Investigatin a ski jump Essay Example for Free

Investigatin a ski jump Essay Aim:To investigate how the starting position of a ski jumper affects the horizontal distance travelled in the jump. I will not take air resistance, friction and other various type of energy lost into account, however in practical I have to keep in mind that they do exist and cause variation in my results. Introduction Ski jumping is a sport event that involves a steep ramp and a landing zone, where the skier has to travel as far as possible after leaving the ramp horizontally. When the skier is in motion in the air and the range it reaches is what I am investigating. This motion is called the projectile motion and the displacement, velocity and acceleration of the projectile are all vector quantities. Each of these can be placed into vertical and horizontal components. In my experiment, I will create a similar model of the ski jump using a plastic curtain rail as the slope and model the skier as a particle, in this case, a ball bearing. Diagram This is a diagram of the basic equipment setup This investigation has much room for expansion on the original above setup. The accuracy can be improved using a combination of more sensitive measuring equipment and a more accurate measuring setup. B 1. The friction between the ball and the curtain rail, along with the air resistance are neglible, therefore, will not be accounted for in this experiment. 2. The ball bearing is taken as a point, as the motion of a rolling ball differs from anything else. 3. Gravity does not affect the horizontal velocity Prediction/Hypothesis I have based my prediction on the calculated formula R=V(4hH). Ball Bearing Object that models skier as a particle Meter Ruler Will be used to measure the range (x) travelled by the ball and the height (h) of the starting position. Measurements recorded in metres. Set square To make sure the height obtained is perpendicular to the table G-Clamp This will clamp the curtain rail to the table Table Where the slope will be placed on and clamped to Sand Tray This will be placed on the floor in the spot where the ball will land, leaving its mark. Method Variables Controlled Variables Constants Launching position Height of table. Acceleration due to gravity Time of flight Mass of ball Velocity 1. Test all equipment to make sure there are no problems and also test the sensitivity of the sand tray. 2. Set up appartus as show in diagram. 3. Check all apparatus are set up correctly and clamps are tightened securely 4. Using the meter ruler mark the 1st height at which the ball will be dropped from. In my case, I am recording 8 different heights ranged 0. 20m 0. 55m. Each within a 0. 05m interval. 5. Using the set square against the height, the exact position of the ball is determined. 6. The ball is manually held in place at the desired height and released, allowing the ball to roll down the ramp and off the edge of the table, landing on the sand. 7. The distance from the edge of the table to the mark made in the sand is measured and then recoded. 8. This is process is then repeated untill all results have been collected. Safety Precautions There are few minor risks in doing this experiment, which with careful setting up and appropriate behaviour, can be avoided. These are: When bending down to record measurements of the range, it is possible to bas your head coming up. Simply be aware of your surroundings. Having a sand pit on the floor can prove to be an obstruction to passers-by and can be a hazard of tripping over. I will make sure there are no obstructions by the landing zone when in practise. The ball bearing is heavy enough to cause injury to anyone if hit by it. Keeping distance should prevent this. Data interpretation Alongside doing the experiment I will plot a graph. This will allow for any correlations to be spotted early on and then further predictions to be made. It will also allow the investigattion of anomalies. Therefore drawing a graph alongside the experiment allows for greater scientific accuracy and better end results. Sensitivity The sensitivity of this experiment is concerned with by the accuracy of the equipment available. For example, a much more accurate measuring device can be used to distinguish to an accuracy of i 0. 1mm, but the ruler markings are only accurate themselves to i 1mm. Therefore, this creates a small error and show that to get the best out of the results, the most accurate equipment should be used in all situations. Accuracy. The accuracy of this experiment can be improved in a number of ways: When reading the ruler the eye must be at the same level as the object, otherwise an incorrect value will be seen. The range measuring ruler must measure from the point the ball leaves the ramp, which in this case is the edge of the table. This means that it must be accurately aligned under the table, this can be achieved using a plumb line. It is facing directly downwards, allowing the ruler to be placed directly under the point at which the ball leaves the ramp. There may be a small error in the position of the plumbline of about i 2mm. The sand in which the ball drops into may be uneven and the mark made when the ball strikes the sand may prove to be difficult to measure precisely. A travelling microscope could be used to measure the precise impact with the sand. But considering the level of accuracy used throughout the rest of the experiment, this would be an inefficient method. Results Height h/cm Height Distance x/cm Distance xi /cmi xmean H/m /cm2 1st 2nd 3rd Mean 1st 2nd 3rd Mean 1st 2nd 3rd. There were no anomalous results recorded in this experiment Error in distance x To calculate the positive error in x, the Xmean value is taken away from the Xmax value. To calculate the negative error in x, the Xmiin value is taken away from the Xmean value. Distance xi /cmi xmean xmax xmin Positive Error Negative Error Analysis From looking at the graphs, a positive correlation between the squared value of the range and the height the ball is dropped from can be seen, although points vary from the line of best fit. The results prove that the equation is correct and that the range of a ball does depend mostly on the height it is dropped from and the height the ball leaves the ramp. The formula (Ri =4Hh) states that an increase in the drop height, h, increases the range of the ball. The results have proved this and my prediction to be correct. However, the percentage at which the graphs agree to this equation is: H = 92cm 4H = 368cm (expected) Gradient of distancei graph = 192. 3 (experimental) Expected gradient = 368 192. 3 x 100% = 52. 3% agreement. 368 Conclusion In conclusion the experiment occurs the following way: The ball is released with high gravitational potential energy as it rolls down the slope, this energy is converted into kinetic energy, the higher the drop height, the longer the ball is travelling down the slope, so more energy can be transferred giving more kinetic energy and hence more speed when the ball leaves the ramp. From the results it is also seen that there are other factors that affect the range as the gradient was smaller than expected. The equation is correct, but the only part that could affect the results in this way was the assumption that all energy was transferred. The transfer is likely to be less efficient than assumed, 100% energy transfer from potential energy to kinetic energy is extremely unlikely. The energy can be lost in a variety of ways which are the limitations. Limitations Air resistance is an important limiting factor as it would have the most affect on the results. This was not counted for when doing the experiment and therefore has some affect on the results. As the ball moves through the air, the air itself is putting up a resistance against the ball, lowering its speed, and its distance travelled. Air resistance is dependant on the size of the object, as the larger the object the more air it has to push to the side. It also depends upon the speed at which the object is travelling, as an object travelling at faster speeds has to push aside more air in the same time. This effect can be used to explain the slight curvature at the top of the graph. This is because the ball is travelling at higher speeds (because it is being dropped from greater heights), with more air resistance acting upon it due to the higher speeds, causing it to cover less distance. Evaluation The trend of the graph 2 is a very clear with a positve correlation. There can be three different ranges of the line of best fit but I have only drawn the most obvious one. The 1st line of best fit can be drawn from the origin through the top ends of the error bars, whereas the 2nd can be drawn through the bottom ends of the error bars. However, due to the error bars being so small, it will be very difficult to show these 3 lines together. The accuracy and sensitivity of the apparatus leaves a minor error in the results giving a range of different values for that particular result. Ie. At a height of 5cm, the mean result was 31. 33cm. However this can actually be smaller or bigger than this value considering the errors in apparatus. The position of the plumbline to mark the the edge of the table will have an estimated i 2mm, having to join 2 meter rulers together will have an estimated i 1mm and judging the landing position of the ball will also have a i2mm effect on the results. In total the range of values for the results will be i 5mm. Therefor the range of values for 31. 33cm would be 30. 83cm 31. 83cm. Percentage error I will take the maximum result of the range and calculate the percentage error based on the uncertainty values. % error of range, x, 93. 33cm i 0. 5cm 0. 5cm i 93. 33cm x 100% = 0. 53% The values are vastly small and so are not worth considering. Improvements If this investigation were to be repeated, there are a few things I would like to change. Firstly, I would ensure to take more care that the above factors were fully compramised and minimised. Furthermore, I would take a much larger range of results to provide a more reliable end result, taking fairness of the experiment into account much more seriously. Finally, I would use a much more accurate range of apparatus to get the most accuracy in my results. For example, a specialised light gate can be set up at the end of the ramp to dictate the exact speed at which the ball leaves the ramp. This could then be considered with the mass to calculate the kinetic energy and gravitational potential energy and hence the total energy loss. Bibliography Salters Horners Advanced Physics Various web pages for research.

The College Choir Concert :: essays papers

The College Choir Concert On Wednesday, May 23rd, I attended the College Choir concert in the Reamer Campus Center. The choir performed a variety of songs, ranging from pieces in Latin to traditional American folksongs. Two of the pieces featured solos, and one even featured percussion instruments. Mrs. Elinore Farnum provided piano accompaniment for each of the songs, and performed beautifully. I was extremely impressed by the talented choir members and their ability to sing such a varied range of songs. The first song, Magnificat in C, was one of the longer songs performed, and featured many solos by Union students. This song is in Latin, but due to the English translation the audience received prior to the performance, we were able to follow along and comprehend the lyrics. This song demonstrated the various parts of a choir and allowed the sopranos, altos, and tenors to express themselves through sectional solos. The second piece, Paratum Cor Meum, was a much shorter piece with very few lyrics. It was interesting to hear a piece by Haydn, since we had discussed this composer in class. I was impressed by the choir members’ ability to remember words in another language, and I enjoyed the sounds of the piano accompaniment. â€Å"Reuben, Reuben† was a much happier song and the first of the songs performed in English; however, my favorite pieces were â€Å"Water Come-A-Me Eye† and â€Å"Great Day!† I especially enjoyed â€Å"Water Come-A-Me Eye† because of the percussion instruments that some of the choir members played. Jasmina Begovic kept a steady beat on the maracas and provided a pleasant accompaniment to the melodies of the choir. The other percussion instruments were equally enjoyable and added an element to the song that other songs did not have. â€Å"Great Day!† was particularly enjoyable because of the fast-paced rhythm and the energy of the performers. This song had a faster tempo than the other songs and was a great way to conclude the concert. Though it seemed as if the entire concert had picked up speed when the choir sang â€Å"Reuben, Reuben,† â€Å"Guantanamera,† and â€Å"Water Come-A-Me Eye† consecutively, the rhythm eventually slowed down when they performed â€Å"Fare You Well,† a traditional American folksong with a rather melancholy sound to it.

How Does Alcohol Affect Our Society and Our Health?

An alcoholic beverage is a drink which has ethanol in it. There are 3 types of alcohol, beer, wine and spirits. The highest percentage of Alcohol is normally in spirits and the lowest is in beer. Alcohol is legally drunken in most countries however, â€Å"100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption†. In England one is allowed to be served alcohol when they are 16 and over however one can only buy alcohol when they are 21 or over.In my opinion this is wrong because most people consider a drug, yet most people don’t see alcohol anywhere near as bad for you as taking drugs even thou â€Å"Alcohol kills around 85,000 people per year†. For the amount of deaths from drugs annually it is hard to tell because â€Å"Cause of death is recorded on death certificates but doctors may not mention drugs, even where drugs might be involved†. After listening to the 85’000 deaths a year fact it is surprising that alcohol is warmly welco med at any dinner, cultural event or even political events. Alcohol is widely used and seen in our society today.In this essay I will go through the health risks and how it plays a part in our modern world. Health Risks * The NHS recommend: * â€Å"Men should not regularly drink more than 3-4 units a day. * Women should not regularly drink more than 2-3 units a day. † Regularly means drinking these amounts every day or most days of the week. National Statistics say men drink an average of 18. 7 units a week, compared with 9. 0 units for women. On average this is correct however far too many people are drinking much over this statistic a week, and that is what is damaging or society as well.In Great Britain, just under a third of men (31%) and one in five women (20%) drink more than the advised weekly limits of 21 and 14 units a week respectively. Alcohol is a toxin which kills cells† When put in those words most people then take alcohol more seriously. Out of most drugs Alcohol is high in the middle section of dependence-physical harm graph. Short-term effects of alcohol consumption include intoxication and dehydration. Long-term effects of alcohol include changes in the metabolism of the liver and brain and alcoholism (addiction to alcohol). Intoxication mostly causes slurred speech, loss of oncentration and delayed reflexes. â€Å"Alcohol stimulates insulin production, which speeds up glucose metabolism and can result in low blood sugar, causing irritability and (for diabetics) possible death. â€Å" Alcohol also leads to heart disease, dementia (long term and short term), cancer, diabetes and stroke. Society In our society today especially Britain there is a huge amount of Binge drinking and over use of Alcohol. We are one of the most well known countries to abuse alcohol and it will definitely affect our future generation. Being brought up in a world where this is common is not good for anybody.Now children will be growing up to think it is ok to drink this amount of alcohol. Health Warning! Alcohol is widely advertised all around the world, from rich highly developed countries to poorer countries. This is one of the big issues on how Alcohol as a drink should be displayed. The question is, â€Å" If alcohol is a killing drug, should it be advertised in the manner of making one think it tastes great and will make you stronger? †. There are many complaints about this is issue especially because it is encouraging the younger generation that drinking alcohol is cool and it tastes great.The adverts make people think alcohol is good when the truth is most aggressive people will often be alcoholics. Some solutions to these adverts brainwashing people is to have a health warning sign at the end of the advert like on cigarette boxes. This would maybe stick in the watchers minds. The other option would be to ban alcohol adverts all together or at least on some channels and times. Banning the adverts would end the propaga nda about alcohol altogether however it would cause a large uprising from the brewing industry because sales would go immensely down.The other solution of banning the adverts is to ban them on channels that children tune into or young adults and teenagers tune into, this would stop the younger generation from being tempted. An example of this is â€Å"In Malaysia, fast food advertising during children's programmes was outlawed in 2007† The media coverage on risks of alcohol should be increased and the laws of advertisement and exploitation of alcohol should be controlled by a separate board and not the government. However the Government in my opinion should rise taxes alcohol.On the other side of the argument there is the fact that for some people alcohol is essential in there life for many reasons. â€Å" All socialites have a drug, in stressful places it Is good to relax† After looking over the information and facts on alcohol in modern day, I have come to a conclusi on that the government or other organizations need to do something about how alcohol is a killer and is not good for you. However I do understand the reasons for people to drink it but I still think higher taxes or other problem solvers should be introduced.

What Is a Literature Review

A literature review summarizes and synthesizes the existing scholarly research on a particular topic. Literature reviews are a form of academic writing commonly used in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. However, unlike research papers, which establish new arguments and make original contributions, literature reviews organize and present existing research. As a student or academic, you might produce a literature review as a standalone paper or as a portion of a larger research project. What Literature Reviews Are Not   In order to understand literature reviews, its best to first understand what they are not. First, literature reviews are not bibliographies. A bibliography is a list of resources consulted when researching a particular topic. Literature reviews do more than list the sources you’ve consulted: they summarize and critically evaluate those sources. Second, literature reviews are not subjective. Unlike some of the other well-known reviews (e.g. theater or book reviews), literature reviews steer clear of opinion statements. Instead, they summarize and critically assess a body of scholarly literature from a relatively objective perspective. Writing a literature review is a rigorous process, requiring a thorough evaluation of the quality and findings of each source discussed. Why Write a Literature Review?   Writing a literature review is a time-consuming process that requires extensive research and critical analysis. So, why should you spend so much time reviewing and writing about research that’s already been published?   Justifying your own research. If you’re writing a literature review as part of a larger research project, the literature review allows you to demonstrate what makes your own research valuable. By summarizing the existing research on your research question, a literature review reveals points of consensus and points of disagreement, as well as the gaps and open questions that remain. Presumably, your original research has emerged from one of those open questions, so the literature review serves as a jumping-off point for the rest of your paper.Demonstrating your expertise.   Before you can write a literature review, you must immerse yourself in a significant body of research. By the time you’ve written the review, you’ve read widely on your topic and are able to synthesize and logically present the information. This final product  establishes you as a trustworthy authority on your topic.Joining the conversation. All academic writing is part of one  never-endi ng conversation: an  ongoing dialogue among scholars and researchers across continents, centuries, and subject areas. By producing a literature review, you’re engaging with all of the prior scholars who examined your topic  and continuing a  cycle that  moves the field forward. ​Tips for Writing a Literature Review While specific style guidelines vary among disciplines, all literature reviews are well-researched and organized. Use the following strategies as a guide as you embark on the writing process.  Ã‚   Choose a topic with a limited scope. The world of scholarly research is vast, and if you choose too broad a topic, the research process will seem never-ending. Choose a topic with a narrow focus, and be open to adjusting it as the research process unfolds. If you find yourself sorting through thousands of results every time you conduct a database search, you may need to further refine your topic.Take organized notes. Organizational systems such as the literature grid are essential for keeping track of your readings. Use the grid strategy, or a similar system, to record key information and main findings/arguments for each source. Once you begin the writing process, you’ll be able to refer back to your literature grid each time you want to add information about a particular source.Pay attention to patterns and trends. As you read, be on the lookout for any patterns or trends that emerge among your sources. You might discover that there are two clear existing schools of thought r elated to your research question. Or, you might discover that the prevailing ideas about your research question have shifted dramatically several times over the last hundred years. The structure of your literature review will be based on the patterns you discover. If no obvious trends stand out, choose the organizational structure that best suits your topic, such as theme, issue, or research methodology. ​ Writing a literature review takes time, patience, and a whole lot of intellectual energy. As you pore over countless academic articles, consider all the researchers who preceded you and those who will follow. Your literature review is much more than a routine assignment: its a contribution to the future of your field.