Key Question
How does the length of the tube affect the distance of the marshmallow from the starting point?
Procedure
1) Cut out an outline of three rectangles from a manila folder.
2) Created 3 tubes of different lengths: short, medium, long.
Long: 11.5 in
Medium: 7.5 in
Short: 4 in
3) Placed the marshmallow at the end of the tube we are going to exert the force from.
4) Found an open area, like the hallway, where we laid out 3 39 inch rulers after each other in order to record the spots the marshmallow landed.
5) Keeping the force, height, mass of the marshmallow, and position of the marshmallow in the tube the same, we blew the same marshmallow from the tubes with three varying lengths.
6) Recorded the distance traveled by the marshmallow from the starting point.
good
Variable List
IV: Length of tube
DV: Distance of marshmallow from the starting point
CV: Marshmallow, position, height, force of blow
Data Table
Length of Tube
|
Distance
|
Long
|
117 in
|
Medium
|
99 in
|
Short
|
87 in
|
As the length of the tube increases, the distance of the marshmallow from the starting point increases.
The results proved to be this way because the marshmallow's distance depended on the amount of time the object had to travel through the tube. The shortest tube traveled the least distance because the marshmallow had the least time to travel. The marshmallow had traveled the farthest in the first trial because it had the most time to travel through the long tube and landed 117 inches away from the starting point. In other words, the more time the marshmallow has to travel through the tube, the farther it will travel. We would have gotten the same results we had tested different positions inside the tube.
Experiment 2
Key Question
How does the mass of the marshmallow affect the distance of the marshmallow from the starting point?
Procedure
Repeated the same procedure from Experiment 1 except:
Keeping the force, height, length of the tube, and position of the marshmallow in the tube the same, we blew the marshmallows with three varying masses from the same tube.
a) One marshmallow by itself, 2 marshmallows taped together, 3 marshmallows taped together
Variable List
IV: Mass of marshmallow
DV: Distance of marshmallow from the starting point
CV: Force, height, length of the tube, position
Data Table
Mass of Marshmallow
|
Distance
|
1 Marshmallow
|
209 in
|
2 Marshmallows
|
140 in
|
3 Marshmallows
|
78 in
|
Verbal Statement
As the mass of the marshmallow increases, the distance of the marshmallow from the starting point decreases. ok
This time, the only thing that is being altered is the mass of the marshmallow. After running three trials, it was evident that the distance from the starting point became increasingly shorter as the mass of the marshmallow increased. From the data table, the distance was far less with three marshmallows compared to one marshmallow. The velocity of the one marshmallow seemed to be far greater as opposed to two or three marshmallows. yes
From this experiment, we can come up with the equation of
F x t=m x (delta)V
F=force t=time m=mass (delta)V=change in velocity
As the force increases, the change in velocity increases respectively according to the amount of force increased in order to balance both sides.
We can also use this equation for Experiment 1. As the time increases, the change in velocity increases respectively according to the amount of force increased in order to balance both sides. The longer the tube, the longer it takes for the marshmallow to travel through the tube. Lengthening the time traveling through the tube makes the marshmallow faster because it gives the object enough time to act upon the force being exerted from the blower. The change in momentum(m x delta V) changes respectively to the amount of impulse (Fxt) so therefore, the more impulse the more change in momentum. but WHY does longer time traveling in the tube make it faster....This will result in the marshmallow traveling greater distance hence the increased velocity.
Another way to write the equation is J=(delta)p
J is amount of impulse and (delta)p is another way to write the product of the force and time
In summary, the equations J=(delta)p, Fxt=mx(delta)v are the same
Experiment 3
Key Question
How does the height of the shooter affect the distance of the marshmallow from the starting point?
Procedure
Repeated the same procedure from Experiment 1 except:
Keeping the force, mass of marshmallow, length of the tube, and position the same, we blew the marshmallows with three varying heights from the same tube.
a) On a chair, standing up, and on knees
On a chair: 87 in
Standing up: 66 in
On Knees 47 in
Variable List
IV: Height of the Shooter
DV: Distance of marshmallow from the starting point
CV: Force, mass of marshmallow, length of the tube, position of the marshmallow in the tube
Keeping the force, mass of marshmallow, length of the tube, and position the same, we blew the marshmallows with three varying heights from the same tube.
a) On a chair, standing up, and on knees
On a chair: 87 in
Standing up: 66 in
On Knees 47 in
Variable List
IV: Height of the Shooter
DV: Distance of marshmallow from the starting point
CV: Force, mass of marshmallow, length of the tube, position of the marshmallow in the tube
Data Table
Height of Shooter
|
Distance
|
On a chair
|
188 in
|
Standing up
|
130 in
|
On knees
|
69 in
|
Verbal Statement
As the height of the shooter increases, the distance of the marshmallow from the starting point increases.
This experiment is a little different from the rest. Since only the height is being altered, the speed remains the same. The marshmallow experiences the same amount of force, time, and then the impulse. Therefore leaving the tube at the same speed. very good The factor that lets the taller height travel a greater distance is the fact that there is more time for the marshmallow to reach the ground, hence being able to travel a greater distance. But if you're on your knees, the marshmallow will reach the ground a lot faster. The distance of the marshmallow that traveled from the chair compared to on knees, had a 119 inch difference. These series of trials did not test how the independent variables affect the momentum like the other two, but proved how the object will travel a greater distance if a force acted upon from a taller height. yes
If I had wanted to test how the force of air affects the distance of the marshmallow from the starting point:
Variable List
IV: Force of Air
DV: Distance of marshmallow from the starting point
CV: Mass of marshmallow, length of the tube, height of the shooter
Procedure
Repeat the same procedure from Experiment 1 except:
Keeping the mass, height, length of the tube, and position of the marshmallow in the tube the same, we would blow the marshmallows with three varying forces from the same tube.
a) Hard, medium, light
Verbal Statement
As the force of the blow increases, the distance of the marshmallow from the starting point increases.
Following the J=(delta)p equation, if the force acting upon the marshmallow is great, so would the velocity of the object. Because both sides of the equation needs to be balanced at all times, greater the impulse, greater the velocity. The marshmallow would have traveled the farthest during the hardest blow.
Based on all of my data collected, changing the length of the tube, the mass of the marshmallow, the height of the shooter, and the force of the blow exerted by the shooter all have an affect on the amount of distance traveled by the marshmallow. If I wanted my marshmallow to shoot the farthest possible, I would shoot one marshmallow out of a long tube while standing on a chair.
The longer the tube, the more the marshmallow will travel.
The less the marshmallow weighs, the more the marshmallow will travel.
The higher the shooter, the more the marshmallow will travel.
The harder the force, the more the marshmallow will travel.
good!
Error Analysis
In order to make this lab effective as possible, make sure to discuss and determine your independent, dependent, and constant variables prior to the experiment. A small change such as a different shooter or a tube could alter the whole experiment. You could also repeat an experiment a couple of times then find the average in order to get the most precise data. yes, always a good idea! Nice work!
