COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING • COLLEGE OF COMPUTER STUDIES

Mathematics and Physical Sciences Department

PHY101L/PHYS101L Module
Experiment No. 7
Experiment Title: Newton’s Second Law of Motion (Law of Acceleration)

I. OBJECTIVES
1. To verify Newton’s Law of Acceleration
2. To investigate the relationship of net force, mass and acceleration
3. To probe changes in the motion of an object as different amount of net
force are applied

II. MATERIALS
Quantity Item
1 Set of masses
1 String (1meter length)
1 Stop watch
1 Iron stand
1 Clamp
1 Pulley
1 Platform balance

III. SET-UP/DIAGRAMS/ILLUSTRATIONS
IV. PROCEDURE

1. Fasten the pulley. Place the string on the v-grove of the pulley. On each
end of the string create a loop.
2. Suspend a hanger on each loop. Hang 40g mass on one end. Record its
mass together with the mass of the hanger in Table 1 as m1.
3. Hang 50g mass on the other end of the string. Record its mass with the mass
of the hanger in the table as m2.
4. Pull down mass m1 until it reaches the table top. (Make sure the string is long
enough to allow m2 reach the table top). Measure the height of mass m2
and record as distance in the table.
5. Release the m2. At the instant m2 is released, start the timer and stop
when m1 reaches the table top. Record the time in the table.
6. Calculate the experimental value of acceleration using:

AAAAaexperimental = 2d/t2

7. Calculate the theoretical value of acceleration using:

atheoretical = g(m2 – m1 /m1 + m2)

8. Calculate the net force using:

Fnet = g(m2-m1)

9. Compare the acceleration values. Solve for percentage errors.

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆−𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆

%Error= | | x 100%
𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆
VARIABLE NET FORCE, CCONSTANT TOTAL MASS

1. Divide all the masses equally. Hang them on both ends of the string.
2. Remove one mass from one end and transfer to the other end of the string.
3. Record the total mass (lighter) attached on one end as m1 and the total mass of the other (heavier)
as m2 in Table 2.
4. Repeat steps number 4-7 and 9 from the previous procedure to complete. Compute for the net
force Fnet using:

Fnet = (m1 + m1)aexperimental

V. DATA AND RESULTS

Table 1: VARIABLE TOTAL MASS, CONSTANT NET FORCE

NET %
Trial MASS, MASS, TIME, DISTANCE, EXPERIMENTAL THEORETICAL
m1(g) m2(g) t(s) d (cm) ACCELERATION ACCELERATION FORCE ERROR
aexperimental cm/s2 atheoretical cm/s2 Fnet(N)

Table 2: VARIABLE NET FORCE, CONSTANT TOTAL MASS

NET %
Trial MASS, MASS, TIME, DISTANCE, EXPERIMENTAL THEORETICAL
m1(g) m2(g) t(s) d (cm) ACCELERATION ACCELERATION FORCE ERROR
aexperimental cm/s2 atheoretical cm/s2 Fnet(N)

VI. EVALUATION QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS

1. State the law of acceleration. Give at least three applications to our daily
living.
2. What is the relationship between the force, acceleration and mass? Explain
your answer.
3. Two masses of 200 grams and 400 grams are attached respectively at the
end of the chord that passes around a negligible weight and fixed
frictionless pulley. a) Find the acceleration of the system, b) the tension in
each cod, c) the distance and velocity of the masses when released from rest
at the end of 10 seconds.
VII. CREDITS
Created by: Mr. Raul R. Rollon, Engr. Ma. Crisella Pelaez and Ms. Sharol C. Petinez
Version: 2.0
Modified on: Aug. 4, 2015

VIII. REFERENCES
1. Sample experiment patterned from
http://www.wsd1.org/grantpart/yost/Physics_40S_Materials_files/Centripetal and
Williams, John E, et. Al, (1985), Exercises and Experiments in Physics, Modern Physics.
New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Publishers
2. Beiser, Arthur (1982), Physics 3rd Edition. The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company,
Inc.