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a = lim
t 0
v
t
dv
dt
What happens to an object when a net external force is applied? How does the motion of an object change when
the magnitude of this force is changed? Newtons first law states that if the net force on an object is zero, then the
object is at rest or moves with a constant speed with no change in its direction. The second law states that when a
net force is not zero then the object will accelerate. If the external force is increased the acceleration will increase
(assuming constant mass). If the net force is doubled, the acceleration is doubled i. e. the net force is directly
proportional to the acceleration.
Fa
Oftentimes, several forces act on an object simultaneously. In such cases, the vectorial sum of all the forces is
the relevant force. Also, Newtons second law states that the acceleration is inversely proportional to the mass.
a 1/m
Equipment
Motion sensor
Pasco 750 Interface
Set of masses
Track
1
1
1
1
Balance
Pulley with string
Cart track
JuanA.GonzlezandClaudioGuerraVela.DepartmentofPhysicsandElectronics.UniversityofPuertoRicoatHumacao.
SponsoredbytheNationalScienceFoundation(NSF)Allrightsreserved2006
1
1
1
Procedure
Figure 5-1. Leveled cart track. The cart must remain at rest at any point on the track
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Level the cart track on a horizontal table by adjusting the levelling screws. Make sure the cart is stationary at
any position on the track. See Figure 5-1
Note that the track is designed to accomodate the motion sensor at either end. Install a motion sensor at one
end
Install the pulley at the other end and use a piece of wood to prevent the cart from hitting the pulley
Tie a string (about 1.2 m in length) to the cart and pass it over the pulley. See Figure 5-2
Measure the mass of the mass holder
Experiment 1:
1. Place a 20 g mass on the mass holder. Write the total mass attached to the mass holder, in Table 1 of your lab
report
2. Measure the mass of the cart
3. Place two masses of 20 g each on the cart
4. In your lab report, write the mass of the cart plus 40 g of the additional masses
5. Check that the setup of your experiment looks as that shown in the Figure 5-2 below
9.
Experiment 2.
10. For the second graph, remove 20 g from the cart and place it on to the mass holder. Write the total hanging
mass in table 1 of your lab report
Experiment 3.
11. For the third graph, remove the 20 g from the cart and place it on the mass holder. Write the total hanging
mass in your lab report
JuanA.GonzlezandClaudioGuerraVela.DepartmentofPhysicsandElectronics.UniversityofPuertoRicoatHumacao.
SponsoredbytheNationalScienceFoundation(NSF)Allrightsreserved2006
Analysis
Graphical analysis
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Press Adjust Scale to make the graph appear more accurate if necessary. Use the cursor to select the
linear portion of the curve
Select fit from the menu and select the linear fit option. The slope m of the selected linear portion of
the graph is the acceleration
After calculating the slope of the graph in Figure 3 use the data menu to select the other graphs. The
example in the plot below shows the linear fit and the fitting parameters
Make a note of the slope which is the acceleration for all the graphs
Follow the same procedure to calculate the acceleration for all of the graphs
Figure 5-3 The slope of this line is the acceleration of the cart
JuanA.GonzlezandClaudioGuerraVela.DepartmentofPhysicsandElectronics.UniversityofPuertoRicoatHumacao.
SponsoredbytheNationalScienceFoundation(NSF)Allrightsreserved2006
1.
2.
Add 20 g to the mass holder and write the total hanging mass and net external force in Table 1 for the three
experiments. Also add 40 g to the cart
3.
Fill out the remaining blanks in Table 1 with the data for experiments 2 and 3. Remember that you will
transfer 20 g of mass from the cart to the mass holder each time
Experiment
Table 1
Calculated net external
force
F = ma (N)
1
2
3
4.
Follow the procedure to graph the velocity of the cart versus time. Find the acceleration from the graph and
enter its value in Table 2 below. Repeat the procedure for the other two experiments
JuanA.GonzlezandClaudioGuerraVela.DepartmentofPhysicsandElectronics.UniversityofPuertoRicoatHumacao.
SponsoredbytheNationalScienceFoundation(NSF)Allrightsreserved2006
Table 2
Graph
2
3
Data Analysis
1.
What do you conclude from the slopes of the graphs when the net force on the cart increased but the total
mass of the system remained constant?
2.
Calculate the acceleration of the cart when the total mass of the system is held constant but the force changes.
Use the equation below. The acceleration is the net force divided by the total mass
acalculated =
Acceleration
(Calculated)
(m/s2)
3.
(mhanger + madded ) g
mtotal mass in cart + (mhanger + madded )
Table 3
Acceleration
(Experimental)
(m/s2)
% Error
Draw a new graph of the net force (N) versus the acceleration (m/s2) of the cart and calculate the % error of
the total mass used (measured using a balance) and the total mass obtained from the slope of this graph.
m=
F
a
JuanA.GonzlezandClaudioGuerraVela.DepartmentofPhysicsandElectronics.UniversityofPuertoRicoatHumacao.
SponsoredbytheNationalScienceFoundation(NSF)Allrightsreserved2006
4.
Table 4
Mass obtained from the
slope of the graph (kg)
% Error
Discussion
1.
What variable (mass or force) did you keep constant during the experiment, and what variable did you
change? Explain your answer
2.
JuanA.GonzlezandClaudioGuerraVela.DepartmentofPhysicsandElectronics.UniversityofPuertoRicoatHumacao.
SponsoredbytheNationalScienceFoundation(NSF)Allrightsreserved2006
Error analysis
What are the sources of error in the experiment?
Conclusions
1.
What happens to the acceleration of the object (mass constant) if the net force is increased?
2.
Supplemental Problem
A bicyclist has a mass of 87.1 kg, and his cycle has a mass of 13.1 kg. The bicyclist pedals his bicycle with a net
horizontal force of 9.78 N. What is his acceleration?
JuanA.GonzlezandClaudioGuerraVela.DepartmentofPhysicsandElectronics.UniversityofPuertoRicoatHumacao.
SponsoredbytheNationalScienceFoundation(NSF)Allrightsreserved2006
Questions on Experiment 5
2.
The velocity of an object is given by the following function v(t) = t2 + 3t - 9 where t is the time in seconds.
The acceleration of the object after 4 s is:
a. 11 m/s2
b. 19 m/s2
c. Zero
d. Cannot calculate, insufficient information
e. 4.75 m/s2
3.
4.
A 20 kg object accelerates at 5 m/s2. The force required to maintain the acceleration constant is:
a. 50 N
b. 4 N
c. 100 N
d. There is no force
e. 35 N
5.
A net force of 2800 N is applied to a 1400 kg automobile at rest. The speed of the automobile after 10 s will
be:
a. 2 m/s
b. 5 m/s
c. 10 m/s
d. 20 m/s
e. 3 m/s
6.
The following graph of velocity versus time represents that of an automobile that travels in a straight line.
The distance traveled in the time interval between 2 s and 5 s is:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
7.
4m
12 m
24 m
36 m
60 m
The following graph of velocity versus time represents that of an automobile that travels in a straight line.
From this graph one can conclude that:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
8.
9.
JuanA.GonzlezandClaudioGuerraVela.DepartmentofPhysicsandElectronics.UniversityofPuertoRicoatHumacao.
SponsoredbytheNationalScienceFoundation(NSF)Allrightsreserved2006