ok
for drawing ANYTHING in a science exam use as SHARP pencil, with a RULER
Now, for tables, when u draw a grid, makesure theya re even columns/rows and that the data is fully enclosed by tables (ie tehre needs to be outer lines/edges on the table)
for graphs, ALWAYS put a title (usually 1 mark allocated for this) - if u r stuk in the exam jus regurgitate wat they told u, cause most of the time that's wat they want, or just use "X vs Y" if ur really stuck
now, another mark is usually allocated to the labelling of the axes - with units in brackets , example: "time (seconds)" , "temperature (kelvin)"
also, usually the scale on each axis will be linear ie 0 1 2 3 4 5 ... 10, but SOMETIMES it MAY be non-linear, for example logarithmic, as in: 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
contrary to popular belief u do NOT have to begin ur scale at 0 at the 'orogin', for example if ur modelling projectile motion just in the middle 3 seconds of the flight u dont have to start at 0, cauise this will throw off ur scale and ur graph will look wonky
now, always in science the x-axis is where u put the INDEPENDANT VARIABLE (ie the one u r changing urself) and the y-axis is where u put the DEPENDANT VARIABLE (ie the one u r measuring or testing for)
this can be confusing, so i'll give u a couple of examples:
1) if i was graphing teh relationship between the temperature of a beaker with water in it over time as it is being heated by a bunsen burner, the thing I AM allowing to be changed is time (so that is the ind variable, and goes on x-axis) whereas the temp is what i measure (dep variable, therefore y-axis). That is the temperature of the water is dependant on the time elapsed, NOT the otherway around, hence temp on y and time on x axis, because temperature is a function of time (yes use ur maths!!!!)
2)resistance of a metal conductor as the temperature changes - same thiung, I AM changing temp, so thats the ind. variable (x-axis) whereas resistance is the dep variable (cause i am measuring it) - ie resistance is a afunction of temp
so as u can see, there is no set way in which a unit is considered to be on the x- or y- axis ALWAYS - it depends on teh situatiuon (as exemplified here - in eg 1 temp is the dep variable, whereas in eg 2 it is the ind. variable)
now, u always to a line of best fit - they NEVER want u simply to join the dots on the line, so if theres one dot obviously an outlier ignore it and follow the trend, while if there is no straight line, but u can see it is almost straight and meant to be, draw a straight line of best fit with an equal numba of dots above and below approx equal distances from the line
now, sometimes the line of best fit wont be linear but parabolic, this depends on the graph:
for eg next year in ideas to implementation (3rd topic) when u see the 'KE of a photoelectron vs incident frequency of light' graph, it is linear, and u know to draw it like that, whereas when u do projectile motion (as u should be doing about now) ull knmow ione of galileo's analysis points about it was that if u ignore air resistance it follows a PARABOLIC PATH, and thus the line of best fit when drawing teh trajectory of a projectile is a curve (parabola, concave down ofcourse)
yeh...if ive missed anything here or u just want clarification, just ask!!!
good luk 09er's!
