B Help with IB Extended Essay Physics Experiment Ideas

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on seeking experiment ideas for an IB Extended Essay in classical physics. Suggestions include building a sextant to compare position data with GPS, creating a mechanical clock to assess its accuracy, and constructing an accelerometer to measure car acceleration. Another idea is to wind springs from various materials and test their characteristics against initial calculations. These experiments offer a strong foundation for formulating a research question and conducting thorough investigations. Engaging in these projects can enhance understanding of classical physics principles.
utp9
Messages
12
Reaction score
2
TL;DR Summary
Need help with ideas for an experiment for my investigation for an essay and need some advice on any experiments that have abundant background theory & info available online

E.g. pendulums & harmonic motion, slippage down an inclined plane, etc.
I'm having trouble coming up with a experiment to investigate for my IB Extended Essay as well as formulating my research question. Does anyone have any recommendations on similar (in terms of classical physics & abundance of background theory) physics experiments that can be done?
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
russ_watters said:
Can you provide the details of the assignment?
Sure!

"The IB Extended Essay, or EE, is a mini-thesis, you will choose a research question as a topic, conduct the research independently, then write an essay on your findings. The essay itself is (maximum) 4000 words."

I'm doing mine in classical physics and looking for some inspiration for an experiment to base mine around.
 
utp9 said:
I'm doing mine in classical physics and looking for some inspiration for an experiment to base mine around.
  • Build your own sextant and compare your position data gathered by using it versus your cellphone GPS location
  • Build your own mechanical clock, powered either by a spring or by weights (like a grandfather clock). Experimentally determine the accuracy of your clock and suggest improvements that could be made
  • Build your own accelerometer, and make measurements of the acceleration of several different cars (and convert those measurements into dynomometer-type plots of horsepower vs. RPM)
  • Wind your own springs with different materials, and conduct tests to correlate your initial calculations for their characteristics versus how they actually turned out. See this post by @jrmichler for example:
https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...-shape-and-heat-treat-diy.994837/post-6406851

1603201415417.png


1603201701042.png
 
  • Like
Likes anorlunda, jrmichler and vanhees71
Thread 'Gauss' law seems to imply instantaneous electric field propagation'

Thread 'Gauss' law seems to imply instantaneous electric field propagation'

Imagine a charged sphere at the origin connected through an open switch to a vertical grounded wire. We wish to find an expression for the horizontal component of the electric field at a distance ##\mathbf{r}## from the sphere as it discharges. By using the Lorenz gauge condition: $$\nabla \cdot \mathbf{A} + \frac{1}{c^2}\frac{\partial \phi}{\partial t}=0\tag{1}$$ we find the following retarded solutions to the Maxwell equations If we assume that...
View full post »

Thread 'Do electron density waves accompany EM waves in coaxial cables?'

Maxwell’s equations imply the following wave equation for the electric field $$\nabla^2\mathbf{E}-\frac{1}{c^2}\frac{\partial^2\mathbf{E}}{\partial t^2} = \frac{1}{\varepsilon_0}\nabla\rho+\mu_0\frac{\partial\mathbf J}{\partial t}.\tag{1}$$ I wonder if eqn.##(1)## can be split into the following transverse part $$\nabla^2\mathbf{E}_T-\frac{1}{c^2}\frac{\partial^2\mathbf{E}_T}{\partial t^2} = \mu_0\frac{\partial\mathbf{J}_T}{\partial t}\tag{2}$$ and longitudinal part...
View full post »
Thread 'Recovering Hamilton's Equations from Poisson brackets'

Thread 'Recovering Hamilton's Equations from Poisson brackets'

The issue : Let me start by copying and pasting the relevant passage from the text, thanks to modern day methods of computing. The trouble is, in equation (4.79), it completely ignores the partial derivative of ##q_i## with respect to time, i.e. it puts ##\partial q_i/\partial t=0##. But ##q_i## is a dynamical variable of ##t##, or ##q_i(t)##. In the derivation of Hamilton's equations from the Hamiltonian, viz. ##H = p_i \dot q_i-L##, nowhere did we assume that ##\partial q_i/\partial...
View full post »

Similar threads

B Physics Extended Essay Research Question
Replies
2
Views
1K
IBDP Extended Essay Ideas -- Help please
Replies
2
Views
1K
Extended Essay Research question help (first year IB student)
Replies
2
Views
1K
Physics Extended Essay about Gauss' law and/or Lorentz force
Replies
4
Views
1K
IB Extended Essay research project on relativity
Replies
13
Views
3K
Help on My IB Extended Essay--Finding a data set for Redshift
Replies
3
Views
1K
Extended Essay IB - Quantum Physics Oriented
Replies
8
Views
5K
A young fellow physicist here!
Replies
1
Views
549
B IB Physics Extended Essay - Quantum Levitation
Replies
3
Views
3K
B I formulating a research question for my Extended Essay
Replies
3
Views
1K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top