Lab Report

(Lab Reports must be submitted to the Physics lab at the end of your lab period.  The lab report may be submitted on a separate piece of paper or as a page in your notebook.  See Lab Point)

You may work with your partner for this lab report but you must each submit a separate report.

This lab report investigates the accuracy of measurements with the force scales. Two force scales pull in opposing directions. The magnitude of force read on the scales is expected to be the same.

Prepare an experiment as shown in the figure with two scales of the same type to report on the accuracy of these scales. Test the setup in several different ways for independently reading the two force scales with the intent of comparing the readings. Take notes well in preparation of writing a procedure to your work. Be honest with the tests, perhaps even having your partner reading the second scale.

Run half a dozen trials of different spring extensions recording the scale readings.

For the analysis, calculate the difference between the two scale readings for each trial. Then determine an average difference in the readings (this being a systematic error). Then determine the maximum variation in the differences and quote it as an uncertainty (this being a random error).

Write a concise conclusion as to the accuracy of the scales considering random and systematic errors.