Simple electric circuits — continuity and switches
Show that a lamp only lights when the circuit forms a complete conducting path.
Apparatus
dry cell, lamp holder and bulb, switch, connecting wires
Practical library
Science practical experiments for secondary schools
Twenty-two practicals from the physics, chemistry and biology syllabus for SSS1–SSS3. Each one has its own interactive bench where students take real readings and are graded on how close their results are. Sign in to run the benches and assign them to a class.
Physics practicals (13)
Acceleration due to gravity using a simple pendulum
Determine g by timing the oscillations of a simple pendulum at different lengths.
Apparatus
retort stand, thread, pendulum bob, metre rule, stopwatch
Boyle's law — pressure and volume of a gas
Show that the pressure of a fixed mass of gas is inversely proportional to its volume at constant temperature.
Apparatus
gas syringe, pressure gauge, clamp and stand, thermometer
Projectile motion — range, height and time of flight
Investigate how the angle of projection affects the range of a projectile.
Apparatus
projectile launcher, metre rule, stopwatch, protractor, carbon paper
Ohm's law — current and voltage for a resistor
Show that the current through a resistor is directly proportional to the potential difference across it, and find its resistance.
Apparatus
d.c. supply, rheostat, resistor, ammeter, voltmeter, switch, connecting wires
Refraction of light through a rectangular glass block
Measure angles of incidence and refraction and find the refractive index of glass.
Apparatus
rectangular glass block, ray box with single slit, protractor, ruler, plain paper, pencil
Waves in a ripple tank — frequency, wavelength and speed
Measure how wavelength changes with frequency and show that wave speed v = fλ stays constant.
Apparatus
ripple tank, vibrating bar and motor, signal generator, lamp, white card, metre rule, stroboscope
Heat transfer — conduction in different metals
Compare how well copper, aluminium, brass and iron conduct heat.
Apparatus
copper, aluminium, brass and iron rods, wax, drawing pins, tripod or rod holder, Bunsen burner, stopwatch
Focal length of a converging lens
Find the focal length of a convex lens using object and image distances.
Apparatus
convex lens and holder, illuminated object (cross-wire box), white screen, metre rule
Reflection of light by a plane mirror
Verify the law of reflection: the angle of reflection equals the angle of incidence.
Apparatus
plane mirror and holder, ray box with single slit, protractor, ruler, plain paper, pencil
Resonance tube — speed of sound in air
Use a resonance tube and tuning forks to find the speed of sound in air.
Apparatus
resonance tube, tall water jar, set of tuning forks, rubber pad, metre rule, clamp stand
Heat transfer — convection currents in water
Show convection currents in water and how the heating rate changes their speed.
Apparatus
large beaker of water, potassium permanganate crystal, straw or tweezers, Bunsen burner, tripod and gauze, stopwatch
Heat transfer — radiation from different surfaces (Leslie cube)
Compare how well matt black, shiny black, white and silver surfaces emit infrared radiation.
Apparatus
Leslie cube, hot water, thermometer or infrared detector, ruler, stopwatch
Chemistry practicals (5)
Acid–base titration — concentration of an unknown acid
Find the concentration of an acid by titrating it against a standard base.
Apparatus
burette, pipette, conical flask, standard base solution, phenolphthalein, retort stand
Electrolysis of copper(II) sulfate solution
Investigate how current and time affect the mass of copper deposited at the cathode.
Apparatus
copper and carbon electrodes, copper(II) sulfate solution, ammeter, rheostat, d.c. supply, balance
Rate of reaction — thiosulfate and dilute acid
Investigate how the concentration of sodium thiosulfate affects the rate of reaction.
Apparatus
sodium thiosulfate solutions, dilute hydrochloric acid, conical flask, paper marked with a cross, stopwatch
Paper chromatography — separating inks and Rf values
Separate an unknown ink, identify its dyes and calculate Rf values.
Apparatus
chromatography paper, pencil and ruler, capillary tubes, known dyes and unknown ink, beaker with water, lid
Heat of neutralisation — HCl and NaOH
Measure the temperature change as alkali is added to acid and find the heat of neutralisation.
Apparatus
polystyrene cup and lid, thermometer, burette, 1.0 mol/dm³ HCl, 1.0 mol/dm³ NaOH, stirrer
Biology practicals (4)
Osmosis in potato strips
Investigate how the concentration of a sucrose solution affects the mass of plant tissue.
Apparatus
potato tuber, cork borer or knife, sucrose solutions (0.0–1.0 mol/dm³), beakers, balance, paper towel
Effect of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis
Measure how the rate of photosynthesis in pondweed changes with light intensity.
Apparatus
fresh pondweed, boiling tube of water, bench lamp, metre rule, stopwatch
Effect of temperature on amylase activity
Find the optimum temperature of amylase by timing how long it takes to digest starch.
Apparatus
amylase solution, starch solution, iodine solution, spotting tile, water baths, test tubes, dropping pipettes, stopwatch
Rate of transpiration with a potometer
Measure how wind, light and humidity change the rate of water uptake by a leafy shoot.
Apparatus
leafy shoot, potometer, capillary tube with scale, beaker of water, fan, lamp, plastic bag, stopwatch