You are provided with a uniform meter rule, a knife edge, masses and other necessary apparatus.
Suspend the metre rule horizontally on the knife edge. Read and record the point of balance G of the métre rule. Keep the knife edge at this point throughout the experiment.
Using the thread provided, suspend the object labelled W at the 15cm mark of the metre rule.
Suspend a mass M= 20g on the other side of G. Adjust the position of the mass until the metre rule balances horizontally again.
Read and record the position Y of the mass M on the metre rule.
Determine and record the distance L between the mass and G. Also determine and record the distance D between W and G.
Repeat the procedure for four other values of M = 30, 40, 50 and 60 g. In each casse ensure that W is kept Constant at the 15 cm mark and the knife edge at G.
Evaluate L\(^{-1}\) in each case. Tabulate your readings.
Plot a graph of M on the vertical axis against L\(^{-1}\) on the horizontal axis.
Determine the slope S, of the graph.
Evaluate \(\frac{4}{D}\)
State two precautions taken to obtain accurate results.
(b)i. State the principle of moments.
ii. Define centre of gravity
Verified Correct Answer: .
Physical Principles & Numerical Solution
Table of values (observation)
G = 48cm
D = 48 - 15 = 33cm
S/N
MCg
YCcm
LCcm
DCcm
L\(^{-1}\)Ccm
1
20
-
-
33.00
-
2
30
81.00
33.00
33.00
0.03
3
40
72.75
24.75
33.00
0.04
4
50
67.80
19.80
33.00
0.05
5
60
64.58
16.50
33.00
0.06
Slope = dm = \(m_2\) - \(m_1\) = 60 - 10 = 50g
d(1\(^{-1}\))\(_{2}\) - (1\(^{-1}\))\(_{1}\) = 0.06 - 0.01 = 0.05cm\(^{-1}\)
= 1000gcm
\(\frac{S}{D} = \frac{1000}{33}\) 30.3g
Precautions: i
Draught was avoided.
Parallax error on reading metre rule/was avoided.
Repeated readings (must be shown on table).
Ensured suspended masses did not touch the table.
(b) The principle of moments states that for a body in equilibrium, the sum of the clockwise moments about a point is equal to the sum of the anticlockwise moments about the same point.
ii. The centre of gravity of a body is the point through which its resultant weight acts.
Source: Myschool Past Questions Archive (Record #60034)