Name: ___________________
Eratosthenes Lab
Hypothesis: The calculated distance using the angles measured will be within_____% of the actual
distance.
Method: The method our group will use to keep the meter stick perpendicular to the ground is (draw a
diagram):
Data
Angle 1: __________
Angle 2: __________
Angle 3: __________
Average Angle:__________
Average – Correction Factor: ____________
Correction Factors:
9:00am (2nd period)
28 degrees
9:50am (3rd period)
20 degrees
11:00am (4th period)
9 degrees
12:00pm (5th period)
3 degrees
1:00pm (6th period)
0 degrees
1:45pm (7th period)
2 degrees
Calculations (SHOW YOUR WORK!!!)
𝐶𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑀𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎 𝑡𝑜 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 ∗
360
𝐶𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒
Distance from Media to Equator: 4,390 km
Calculated Circumference = ________________
Actual Circumference = TO BE GIVEN
% 𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 =
𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝐶𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒−𝐶𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝐶𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒
𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝐶𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒
∗ 100
Calculated % Error =
For Lab Report
Title: Should be specific to what is happening. The reader should be able to know what the experiment is
about by the title. “Erathostenes Lab” is not good enough.
Background: This should be a 4-6 sentence background describing what erathostenes did. You should
include the 2 assumptions that he made and the name of the geometric law that he used. You can use
class notes and/or your book (Earth Science).
Purpose: You must begin with a connecting sentence that states the connection of the lab to the
background information. You must describe your method for keeping the meter stick perpendicular and
also you must give your hypothesis.
Procedure: You must give a NUMBERED LIST! Start with number 1 and go to as many numbers as you
need. Describe the exact method that you used, the date, the time, etc… YOU MUST ALSO INCLUDE ALL
EQUATIONS (they should not have numbers, just variables). This should be written with the idea that
any person can repeat what you did and get the same results.
Data Section: This should be LIST of data collected (3 angles, average, ave-correction factor,
circumference and % error).
Conclusion: State whether or not the hypothesis was accepted or rejected and give a 3-5 sentence
explanation. You must explain by saying either what went right, or what went wrong!