A student investigates how the mass of a glider on an inclined air track affects the time taken for it to slide down the track from rest over a fixed distance of 1.2 m. To vary the mass while keeping the aerodynamic shape of the glider constant, the student adds different numbers of identical flat metal plates on top of the glider.
This is the student's method:
The table lists some variables in this investigation.
Identify whether each variable is an independent variable, a dependent variable, or a control variable by selecting the correct category for each row.
| Variable | Independent variable | Dependent variable | Control variable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inclination of the air track | |||
| Number of added plates | |||
| Time taken to slide | |||
| Distance slid |
These are the student's raw results written in a notebook:
Draw a structured results table of the student’s results.
The graph shows the plotted results of the student's investigation:
(i) State the coordinates of the anomalous point on the graph.
Suggest how the student should deal with this anomalous result.
Suggest why the student did not start the vertical axis (time taken to slide) from zero.
