment task, students must:

●      identify an experiment to modify*

●     develop a research question to be investigated*

●     research relevant background scientific information to inform the modification of the research question and methodology

●     conduct a risk assessment and account for risks in the methodology*

●     conduct the experiment*

●     collect sufficient and relevant qualitative data and/or quantitative data to address the research question*

●     process and present the data appropriately

●     analyse the evidence to identify trends, patterns or relationships

●     analyse the evidence to identify uncertainty and limitations

●     interpret the evidence to draw conclusion/s to the research question

●     evaluate the reliability and validity of the experimental process

●     suggest possible improvements and extensions to the experiment

●     communicate findings in an appropriate scientific genre (e.g. report, poster presentation, journal article, conference presentation).

*The steps indicated with an asterisk above may be completed in groups. All other elements must be completed individually.

Scientific inquiry is a non-linear, iterative process. Students will not necessarily

complete these steps in the stated order; some steps may be repeated or revisited

Checkpoints

 Week 2: Select experiment and identify proposed modifications.

 Week 3-4: Perform experiment and process data.

 Week 4: Analyse and evaluate evidence.

 Week 5: Submit draft.

 Week 7: Submit final response.

Authentication strategies

●     Teacher will supervise task completion during allocated class time.

●     Teacher will undertake cross-referencing during allocated class time and at check- points

●     You will provide documentation of your progress at indicated checkpoints

●     Your teacher will collect and annotate a draft.

●     You must acknowledge all sources.

●     You must submit a declaration of authenticity.

●     Your teacher will compare the responses of students who have worked together in groups.

●     When working as part of a group, your individual response is assessed by your individual performance in the assessment technique/task.

●     You will use Turnitin to submit your response.

Scaffolding

The response must be presented as a scientific report with report sections (and possibly sub-sections if you choose) separated by titles (and sub-titles if you choose).

For example:

Title                                 Results

Introduction                        - Raw data

- Rationale                             - Formulas and example calculations

- Research question                - Processed data

Methodology                      Analysis

- Class practical              Discussion

- Modifications               - Interpretation

- Risk assessment           - Evaluation

                                           - Suggestions and recommendations

                                      Resources

Your scientific report must address the performance descriptors in the ISMG and it is recommended that you plan which performance descriptors you will address in each  section of your report. For example:

Below is an example of how one of the practicals could be modified to develop a research question.

Note: You cannot use this sample research question for your experiment

Practical that will be modified: Conduct an experiment to investigate the parallel

component of the weight of an object down an inclined plane at various angles.

Research question: What is the relationship between the angle of inclination and the

magnitude of the frictional force for a given rectangular-based wooden object on a given wooden surface?

Developing the research question: