Physics

2009-07-13T05:53:00.000-07:00

Updated the proposal form with the changed experiment!

Results!

2009-06-25T04:54:00.000-07:00

Due to some technical difficulties, we decided to change the method we used to test the experiment out. Instead of using a spring balance to drag the metal weights across the flat metal surface, we lubricated a wooden surface and placed the metal surface on it. Then, we tied a string to the metal surface and connected it to a pulley. Weights was then placed onto the hanger that was connected to the metal surface by the string. The total amount of weight needed to pull the metal surface 20cm from the starting point determines how good the substance lubricates the metal surface. The lesser weights the better!(:

Resuuults!

Substance 1! -baby powder

Total weights needed: 215g

Substance 2! -soap

Total wights needed:120g

Substance 3! -butter

Total weights needed:520g

Substance 4!- baby oil/lotion

Total weights needed:90g

So, the answer is, the household item that is best for lubricating metal is......Baby oil!

Observations made during experiment: butter is NOT a good lubricant as it causes the two surfaces to stick together, hence the metal surface doesn't slide across the wooden surface like it was supposed to.

Findings

2009-04-21T20:32:00.000-07:00

This is a finding on the topic that we are doing on, on which other people have tried out.

The person tested on vegetable oil, baby oil, Vaseline and Softsoap. He built a ramp and separated the substances into four different containers, in which a disposable paintbrush was placed. He had a stopwatch accurate to the hundredth of a second and distilled white vinegar to clean the substance off the ramp after the testing. He then slid a metal block down the ramp and recorded the timing.

These are the average times it took the block to read the end of the ramp with each lubricant: Softsoap = 0.63 sec. baby oil = 0.88 sec. vegetable oil = 1.01 sec. Vaseline = 1.22 sec.

The guy learned that because a substance is dense it does not mean that it cannot lubricate. One problem he had during the experiment was the cleaning of the ramp. He used a soap to clean the ramp initially, then realised that it was unfair as one of the substances was a type of soap too. So, he changed to using distilled white vinegar

The steps he took were as follows:
1)Statement of purpose and hypothesis
2)Methodology
3)Analysis of data
4)Summary and conclusion
5) Application

proposal form

2009-04-08T20:48:00.000-07:00

Lower Secondary Science Research Project
Proposal Form

Group Name:Dont09 Class: 1B

Name of Members and Signatures:
1)Olivia
2)Nadiah
3)Darren Low(leader)
4)Ting Fang

Project Title:
-Which household items are best for lubricating metal?

Problem Question:

-Which household items are best for lubricating metal?

Hypothesis:
Butter is the best substance for lubricating butter

Web-Address (Url) of Project Blog:
-Dont09.blogspot.com

Expected date of research completion:

Project Mentor and Signature:

Apparatus and Materials Needed:

-Oil(baby)
-butter(normal)
-powder(baby)
-soap(hand)
-fixed pulley
-retort stand
-string
-weight hanger
-weights[5g,10g,20g,50g]
-Smooth metal surface
-wooden plank
-plastic sheet

Experimental Procedure Setup:
Labels:
Substance 1-baby powder
Substance 2-soap
Substance 3-butter
Substance 4- Baby Oil

Step 1:place plastic sheet on the table.
Step 2:Place wooden plank on the plastic sheet
Step 3:Place metal surface on top of the wooden plank
Step 4:tie one end of the string to the metal surface
Step 5:Tie the other end of the string to the pulley connecting to the retort stand.
Step 6:pull the string on the pulley and make a loop hole with it, hang the weight hanger on it and place the weight(50g) on it.
Step 7:then, apply substance 1 ont the top surface of the wooden plank and the underside of the metal surface.
Step 8:Repeat step 6 with weights 20g,10g and 5g
Step 9:decrease the weights til the metal surface stops moving.
Step 10:Repeat step 7,8 and 9 with substance 2,3 and 4.
Stp 11:Record the amount of weight needed for each substance and compare the results
Step 10:write a conclusion and check if it supports your hypothesis(the lesser weight needed is the best household item)

Independent Variable:
-Household items

What you observe:
-observe the different amount of weight used to move the metal surface.

Controlled Variables (Constants):
-position of pulley
-metal surface
-length of string
-constant amount of substance used
-similar mass of substance applied on surface.