Sample CAPT Experiment questions

Skateboard Ramp - Spring 2005
Questions generated by Teachers in the Staples High School Science Department
(Based on Questions from Previous Years’ CAPT Exams)

Given the following:

Group A’s experiment

The experiment was to find out if the height of the elevation ramp will affect the height above ground level reached by the skateboarder.

Tape the flat part of the ramp to the table.    Use a wooden block to adjust the starting ramp to 20 degrees.  Add water to the plastic bottle.  Use another wooden block to adjust the elevation ramp to 10 degrees.  Place the plastic cup upside down at the start of the elevation ramp.  Put the bottle of water at the start point.  Line up the bottle directly with the cup and let it go.  Repeat 3 times and record the distance the cup traveled.  Be certain to reset the cup each time.  Increase the angle of the elevation ramp to 15 degrees and repeat previous steps.  Record each of 3 trials.  Once more increase the angle of the elevation ramp to 20 degrees and record all 3 trials.  Find the average of the trials.

Group B’s experiment

How does the angle affect or the height affect the ground level that the skateboarder can go or whether when it is moved higher, will they go higher?

First get the materials and also fill up the bottle with 42.85 ml of water.  Second we’re going to use the wooden blocks to build up the ramp.  Third we are also going to take a ruler to measure the ramp to make sure it is set up right with each of the cardboard ramps.  Fourth we would then put the cup up on the ramp at an angle.  Fifth we would place the bottle at the starting ramp.  Sixth let it roll down the ramp and see how much the bottle elevated.  Next repeat process at different angles to see how the data changes.

1.    Compare Groups A’s and Group B’s experiments.  Which experiment is better designed?  Explain your answer fully.

2.    Is this a clear statement of the problem in Group B’s experiment?  Explain why or why not?

3.    Group B was not sure why they didn’t observe a difference between trials at different angles.  What is the most likely reason for this?  Explain fully.

4.    Do you have enough information to replicate Group A’s experiment?  Explain why/why not?

5.    Group A’s data shows the following:

Draw a graph of Group A’s results.  Be sure to label your graph.

6.    What variables need to be controlled in Group A’s experiment?  Explain why they need to be controlled.

7.    Group A concluded the following:

According to this experiment, the height of the elevation ramp did not affect the height above ground level reached.

Is this conclusion valid?  Explain why/why not.

8.    The following results were produced by Group B.

What conclusions can be drawn from Group B’s experiment?  Explain how valid you think these conclusions are based on these results.

9.    A student hypothesized that a higher mass of the skateboarder (represented by the plastic bottle) would reach a greater height above the ground.  Design an experiment.