Size of the Splash Report

Introduction
In Physics Lab, it was explained that variables of an object when dropped into
water can affect the size of the splash. For instance, the weight of the object, the
shape, the height of the drop, etc. All of this factors has a relationship to the
splash, and our task was to investigate about it, how it affects the splash. However,
the phrase “size of the splash” can be understood in many ways. It can be the
radius of the splash, the amount of water that comes out or even the height of the
splash. Therefore, for the sake of simplicity of this experiment, I’ve decided to
choose only one variable of the object, which is the height of the drop to explain
the relation between it with the size of the splash.

Design
Variables
Independent variables: the height of the drop of the ball. Measured in
centimeters

Dependent variables: I’m going to measure the “size of the splash” by using a
bowl to catch all the water that is going to splash out of the beaker. Then measure
it in milliliters.

Control variables
-The amount of water inside the beaker has to be the same for each and every
drop so that it doesn’t affect the data. To do this, I’ve used a tape to mark a
constant water level on the beaker so that I can refill it correctly everytime.

-The ball must not be changed because if we do then it’ll give incorrect data.
Besides, here in this experiment we are trying to find the relationship between the
height of the drop and the size of the splash not the latter and the size of the ball.

-The ball must be dropped right to the center of the beaker everytime to avoid
any uncertainties.

Research question
What’s the relationship between the height of the drop and the size of the
splash ?

Apparatus
A beaker, a ball, a bowl, a second beaker to measure the splash, a stand, a
slider with clamp attached, a ruler and finally a cloth.

Method
 Step 1: Set up the experiment like the one in the diagram.

Step 2: Hold the ball by using a clamp, then do a test drop with a beaker
without water to make sure that the clamp is in the right position to drop the ball
correctly into the center of the beaker everytime.

Step 3: Pour the water into the beaker until almost full, then mark the water
level with a tape or a pen in order to be able to pour in the correct amount
everytime.
Step 4: Use the silder to move the ball to the desired height, and use a ruler
to make sure that the bottom of the ball is at the right level.
Step 5: Have a pen and a data table ready to write in the information. Then
drop release the ball.
Step 6: All the splashed water should have been caught by the bowl beneath
the beaker, pour the water inside a bowl to another beaker to measure the splash.
Step 7: Make sure the ball is dry after each and every drop.
Step 8: Write the data correctly and clearly into the data table for every drop.
Step 9: Repeat from the 4th step 3 times for each height. Then divide the 3
results from each height with 3 to get an average for a more precise result.

Data Collection and Processing

Recording data
Data Table of the The Amount of Litters that has splashed (Raw)

Height 20 40 60
(cm)
±0.1 ±0.1 ±0.1
Trials (ml)
1 30 70 118
2 29 60 90
3 26 61 100

In this experiment, I can probably assure that the measurement of the height
of the drop was accurate because I’d used a clamp to hold the ball AND a ruler to
make sure that the bottom of the ball was at the right level of the desired height.
But I would still say that the uncertainty is about ±0.1cm in case the clamp was
tilting.

During the experiment, I’ve noticed that a wet ball can significantly change
everything. It seems that, a wet ball can hardly make water splash. I couldn’t find
any scientific evidence for this but I think the reason could be that the layer of
water that coats the ball helps it enter the water because then, it would be the
same as water hitting water, thus, the ball is barely touching the water in the
beaker while impacting. That’s why, for this problem, I had to use a cloth or a tissue
to dry it up every time after a drop for a clearer result.
 You might notice how the numbers differ from each other, and the only
explanation that I can come up for this is that, not every splash is the same, water
flies everywhere in different directions for each drop, that’s why some times, the
bowl isn’t large enough to catch the splash.

Processing Data
Data Table of the The Amount of Litters that has splashed

Height 20 40 60
(cm)
±0.1 ±0.1 ±0.1
Trials (ml)
1 30 70 118
2 29 60 90
3 26 61 100
Average ( ml ) 28.3 63.6 102.6

Presenting Data
Hand-drawn in a paper.

Conclusion and Evaluation

Conclusion
The lines in the graph shows us that the higher the drop the bigger the splash.
Obviously, this is what we all expect. The higher the drop means the faster the ball
is going to travel, as the result, the bigger the force of impact of the ball into the
water.

Evaluation
After seeing the graph, I have to say that the graph lines are pretty straight,
therefore, personally I think that my experiment was somehow accurate.

Nevertheless, like I’ve mentioned before, a wet ball can significantly drive the
experiment into a wrong direction. Besides, I was using a rubber ball which makes it
capture even more water than a hard ball or a metal ball. That’s why I had to make
sure that the ball is dry after each and every drop so that I can continue with the
next one.

And the most significant weakness of this experiment probably has to be the
bowl which catches all the water. At first, I thought that I had used a bowl large
enough to catch all the splashed water but what I have learned from this
experiment is that, the splash can go anywhere. That’s why a small amount of
water which I think isn’t very significant, has splashed out beyond the reach of the
bowl. Eventhough I think it isn’t very important but those “ small amounts of water”
from every drop can still be very large if we add them all together. That was an
error that I wasn’t aware of.

Improvements
Maybe next time I’m going to have to use a larger bowl, and a more solid ball.