Practical Skills

Question 1

Put these prefixes in order of ascending size: centi, micro, pico, nano, milli, femto.

Answer 1

femto, pico, nano, micro, milli, centi

Question 2

Put these in ascending order and say their power: mega, giga, kilo, tera.

Answer 2

kilo {k} (10^3), mega {M} (10^6), giga {G} (10^9), tera {T} (10^12)

Question 3

What is the independent variable?

Answer 3

What is changed in the course of the experiment

Question 4

What is the difference between a reading and a measurement?

Answer 4

A reading is a value found from a single judgement e.g. looking at a thermometer or ruler, whereas a measurement is multiple readings combined - for example using a stopwatch where there is uncertainty both at the start and stopping points

Question 5

How much uncertainty do you add for a reading?

Answer 5

+ or - 0.5 of the resolution

Question 6

How much uncertainty do you add for a measurement?

Answer 6

As it has to comprise of more than one reading, measurements are mostly taken as at least + or - 1 of the resolution

Question 7

What is the resolution of a micrometer?

Answer 7

+ or - 0.01 mm as shown on the barrel

Question 8

What can you do to reduce uncertainty and what is the calculation to determine how much you have reduced it by?

Answer 8

Do many repeat measurements, and you would do uncertainty of the whole measurement/the number of instances

Question 9

What are two commonly forgotten tips to use when counting oscillations of a pendulum?

Answer 9

Only start counting after one or two oscillations have already passed, use a fiducial marker

Question 10

Which variable goes on which axis of an experimental graph?

Answer 10

y = dependent variable, x = independent

Question 11

What does the time base mean on an oscilloscope?

Answer 11

The amount of time one square represents