PHYSICS CONNECTION
Test terminal velocity with repeated measurements
A falling-object experiment must establish that speed is constant before treating a measured speed as terminal. Equal-distance timing intervals provide a useful check.
Equal distances in equal times → constant speed
Follow the reasoning
- Allow enough distance for the object to approach terminal speed.
- Compare speeds over successive measured sections.
- Control factors such as object shape and fluid temperature.
OFFICIAL OCR QUESTIONS
Try it in a past paper 2
Open the question, then use its mark scheme to check your work.
Question 25
Use video timing and displacement data to determine terminal speed in water.
Question 2
Plan and analyse an experiment linking terminal speed to ball diameter.
A curated collection checked against the question papers and mark schemes; not a complete past-paper catalogue. Links open official OCR PDFs in a new tab.
ORIGINAL PHYSICSUK QUESTIONS
Put the ideas to work
More practice is on its way
No PhysicsUK question linked yet. New eligible questions appear here as the bank grows.
Specification outcomes (5)
- 3.2.2(d)(i) Define and describe terminal velocity.
- 3.2.2(d)(ii) Use techniques and procedures to determine terminal velocity in fluids, such as a ball bearing in a viscous liquid or cones in air.
- 1.1.1(a) Experimental design, including to solve problems set in a practical context.
- 1.1.1(b) Identification of variables that must be controlled, where appropriate.
- 1.1.1(c) Evaluation that an experimental method is appropriate to meet the expected outcomes.