What are some potential research questions for an IB Physics extended essay?

[alireza1992]

Hi.
I'm supposed to write an extended essay in physics (I'm currently studying in the last year of IB diploma program). I haven't chosen any research question or a topic for my essay. I would appreciate if you could give me some ideas. The areas of physics in which I like to do my EE are waves, Kinematic, atomic and nuclear physics and thermodynamic. I want to get an A so I need to have a new and nice idea. And something in which I can preform an experiment, and then write about the result and analyze them in about 4000 words. Pleas please and please ... help me with your brilliant ideas.

P.s: I’m new in this site and I had no idea where to post this. So, I hope I’m in the right place :D
P.s2: IB is a pre University program. I just mentioned it in my question so if there are any other IB students having the same question they can use this post as well. Otherwise it has nothing to do with physics itself! :)

 

[BruceW]

Is the extended essay the same thing as the results and analysis of the experiment ? Or are they two different things you need to do ? Because If they are the same, then I guess the important part is coming up with a suitable experiment.

 

[alireza1992]

That's a part of it. I have to come up with a good research question and then a suitable experiment in which I can investigate a proper answer for my research question. And the, I have to present the data, errors and uncertainties and conclusion + the method by which the experiment was preformed.
But I'm still looking for a good research question.

 

[BruceW]

I have usually found that the experiment is the part which takes up most of my energy/time. So I would advise choosing a research question which is good for making a suitable experiment. You've said that you need to present data, errors and uncertainties, so I would keep these in mind when you're thinking of an experiment. I'm not saying that you should try to choose an experiment which will have the smallest experimental error. I'm saying that it will be helpful to keep in mind how you will do the measurements, estimate error, and how many trials you do, etc.

To get ideas for what experiment to do... um, maybe just look through your syllabus, and start thinking of ways in which you can demonstrate the physical principles.

 

[alireza1992]

I was actually thinking to do an experiment about super conductivity (Maybe!)
But I need to narrow it down a bit to a specific research question.

 

[BruceW]

wow, that would be cool. What kind of equipment do you have access to? I would have thought that would be above the budget of most IB students?

 

[alireza1992]

I have access to the university physics lab (Because I'm pretty sure that our high school lab doesn't have the equipments needed) but we are allowed to use the nearby universities. (Like Chalmers in Gothenburg. I think they have the equipments I need. But first, I should clarify my research question)