Practical skills

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12
Question 2
Hard

A student plans to investigate the effect of temperature on the viscosity of motor oil by measuring the rate of fall (terminal velocity) of a steel ball bearing through a column of the oil.

The apparatus consists of a tall glass measuring cylinder filled with motor oil, placed inside a larger water bath. Two horizontal marker bands are wrapped around the cylinder at a fixed distance apart. The student is provided with identical steel ball bearings, a thermometer, a stopwatch, a ruler, and a magnet.

Describe how the student could use this apparatus to investigate the effect of temperature on the rate of fall of the ball bearing.

In your answer you should include:

  • how to change and monitor the temperature of the oil (the independent variable)
  • the variables that need to be kept constant (controlled variables)
  • the measurements that should be taken to determine the rate of fall.
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Practical skills Questions

  1. GCSE
  2. /Biology
  3. /Practical skills