A student determined the density of a cube made of bronze - AQA - GCSE Physics Combined Science - Question 4 - 2021 - Paper 1
Question 4
A student determined the density of a cube made of bronze.
The student used a balance to measure the mass of the bronze cube.
Figure 5 shows the balance before the... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:A student determined the density of a cube made of bronze - AQA - GCSE Physics Combined Science - Question 4 - 2021 - Paper 1
Step 1
What type of error is shown on the balance?
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Answer
The balance shows a zero error, indicating that it does not read zero when there is no mass placed on it.
Step 2
How could the student get a correct value for the mass of the cube from the balance?
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Answer
The student could reset the balance to zero g before measuring the mass of the bronze cube.
Step 3
Complete the sentence.
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Answer
The results in Table 1 show that the Vernier calipers and the micrometer have a different resolution.
Step 4
Give two changes the student should make to increase the accuracy of the volume measurement.
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Answer
Place the measuring cylinder on a horizontal surface to avoid parallax errors.
View with the eye in line with the level of the water to ensure accurate readings.
Step 5
Describe how the student could use a displacement method to determine an accurate value for the volume of a single coin.
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Answer
The student could add several coins to a measuring cylinder and measure the change in the water level. By dividing the change in water level by the number of coins added, the student can determine the average volume of a single coin.
Step 6
Calculate value X in Table 2.
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Answer
Given that
Mass of the new penny = 3.6 g
Density of the new penny = X
Density = mass/volume, we can calculate:
Find the volume of the old penny using its mass and density:
Volume = Mass / Density = 3.6 g / 0.16 g/cm³ = 22.5 cm³.
Since both coins have the same cross-sectional area, set thickness relationships:
X = 3.6 g / (Cross-sectional area × 0.17 cm).
Solve to find X = 21.2 g/cm³.
Thus, rounding to 2 significant figures, X = 21 g/cm³.
