First, review the use of your lab notebook.

Seesaw Lab

Type A: Investigate balance condition:

Guess Theory:

How are M₁, M₂, l₁, l₂ related?

_______________ = _____________

Exploratory measurements:

Quickly check your theory for one or two cases. DO NOT place masses at specific values on meter stick (Why not?), but put them at random spots and measure location as accurately as possible!

Plan experiment:

Draw a data table with one column for each variable you will measure and approximately six rows (for six different balance conditions).

Measure carefully: Convince any skeptic using error analysis.

Evaluate: Summarize in a couple of sentences the success or failure of your theory when evaluated with respect to your data.

Type B: Investigate balance condition:

Guess Theory:

How are L, x, and M related? Write an equation.

Hint: What else must change to maintain balance if L increases? ... if x increases? ... if M increases?

Exploratory measurements:

Quickly check your theory for one or two cases; repeat previous step if necessary.

Theory: _____________ = __________________

Plan experiment: Draw data table.

Measure carefully: Convince the skeptic.

Evaluate: Summarize success/failure of theory with respect to data.

“Write-up”:

There are three types of “error” – read about them at: errors. How do these error types relate to theory acceptance-rejection? Write a two or three sentence summary about this lab explaining how these error terms relate.