Use the table of criteria for an investigation to answer the question.

Question

Object To Be Dropped |
Drop Height (meters)
10-gram ball
5
5-gram ball
8
18-gram ball
10
A student designs an investigation to study the effect of gravity on objects on Earth. He will use the criteria shown. How can the student improve the investigation?
(1 point)
• by measuring the circumference of the balls
• by dropping the balls from the same height
O by using balls that are the same mass
• by finding balls made from different materials

Answer 1

To improve the investigation studying the effect of gravity on objects, the student should focus on controlling variables that could affect the outcome. The best option from the provided criteria is:

by dropping the balls from the same height.

This ensures that the only variable affecting the results is the mass of the balls, which helps isolate the effect of gravity on each object. Other options, such as measuring the circumference or using balls of the same mass, would not directly improve the investigation's focus on the effect of gravity. Using different materials could introduce additional variables that complicate the experiment.