Edexcel IGCSE Physics Experimental Reliability
Practise Edexcel IGCSE Physics experimental reliability by suggesting repeats, calculating means and dealing with anomalies in practical results.
- Syllabus
- Issue 4 (2024)
- Course
- Physics 4PH1
Practise Edexcel IGCSE Physics experimental reliability by suggesting repeats, calculating means and dealing with anomalies in practical results.
A student uses this apparatus to investigate how the efficiency of an electric motor varies with its input voltage.

This is the student's method.
- connect the electric motor to a d.c. power supply and a joulemeter
- attach a 1.0 kg mass to the electric motor using a length of string
- set the voltage of the power supply to 10 V and switch on the power supply
- switch off the power supply when the mass has been lifted through a distance of 50 cm
- record the input energy to the motor from the joulemeter
- calculate the energy transferred to the gravitational store of the mass
- calculate the efficiency of the motor
The student repeats this process, setting the power supply to a different voltage each time.
State how the student could improve the reliability of her results.
take repeats and find the mean
Accept:
- average for mean