TUTORIAL 1 GRAPHS

UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, JAMAICA

FACULTY OF SCIENCE & SPORT
SCHOOL OF NATURAL & APPLIED SCIENCE
PHYSICS (PHS1019)
QUESTION # 1
In a test on a piece of wire values of load L, and extension Y were found. (Some of the values
are missing).

L/N
Y/mm

3.0

0.950

1.2

10

13

15

18

2.35

2.95

3.95

The equation connecting Y and L is of the type

Y = aL + b
Find graphically
a)
b)

the values of a and b

the missing values in the table.

QUESTION # 2
The quantity of the common salt (w/ grams) which would dissolve in a fixed volume of water
at temperature t/C is given in the table below.

W/g

27

29

30

31

33

35

37

t/C

10

20

25

30

40

50

60

It is known that

W = mt + c
a)

Plot a suitable graph from which the values of m ad c may be calculated.

b)

Calculate the values of m and c

c)

Determine w when t = 45C

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QUESTION # 3
In measuring the resistance R () of a carbon-filament lamp at various voltages (V) the
following results were obtained:
V /(volts)

60.0
70.0

70.0
67.2

80.0
65.0

90.0
69.3

100
62.1

120
60.0

R /()
a) Plot a suitable straight-line graph given that the law connecting R and V is of the form

R=

a
+b.
V

b) From your graph determine the constants a and b.

c) Determine R when V = 10 V.
d) Determine V when R = 56 .

QUESTION # 4
It has been suggested that the variation of refractive index (n) with wavelength ( ) is given by

n=
/(m)
N

A+

, where A and B are constants for a given material.

4.5 10 -7

5.0 10 -7

5.5 10 -7

6.0 10 -7

6.5 10 -7

1.633

1.630

1.627

1.625

1.623

a) Plot a suitable straight-line graph to determine the constants A and B.

b) Determine n when

= 6.25 10 -7 m.

c) Determine when n = 1.58 .

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QUESTION # 5
The following set of results was obtained from an experiment to determine the acceleration
due to gravity g using a simple pendulum bob swinging from a non-rigid support. The length
of the string is represented by l and is measured in metres, t represents the time for 10
oscillations in seconds.

l/m

13.0

15.9

22.0

31.6

39.8

56.1

63.1

t/s

1.00

1.80

4.31

10.1

17.7

40.0

57.0

It is known that the relation between (T) the periodic time and (l) the length of the string
is of the form

T = 2 l/g
a) Plot a suitable graph from which g can be calculated.
b) Calculate the value of g.
QUESTION # 6
The variables x and y are connected by a law of the form

y = ax n ,

where a and n are integers.

Approximate values for y, corresponding to the given values for x are tabulated below.

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

50.0

250

780

1870

3900

7200

a) Plot the graph of log y versus log x

b) Find the slope
c) Use the relationship log y = nlog x + log a to estimate the values of n and a.

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QUESTION # 7
During an experiment, a class of physics students measures the velocity of a rocket as it
launches. They have several students watching to call out when the rocket reaches certain
heights, while one student measures the velocity. Since the rocket started from rest, the following
formula can be used to calculate the acceleration of the rocket...

v2 = 2ad
...where v is the velocity (m/s) of the rocket at each height, a is the acceleration (m/s2 ) of
the rocket, and d is the distance (m) the rocket has traveled up from where it started on the
launch pad.
The following information was gathered by the students.

i)

Distance /(m)

Velocity/ (m/s)

25
50
75
100
125
150
175
200

9.35
13.3
16.2
18.7
21.0
22.9
24.8
26.3

By plotting a suitable graph determine a value for a

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QUESTION # 8
The following values of H and Q are connected by a law of the type

Q = aH n
H/(J)

1.2

1.6

2.0

2.2

2.5

3.0

Q/(m)

6.09

6.75

7.32

7.57

7.93

8.47

a) Plot a suitable graph from which the constants a and n may be determined
b) From your graph determine the constants a and n.
c) Determine H when Q = 10 m
d) Determine Q when H = 0.50 J.

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