Investigating the Effect of Drop Height on the Depth of Sand

Investigating the Effect of Drop Height on the Depth of Sand

Aim: To investigate the depth of the sand depending on the height at

which the ball is dropped from.

Variables:

Independent variable chosen: The height at which the ball is dropped

Dependent variable chosen: The depth of the sand after removing the

fallen ball from it.

Constant variables and how they will be controlled:

Variable

How we will keep it constant

Amount of sand

We leave the sand in the bucket and make sure that none spills over.

Type of sand

Use the same one for each trials

Ball

Use the same ball for each trial, with the same size, volume, material

and brand.

Height of sand, compression

Flatten or compress the sand back to how it was, as accurately as

possible, by using a flat surface.

Research Question

How does the height of the drop affect the depth of the sand?

Hypothesis

As the height of the drop for the ball increases, the measured depth

of the sand will increase. This is because the ball will have more

time to accelerate at 9.8ms-¹, and therefore have more momentum,

creating a larger impact on the sand each time the height of the drop

is raised.

Apparatus

A ball – A marble

A plastic rectangular tray – about 40cm by 25

Some sand – fills up to about 2/3 of the tray

2 Rulers – one for drop height (1m)

- one for measuring the depth (15cm)

Clamp and Stand

2 planks of wood – light wood/palsa (so that it doesn’t sink)

Splinters – 10 cm long and 0.3mm wide

Method: