NAME: Parsuram Jesse Ramroop

LAB#
TITLE: Plan and Design Lab
PROBLEM STATEMENT:
It is said sometimes that ‘the flight of the golf ball is determined by more air resistance than by
gravity’. This is because when the golf ball is moving the drag force acting on the ball is larger than
the weight of the ball. This statement can be investigated in the laboratory by reversing the situation
using a stationary ball in a current of air. Design an experiment to investigate the how the force acting
on a stationary golf ball due to air flowing past it varies with the speed of the air.
HYPOTHESIS:
The golf ball has a greater flight duration at higher wind speed
AIM OF INVESTIGATION:
To investigate how the force acting on a stationary golf ball due to air flowing past it varies with the
speed of the air
APPARATUS MATERIALS
Golf ball String
Electronic scale
Newton & Grams Spring scale
3 speed Hair Dryer with funnel attachment
(1ST speed link -12ms-1 ,2nd speed link – 14ms-1 , 3rd speed link – 17ms-1)
Retort stand
DIAGRAM: Showing how the apparatus should be setup
METHOD
1. Weigh and record the mass of the golf ball on the electronic scale
2. Set up the apparatus as shown in the diagram
3. Ensuring that the blow dryer is off, take the initial reading on the spring scale, W1
4. Turn on the fan on the first speed link and record the highest reading on the spring balance W2
5. Repeat steps 3 -4 for two recording of which an average would be calculated
6. Repeat steps 3 -5 using the second and third speed links each
7. Record and tabulate results as shown in table 1
8. Plot an appropriate graph
VARIABLES

 Constant – Mass of golf ball

Apparatus set up
Position of ball

 Variable – Wind speeds/ velocity of air

 Responding – Change In reading of spring balance due to difference in force acting on the
ball
RESULTS
TABLE 1: SHOWING HOW RESULTS SHOULD BE RECORDED FOR THIS
EXPERIMENT
Wind speed /ms-1 Readings on spring scale/newtons Difference Average
Final Initial /newtons difference/newtons
12

14

17

Initial weight on golf ball on electronic scale = ____n

ANALYSIS OF RESULTS
The force acting on the golf ball are gravity and wind/air resistance etc. The gravitational force is
cancelled out by taking the initial reading of the ball being attached with string to spring scale. And
since the mass of the ball and the gravitational force is constant, so theoretically any changes in the
reading of the scale is due to the force of air speed acting on the ball.
From the results obtained, plot a graph of average difference (y axis) vs wind speed (x axis)
Calculate the gradient to find out the rate at which the force was affected
After the calculations, state whether the force affecting the golf varies with wind speed

DISCUSSION
PRECAUTIONS TO BE TAKEN WHILE PERFORMING THIS EXPERIMENT :
1. Zero all scales before conducting the experiment conducting the experiment to reduce
systematic errors and increase accuracy
2. Ensure the readings are taken at eye level to reduce/avoid parallax error
3. Ensure the golf ball is attached to the spring balance and the bottom of the retort stand so the
ball wouldn’t swing side to side when the wind speed is applied to it.Keep into consideration
that the scale is at the 0 mark when the string is attached to bottom of retort stand
4. Conduct experiment in an wind free zone /area where there isn’t much wind (close the doors
and windows of the laboratory , switch of the fan if any)

SOURCE OF ERRORS WHICH CAN POTIENTIALLY AFFECT THE RESULTS OF THIS

EXPERIMENT :
1. External factors such as wind speed and vibrational interference may result in inaccurate
reading for this experiment
2. Parallax error if readings are not taken properly at eye level may reduce the accuracy of this
experiment

CONCLUSION
Did the results you obtained relate to the hypothesis i.e it supported the hypothesis?
Did you get a straight line graph with a positive gradient ?
If so then the hypothesis is not rejected and if not then the hypothesis is rejected