IB Physics Internal Assessment Graph Plotting

Introduction
In physics graphs are used to test relationships between two quantities. If the relationship is linear we get a straight line and if not a curve, when drawing graphs by hand we can only draw straight lines so functions have to be linearised however if we use a computer we can also plot curves. There are many different software options that can be used to plot graphs in physics however for use in the IB programme they must enable you to plot the following things: - Custom error bars - Best fit lines a!imum and minimum gradients

The programme "raphical #nalysis by $ernier gives all these options so will be used in the following instructions. This programme is the same as %oggerpro without the datalogging option so you &ust have to install the loggerpro software on your laptop 'get from s()*cience teacher+

Entering Data
,hen you open "raphing #nalysis there is an empty table on the left, simply enter data. This can be done one by one or by pasting several columns at a time. #s data is entered the points are plotted on the graph. The data should be in order or the line &oining the points will be strange.

The scale of the graph is unli-ely to be convenient so the first thing to do is to ma-e it fit the page by pressing the autoscale button 'highlighted yellow+.

adding labels
Table headings and a!is labels are added by double clic-ing the table heading 'highlighted pin-+. This opens a dialogue bo! shown enabling the labels and units to be added.

cleaning it up

.nless you change the default settings the graph will appear with a line &oining the dots. This can be removed by double clic-ing anywhere on the graph, this opens the graph options dialogue bo!. .ntic- connect points and tic- point protectors.

Changing the Axis

It is generally accepted that time is plotted along the ! a!is so the a!es in this e!ample need to be swapped round. To do this clic- the a!is label and chose the variable you wish to plot. /ou can also ad&ust the scale using the arrows on the sides of the graph but if it all goes wrong you can use the autoscale to get bac- to normality.

Graph Plotting
Adding Simple Error Bars

,hen plotting e!perimental data students are e!pected to plot error bars for each point. To plot simple error bars in "# double clic- the table heading, this opens the column options dialogue bo!, clic- the options tab to view the error bar options. These options are activated by tic-ing the error bar calculations bo!. To add error bars simply type the value in to the error constant bo!.

Custom Error Bars

If the errors are not the same for each point then you will need to add the error data in to a column and use the use column option. To add a column choose new data set from the data menu. This adds two columns to the table. 0ename these columns and enter the errors in each row. To display the error bars open the column dialogue bo! again but select use column. Choose the column containing the error data from the list.

In this e!ample there is a fi!ed error in distance but a variable error in time resulting in the graph below. #ll that is left now is to add the line.

Best Fit line

Automatic inear best Fit
To 1o a linear best fit in "# you &ust clic- the linear fit button 'highlighted yellow+ on the tool bar.

The line appears with a bo! containing the equation of the line, the gradient and intercept. There is also a correlation coefficient this will be 2 if the line passes through all the points. This line is calculated by the least squares method but does not ta-e into account the uncertainties in the points. It is also possible to hand place a line.

!anual Best "it

The automatic best fit is quic- and easy but does not require the student to ma-e any &udgment, on closer inspection it may also be found that it doesn3t touch all the error bars. #n alternative is to use the manual fit option, this is activated by clic-ing the curve fit button 'highlighted pin-+. This opens the curve fit window first select linear from the list of equations and clic- the try fit button. To ad&ust the line select manual from the fit type options and ad&ust the gradient 'm+ and y intercept 'b+ using the small up and down arrows. If the

increment is too big or too small it can be set by clic-ing the small up arrow, this opens a bo! allowing you to choose the si4e of the step.

Steepest and least steep best "it

5nce you have mastered the manual fit option it is possible to use it to hand place the lines of ma!imum and minimum gradient that enable you to find the error in the gradient. # simple way to get the ma!imum is to position the line through the bottom of the first bar and the top of the last, the minimum is then the top of the first and the bottom of the last as shown below. 6ere the error bars have been increased to ma-e it easier to see.

Cur#e plotting
,hen plotting graphs by hand to verify relationships one is limited to straight lines, it may be possible to draw a smooth curve freehand but it isn3t possible to say that the curve is the right one. .sing "# it is possible to draw best fit curves. If these are a close fit then they can be used to verify a relationship. The problem is that there are often many curves that will fit a given set of data, students should only fit a curve if they already have hypothised what the relationship is. 7or e!ample if they thin- that the range of a pro&ectile is proportional to the angle of pro&ection then they would be &ustified in plotting a sine curve but not a quadratic. #d&usting the coeficients to fit the curve helps the students understand how the equation and curve are related. *imply pressing buttons until a curve fits does not demonstrate an understanding of physics.

Example
Below is the data ta-en from an e!periment to measure the range of a ball pro&ected at different angles.

To draw a best fit curve the curve fit window is opened with the curve fit button. It can be shown from theory that the equation relating the range and angle is given by the equation so to test if the e!periment matches the theory it would ma-e sense to try to fit a sine function to the data. To fit a curve first open the curve fit window by clic-ing the curve fit button. *elect the sine function from the list of equations and clic- try fit. There are many possible sine functions that pass through all the points so this automatic fit is often meaningless li-e the one below.

6owever by changing the coefficients it is possible to get a good fit. 8nowing additional information such as the line should pass through '9,9+ is also helpful as is 4ooming out so you can see the the a!is. In the process of fitting the line students develop a good understanding of the equation, it be interesting to discuss the physical relevance of the negative parts of the curve. It is also worth noting that the angle in the function is in radians which is why the B coefficient is 9.9:; and not < as e!pected.