PHYSICS REPORT

Name : Muhamad Izzul Syahmi bin Mohd Rizal

Topic : Centripetal Force In Circular Motion
Date : 29/9/2015
Partner: Muhammad Aiman Ridwan Bin Mohd Hafash

Research Question: Part 1 : Does the radius of the circular motion affect
the centripetal force

Part 2 : Does the mass of the stopper affect its

frequency of rotation in a circular motion

Independent/Manipulated Variable: Part 1 : Radius of the circular

motion, cm
Part 2 : Mass of the stopper, g

Dependent/Responding Variable: Part 1 : Centripetal force, N

Part 2 : Frequency of rotation in a

circular motion

Fix/Constant Variable: Part 1 : Mass of stopper, g

Part 2 : Length of the string, cm

Apparatus & Material:

1. Meter Ruler
2. Digital Watch
3. Glass rod
4. String
5. Stopper
6. Electroni Balance

Labelled Diagram :

Part 1
Procedure :
1. The mass of the stopper was measured by using electronic balance and
the mass was recorded.
2. The long cord was cut into a smaller length and both end points of the
thread was tied to the stopper and a glass rod
3. The length of the cord was measured using a metre ruler from the glass
rod to the stopper which is 51.0cm.
4. The height from the rotation to the table was recorded which is 7.5cm
and kept constant
5. The stopper was rotated 20 times by using hand on the table acted as a
ground.
6. The time taken for a complete 20 rotations was recorded.
7. Steps 4 and 5 were repeated 4 times and the average reading was taken.
8. Steps 3,4,5, and 6 were repeated by using different length of cord from
the glass rod to the stopper which are 41.5cm, 30.0cm, 21.0cm and
11.5cm effectively.
9. The horizontal length was measured by using formula
10. A suitable graph was plotted to determine the relationship between
the variables.

Data Collection :

Length
of cord,

Horizontal
Length of

Rr ( cord,
0.0005
m)

Rx

Time Taken for 20 Complete

t
Oscillations/ s

(0.01s)

Centripeta
l Force, Fc
2

Average Time, t

for

M n 4 Rx
t2

Fc

0.5100

13.15

12.31

13.06

13.59

13.03 0.53

0.5241

0.0473

0.4150

0.5045
0.0039
0.4082

12.12

9.65

11.32

11.22

11.08 1.03

0.4241

0.0382

0.3000

0.2905

10.10

10.10

9.93

9.93

10.02 0.10

0.3018

0.0273

0.2150

0.2015

8.85

8.71

8.94

8.91

8.85 0.10

0.2093

0.0191

0.1150

0.0872

7.31

7.57

7.72

7.41

7.50 0.18

0.0906

0.0085

Calculation for Horizontal Length of Cord, Rx :

Rx= R r2R y 2

Rx= ( 0.51 ) ( 0.075 )

2

Rx=0.5045

Calculation for Uncertainties of Horizontal Length of Cord,

[ ( ) ( )]

Rx 1
Rr
Ry
= 2
+2
Rx
2
Rr
Ry

[(

Rx
1
0.0005
0.0005
= 2
+2
0.5045 2
0.51
0.075

) (

)]

Rx :

 Rx=0.0039

Calculation for Averange of time taken :

1
2
3
4
x = x + x + x + x
N

x =

13.15+ 12.31+13.06+ 13.59

4

x =13.03

Calculation for Uncertainties of Average of time taken,

t=

(X x )2
i= x

N1

(13.1513.03)2 +(12.3113.03)2 +(13.0613.03)2 +(13.5913.03)2

t=
3
t=0.53

Calculation for Centripetal Force, Fc :

Mn 4 R
Fc=
2
t

Fc=

0.01117 20 2 4 2 0.5045
13.032

Fc=0.5241 N

Calculation for Uncertainties for Centripetal Force, Fc :

Fc=

M R
t
+
+2
Fc
M
R
t

Fc=

0.00001 0.0005
0.53
+
+2
+0.5241
0.01118 0.51
13.03

Fc=0.0473

Drawing Graph :

Percentage error :
% error =

Actual valueTheoretical value

x 100
Theoretical value

9.819.88
x 100
9.81

= 0.7%

Evaluation :
Precaution steps taken during the experiment :
1. The fan need to be switched off during the experiment to have an
accurate reading.

2. The stopper was rotated on the table to have a constant vertical

length.

3. The movement of the hand that was rotating the stopper was limited.
4. The length of cord were in small measurements to smoothen the
rotation of the cord.

Limitations :
0
1. The horizontal rotation O could no achieve accurately

2. The apparatus given was not suffice for the experiment

3. Force applied by the hand to rotate the stopper was not constant
4. Time taken for the rotation was not accurate because of the human
reaction.

Improvement :
1. Rotate the stopper upright.
2. The experiment should be repeated until achieve a constant reading.
3. Use a suitable machine to rotate the stopper instead of hand.
4. Use a motion sensor to measure the time taken.
5.

Conclusion :
Based on the experiment, we can see that the acceleration due to gravity
can be obtained by knowing the time period oscillation in 30 second of a
pendulum bob. As it can be seen from the data table and the graph, the
value of the acceleration due to gravity is 9.88, which is close to the actual
value of the acceleration due to gravity which is 9.81. Therefore, it is proven
that the the simple harmonic motion of a pendulum does affect the
acceleration due gravity.

Part 2
Procedure :
1. The length of the cord was measured using a metre ruler which is
31.5cm and kept constant.
2. The mass of a stopper was measured using electronic beam balance
which is 11.18g and the mass was recorded.
3. Both of the end points of the cord was tied with glass rod and embed to
the stopper by using a stapler.
4. The height from the rotation to the table was recorded which is 7.5cm
and was kept constant.
5. The stopper was rotated for 10 seconds.
6. The number of rotation was recorded in 10 seconds.
7. Steps 4 and 5 were repeated 3 times and the average reading was taken.
8. Steps 2,3,4,5,6 and 7 were repeated by using different type of stopper
that have different mass which are 20.13g and 21.06g.
9. The horizontal length was measured by using formula
10. A suitable graph was plotted to determine the relationship between
the variable and the graph was used to find the centripetal force.

Data Collection :

Mass of the
stopper/

Time Taken for 20 Complete

Oscillations/T (0.01s)

Frequency of
rotation, f

20
T

Mr
(0.00001kg)

Average Time, T

0.01118

10.59

10.90

9.56

10.35

0.02013

10.81

11.00

11.06

0.02106

10.35

9.81

10.16

0.70
10.96 0.58
10.11 0.27

57.14

Calculation for Horizontal Length of Cord, Rx :

Rx= R r2R y 2

Rx= ( 0.315 ) ( 0.075 )

2

Rx=0.306

Calculation for Uncertainties of Horizontal Length of Cord,

[ ( ) ( )]

Rx 1
Rr
Ry
= 2
+2
Rx
2
Rr
Ry

Rx :

for
fc

3.86

[(

Rx 1
0.0005
0.0005
= 2
+2
0.306 2
0.315
0.075

) (

)]

Rx=0.0025

Calculation for Averange of time taken :

1
2
3
x = x + x + x
N

x =

10.59+ 10.90+ 9.56

3

x =10.35

Calculation for Uncertainties of Average of time taken,

t=

t=

(X x )2
i= x

N1

(10.5910.35) +(10.9010.35) +(9.5610.35)

2

 t=0.70

Calculation for Frequency of rotation, f :

f=

20
T

f=

20
10.35

f =57.14

Calculation for Uncertainties of frequency of rotation,

f=

( TT ) f

f=

0.70
( 10.35
) 57.14

f =3.86

f: