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Introduction
The purpose of this experiment was to gain an understanding that the acceleration produced by
the force on an object is directly proportional to the magnitude of the net force and is in the same
direction as the net force. An air track and sonic range detector were used by measuring the mass
In the experiment there is a mass (m1) is on a frictionless surface and is accelerated to the right
∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 𝑚1 𝑎𝑥
∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 𝑚2 𝑎𝑦
𝑇 = 𝑚1 𝑎
𝑊2 – 𝑇 = 𝑚2 𝑎
Where
𝐹𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠
𝑚1 𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 1
𝑎𝑥 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠
𝐹𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑦 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠
𝑇 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝑎 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
Mass
m2 m1
2 11.93 ± 0.02
3 16.93 ± 0.02
Calculations
∑ 𝐹𝑥 = 𝑚1 𝑎𝑥
𝑇 = 𝑚1 𝑎 … … … … … (1)
∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 𝑚2 𝑎𝑦
𝑊2 – 𝑇 = 𝑚2 𝑎 … … … … (2)
The two masses are attached together and therefore move at the same acceleration. Assuming
that the mass of the pulley is negligible, then tension is the same in the whole string.
𝑊2 – 𝑚1 𝑎 = 𝑚2 𝑎
𝑚2 𝑔 – 𝑚1 𝑎 = 𝑚2 𝑎
𝑚1 𝑎 + 𝑚2 𝑎 = 𝑚2 𝑔
(𝑚1 + 𝑚2 )𝑎 = 𝑚2 𝑔
𝑚2
𝑎 = 𝑔( ) … … . . (3)
(𝑚1 + 𝑚2 )
For m2(1)
𝑚2 6.90 𝑚
𝑎 = 𝑔( ) = 9.81 ( ) = 0.20425 2
(𝑚1 + 𝑚2 ) (324.50 ± 6.90) 𝑠
For m2(2)
𝑚2 11.93 𝑚
𝑎 = 𝑔( ) = 9.81 ( ) = 0.34787 2
(𝑚1 + 𝑚2 ) (324.50 ± 11.93) 𝑠
For m2(3)
𝑚2 16.93 𝑚
𝑎 = 𝑔( ) = 9.81 ( ) = 0.48643 2
(𝑚1 + 𝑚2 ) (324.50 ± 16.93) 𝑠
Graphs
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06
mass ratio
Table of Results
Mass(g) Acceleration(ms-2)
m2 m1
𝑦 = 𝑚𝑥 + 𝑐
𝑚2
the variable x is the quantity ((𝑚 )
1 +𝑚2 )
the y-intercept c is 0.
During this experiment the masses were varied that in turn produced different accelerations. A
𝑚2
graph for this data was then plotted putting acceleration (a) on the y-axis and the ratio ( )
(𝑚1 +𝑚2 )
on the x-axis. The graph produced was a straight line with a gradient of 9.8099 m/s2. This clearly
represents acceleration due to gravity, g=9.81 m/s2. The y intercept value approaches zero.
Therefore, the graphical data shows the expected results according to equation (3) which is in
form of a straight line with a slope of g. This proves Newton’s 2nd law of motion.
Conclusion
The objective of this experiment was successfully achieved. The theoretical equations and
experimental data both produced the same results. It was well understood that the acceleration
produced by the force on an object is directly proportional to the magnitude of the net force and
is in the same direction as the net force. This is The Newtons 2nd Law of Motion