IB Physics SL S2.1 Exploring and Designing Question Bank

Practise planning fair investigations by choosing controlled variables, suitable measurement ranges and repeated or distributed readings that improve reliability and validity.

Exam points

identify a variable to control and explain how this isolates the independent variable's effect
suggest a feasible improvement that extends the data range or standardises a measurement condition
justify repeated or distributed readings as checks on random variation or sample uniformity

Covered syllabus points

S2.1.1—Exploring S2.1.2—Designing investigations S2.1.3—Controlling variables

[Maximum number: 1]

A student investigates whether the Stefan-Boltzmann law, $L=4 \pi \sigma R^{2} T^{4}$ , applies to stars.
L= luminosity of the star, in W
$\sigma=$ Stefan-Boltzmann constant
R= radius of the star, in m
T= surface temperature of the star, in K
To verify the law, they obtain values from databases and manipulate the data as shown.

Table for Question S2.1 Exploring and designing question 1 — IB Physics SL

Suggest a possible improvement of the investigation, related to the range of the surface temperatures of the stars selected.

All question bank results loaded

Covered syllabus points

S2.1 Exploring and designing question 1