Ammeters MUST be connected in series. If the ammeter is connected inparallel with the resistor, a large current will pass through the meter'sinternal resistance - burning out its circuit. Make sure that your ammeter isconnected in series and that it is set to its highest setting, 20A. The powersupply we are using this week is only capable of producing 10A of current, sothe ammeter should never surpass this 20A limit.
Be very careful not to bump the table when taking data this week. Theoptical lever used to measure the distance between the two wires depends on the distance between the mirror and the telescope/ruler mount. If the apparatusis moved even slightly, the scale reading can change up to 20%. If you happento bump the table, take a new zero reading and scale reading and start over.
The position of your head when looking through the telescope can affectyour measurement. To reduce this error, use objects in the background asreference points.
The small masses must be checked out from the TA. Use the tweezers to pick up the individual masses, oil from your skin will affect the mass. When youare finished using the small mass, replace it immediately in the case so that it is not lost or damaged.
The results for this lab are the slope of the line and the relationshipbetween force and current that can be deduced from the graph. In your analysiscompare your results with those predicted by the theory.
Be both quantitative and qualitative in the analysis of your results. Discuss not only which factors would affect your data, but also the relative size of those uncertainties. Show how much the results would be affected by these uncertainties.
Use proper format when producing your graphs.
| Section | Points |
|---|---|
| Purpose | 1 |
| Results | 3 |
| Calculations | 4 |
| Graphs | 4 |
| Analysis | 8 |