Physics EE

[Alexia]

i was discussing with my teacher about the extended essay. I decided to focus on color in relation to light.

 

however I need to perform the experiment before I can start writing my essay.

I don't understand how I should go about to write a physics EE.

do I need to research? is the practical important? how should I write it?

 

thank you x

[Guest]

What my teacher told me is that a Physics EE (a practical one) is like a more advanced IA (a lab). You should do some research on what you're going to do, before doing the experiment. Record everything about it, do it several times (not just a couple like in an IA, you should have a TON of data points). The analysis should go deeper into how the experiment works, why it works that way, if you accomplished your objective, if so why or why not.

 

You should use plenty of references, even if just for the theory. Have an introduction of why this EE is important, why you chose to do this experiment (maybe you like light/colors and you think lamps could be more efficient, or something like that). Be concise, but extensive. Meaning that, you should not write "fluff" just to get to 3000 words or whatever, but you need to explain what your data means, graph it (if necessary) and then analyze that graph and explain what it means for the experiment.

 

You need to write down all the formulas you will use (not the calculations, that isnt really important), and state what each variable means, how you are measuring those variables, etc...

 

e.g: F=-KX

 

F in this formula is the resultant force of the spring

-K is the spring constant

X is the distance travelled by the spring

 

Always be sure to specify the variables completely, like "X", you shouldnt just say "it's the distance travelled", you need to complete it by saying what is travelling that distance. 

 

In general, yes you need to do your research, you need to show that you are making an experiment but you also know the background information on it, you know why it is important, you know how to interpret the data, etc...

 

The experiment itself is not too important, as long as you did it correctly (meaning no mistakes in measuring and stuff like that - aside from error, that you should take into account in your measurements), same goes for the results, they can support your original hypothesis, or not, what is important is that you can explain why those results came to be.

 

That's the main thing. You get your results, and you have to be able to explain, with your data and knowledge, how you got those results (by analysis), why those results happened (the lamp you used has a high wattage/ the voltage was too low/ etc...), what it means for the experiment as a whole (my hypothesis was wrong, was right, half and half, etc...), and what it means outside the experiment (colored light uses more energy/ blue light is colder that red light/etc...).

 

Basically, it's an IA, but more extensive, with more knowledge of what you are doing, with more data, and with a TON more analysis.