CAIE AS LEVEL PHYSICS
Error Improvement
Pulley experiment
1. Errors in Experiments
Masses hit each other Use larger pulley
Error Improvement
Friction at pulley Lubricate pulley
Water-related experiment
Uncertain starting position Clamp / electromagnetic with steel
Hard to see surface due to
Use coloured liquid Moment experiment
refraction/meniscus effect
Project cylinder over bench / elevate
Labels get wet/ink runs Use waterproof labels/ink Ruler hits bench
apparatus
Ball related experiment
Ruler slips on support Glue support to block
Locating the centre of the ball Mark the centre of the ball with a
Magnetism experiment
when reading the ruler marker
Use various materials to separate
Inconsistent bounce Use a flat surface Effect of surrounding e.g.
magnets & test if material affects
glass/magnetic materials
Fast-moving object results
experiment
Bench/ Ramp (Surface) related
Difficult to judge when the ball Use sensor or record with camera experiment
is at e.g. max displacement frame by frame
Some parts of board rougher / Ensure the same section of the board
Hard to see when an object surface uneven used in each expt.
Use a pressure sensor to stop the timer
strikes the floor
Board slips/unstable Clamp/fix to bench with tape/adhesive
Difficult to judge end point Mark distance with lines /supporting block topples putty
Move by increments/hold with newton- Difficult in pulling in line with use (long) piece of string to
Difficulty in deciding the meter the board connect the newton-meter to the block
toppling point
and tilt until F = 0
Heat loss experiment
Releasing object from rest
Heat lost through sides and
experiment Lag/insulate/polystyrene container
/or Bottom
Difficulty in releasing object Use a remote-controlled
Use a larger volume of water /use
due to e.g. force clamp/electromagnet Thermometer bulb not
thermocouple/small temperature
completely immersed
Rod falls sideways Keep rod vertical/use guide sensor
Oscillation experiment Resistor gives heat when
Wait until temp. reaches max before
switched off/temp. rises even
Time object at max disp. with motion reading
Time taken (T) too short or after switching off
sensor/video & playback in slow motion
large uncertainty in T
/time more oscillations Terminal velocity experiment
Object doesn’t swing freely/ May not have reached
Time over three markers constant
friction between pivot and Make hole bigger/bush or bearing idea terminal velocity
object
Light dependent experiment
Non-uniform oscillation Turn off the fan (light object)
External light affects (LDR) Conduct expt. in dark room
Oscillations die out quickly Increase object thickness
Length of tube changes when
Make pre-slots in the tube
Difficult to judge end/start/ paper added
Use a fiducial marker
complete swing
Cylinders not aligned Align on desk/ruler
Retort stand moves Add weights/clamp
Difficult to hold together Tape/clamp together
Electricity experiment
Resistance/current fluctuating Clean contacts
Voltmeter scale not sensitive
2. Errors in Apparatus
Use digital voltmeter
enough
Error Improvement
Tape to ruler/hang weights off
Wires not straight Meter ruler
end/clamp wire
Force experiment Put coloured paper behind/ eye-
level perpendicular /extend mark
Reach max force suddenly Force sensor w/data logger Parallax error to wood
Weights move off the path Fix cotton loop to ruler e.g. tape, glue /shadow projection
Copyright © 2025 ZNotes Education & Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
[Link] This document is authorised for personal use only by Noor Hifza at Enderun Colleges on 05/02/26.
CAIE AS LEVEL PHYSICS
Error Improvement
Difficult to hold ruler still Mount ruler in stand
Difficult to measure, since the Clamp rule / ensure the rule is
ruler moves vertical using a set square
Newton meter
Ensure force parallel to ruler e.g.
Difficult to pull Newton meter
use a long string/pulley and
parallel to ruler/ bench
weights
Difficult to judge reading on meter Use Newton meter with a ‘max
when detached: ruler moves hold’ facility/video & playback or
suddenly/ Force = 0 after freeze frame/ use force sensor &
detachment logger
Difficult to zero Newton-meter Use system of pulley & weights/use
when horizontal force sensor with data-logger
Objects with an unfixed diameter
(Circular objects)
Difficult to measure diameter Use Vernier callipers or
since the object is flexible/not micrometre screw gauge to
circular measure average diameter
Difficult to form perfect Method to make uniform
sphere/diameter varied spheres/discs e.g. moulds
Protractor
Protractor “wobbles” / difficult to Use protractor with horizontal line
measure; container curved at the level to table top/freestanding or
bottom/difficult to line up clamped protractor
Parallax error in θ Use mirror scale
General:
Error: two readings are not enough
Improvement: take several readings and plot a graph
Copyright © 2025 ZNotes Education & Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
[Link] This document is authorised for personal use only by Noor Hifza at Enderun Colleges on 05/02/26.