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This extended essay in sciences allows you to apply a range of skills while researching a topic of personal interest in the field of Biology, Physics, or Chemistry. You can choose to conduct experiments, analyze data, develop theoretical models, or conduct surveys to delve into specific aspects of materials in our environment.
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An extended essay in Sciences provides you with the opportunity to: • Apply a range of skills while researching a topic of personal interest in the field of Biology or Physics; • Investigate a particular aspect of the materials of our environment (Chemistry).
Types of essays • Experimental: design and implementation of an experiment, then personal collection and analysis of the data. • Data-based: location and extraction of raw or processed data, not collected directly by the student, which is then further refined and analyzed. • Theoretical: development of a quantitative or semi-quantitative description of some physical phenomenon, exercise of the model, predictions about its behaviour and limitations. • Survey:formulation of a cohesive, ordered, analytical and supported (qualitative and quantitative) discussion of the topic. • Combination: some combination of the approaches listed above.
Experimental: • Speed of Sounds as a function of temperature (P) • The variation in resistance of a wire subject to different strains (P) • The ratio of gases evolved at the positive electrode during the electrolysis of common salt solution (C/P) • The caffeine content of a cup of tea (C/B)
Data based • Factors affecting the accuracy of measuring the mass of Jupiter using data from the worldwide telescope (Use of data banks collected by the worldwide telescope) • Characterisation of New Polyethylenes Prepared by Single-Site Catalysis (Use new material produced in some manufacture)
Theoretical Most students should stay clear of purely theoretical essay • Very difficult to establish an appropriate level of difficulty; • Very difficult to establish criteria for how accurate your results are unless you at least have some data or simulation to compare it to; Stay clear of topic like the possibility of time travel as it physics that must be discussed, and the physics be beyond you (or likely beyond the person moderating your essay). Somewhat Reasonable examples: • create a mathematical model for fan driver cart with and without a sail (and I would recommend testing the model with some real data) - Physics; • Studies of infrared spectroscopy: nature and applications – Chemistry.
Survey Definitely not a survey of your friends and how they would do physics. Really a comparison of alternate viewpoint of models. Reasonable example: • Discuss alternate models that explain sliding friction (P); • Effectiveness of two major washing powders on five common household stains (C).