Report for Experiment #7

Work and Energy on an Air Track

Ali Hussein
Lab Partner: Noah Sabadish
TA: Sandra Byju
Tuesday, February 19th, 2019

Abstract
This experiment is intended to alleviate our understanding of the work-energy theorem.
To support the verification of the verification of the work-energy theorem in this experiment, we
had to observe the movement and time of an object along a frictionless air track, followed by
calculating analytically for the object's velocity and average position. For the data and our
understanding of kinematic equations, we could take the slope of the graph and solve for gravity.
The accuracy of the calculated gravity to the actual gravity determined the verification of the
work-energy theorem. This experiment was performed on an inclined plane and on a horizontal
plane. The inclined plane yielded a gravity percent error of 1.854% and the horizontal plane
yielded a gravity percent error of 0.904%. The first percent is not within the uncertainty of
gravity but the second one is.

Introduction
The goal of this experiment was to study the motion of an object along a frictionless
surface moving horizontally and along an inclined plane. And when collecting data for this
experiment, it only accounts for the displacement and time that the object, or in this case the air
glider, moved across an air track. We can use this information to investigate the principles and
concepts of the work-energy theorem. In this experiment, we used a computer system to perform
repetitive measuring tasks. The electronic interface that we used was called an Ultrasonic
Measurement System (UMS). By releasing the glider on an inclined plane, and recording the
data on the UMS, we collected both the raw data and the increment of data between one curve.
The same experiment is done for the glider on a horizontal plane, where the glider is moved a
weight hanging on the end of the track. And from the experimental data, we can find the
analytical data using the following formulas.

The first analytical data to solve for is velocity, which takes the difference between the a
position and its subsequent value, all over the average change in time. And for velocity^2, it is
simply found by squaring the velocity. However the error in the velocity^2 uses Formula 1.2.
The information for velocity^2 and its error will be used to in our graph in Figures 1.1 and 1.2.

x ❑n+1−x ❑n
v= (Formula 1.1)
Δt
2
δ v =√ ❑ (Formula 1.2)

To find the average position between two adjacent points, take a position and its
subsequent value and divide it all by two (Formula 1.3). And to solve for the error in the average
position, we find the standard deviation and then divide it by the square root of the number of
increments. This information will also be included in Figures 1.1 and 1.2.

x ❑n+1 −x❑n (Formula 1.3)

x ❑avg=¿
2
σ =√ ❑ (Formula 1.4)
σ
δ x ❑avg= (Formula 1.5)
√❑

The final part of the analysis is solving for gravity and observing how close the
calculated gravity is to the actual acceleration of gravity. First, we find the value of sinθ and its
error using the errors in height (smallest increment divided by 2) and distance (given in
experiment; 0.002 m). Then by referencing the book for kinematic formulas, we get an equation
for the slope of the graph in Figure 1.1 (Formula 1.8) and an equation for Figure 2.1 (Formula
1.9). Formula 1.8 takes from sinθ and gravity (all multiplied by two), whereas Formula 1.9 is the
mass of the weight times gravity all divided by the sum of the weight and the mass of the glider
(all multiplied by two). And since gravity is in the formula, we can solve for the gravity in both
slope equation and find the percent difference from their average to the actual acceleration of
gravity.

h
sin θ= (Formula 1.6)
d
δ sin θ=√ ❑ (Formula 1.7)
2
v =2 gsinθ ( x−x ❑0) (Formula 1.8)
❑
2 m' g
v 2= ❑ (x −x❑0 ) (Formula 1.9)
m+m'
g❑1+ g ❑2
g❑avg= (Formula 1.10)
2
|g ❑actual −g❑avg|
% difference= ∗100 % (Formula 1.11)
g❑actual

Investigation 1:
The set up for the experiment begins by leveling the air track using the peg on the end.
Once its been leveled and the glider is still at the middle, then we can set the track on top of a
wooden block so that its on an inclined plane (we also measure the height of the block to find the
height; h). Following this we can turn to the computer and set up the UMS program PASCO
Capstone and the graph and data table on the program that will record the data. We begin
recording at the same we release the glider at the top of the air track (make sure the air pressure
is on and the glider is 20 cm from the motion sensor at the top of the air track). Stop the
recording once you can see two or three curves on the graph; these curves appear because of the
glider bouncing off the end of the air track. The graph moving down represents the glider moving
towards origin point, and moving up it shows the glider moving away from the origin point. Take
the raw data and the data of one of the curves (do not include the point on the vertices but all the
ones between them).
Then take the respective equations to find velocity (Formula 1.1), velocity^2 (just as it
says, square the velocity) and its error (Formula 1.2), average position (Formula 1.3) and its error
(Formula 1.5), sinθ (Formula 1.6) and its error (Formula 1.7), gravity (solve for Formula 1.8)
and its average (Formula 1.10) and the % difference (Formula 1.11). Once this has been done, we
can begin the analysis.
Table 1.1

time (s) x (m) V (m/s) V^2 δV^2 x δx sinθ δsinθ

(m/s)^2 (m/s)^2 average average
(m) (m)

7.750 1.329 -0.600 0.360 0.017 1.314 0.011 0.031 0.050

7.800 1.299 -0.720 0.518 0.020 1.281 0.013 0.031 0.050

7.850 1.263 -0.700 0.490 0.020 1.246 0.012 0.031 0.050

7.900 1.228 -0.700 0.490 0.020 1.211 0.012 0.031 0.050

7.950 1.193 -0.680 0.462 0.019 1.176 0.012 0.031 0.050

8.000 1.159 -0.680 0.462 0.019 1.142 0.012 0.031 0.050

8.050 1.125 -0.640 0.410 0.018 1.109 0.011 0.031 0.050

8.100 1.093 -0.620 0.384 0.018 1.078 0.011 0.031 0.050

8.150 1.062 -0.620 0.384 0.018 1.047 0.011 0.031 0.050

8.200 1.031 -0.600 0.360 0.017 1.016 0.011 0.031 0.050

8.250 1.001 -0.600 0.360 0.017 0.986 0.011 0.031 0.050

8.300 0.971 -0.560 0.314 0.016 0.957 0.010 0.031 0.050

8.350 0.943 -0.560 0.314 0.016 0.929 0.010 0.031 0.050

8.400 0.915 -0.540 0.292 0.015 0.902 0.010 0.031 0.050

8.450 0.888 -0.520 0.270 0.015 0.875 0.009 0.031 0.050

8.500 0.862 -0.500 0.250 0.014 0.850 0.009 0.031 0.050

8.550 0.837 -0.500 0.250 0.014 0.825 0.009 0.031 0.050

8.600 0.812 -0.480 0.230 0.014 0.800 0.008 0.031 0.050

8.650 0.788 -0.440 0.194 0.012 0.777 0.008 0.031 0.050

8.700 0.766 -0.460 0.212 0.013 0.755 0.008 0.031 0.050

8.750 0.743 -0.420 0.176 0.012 0.733 0.007 0.031 0.050

8.800 0.722 -0.400 0.160 0.011 0.712 0.007 0.031 0.050

8.850 0.702 -0.400 0.160 0.011 0.692 0.007 0.031 0.050

8.900 0.682 -0.380 0.144 0.011 0.673 0.007 0.031 0.050

8.950 0.663 -0.360 0.130 0.010 0.654 0.006 0.031 0.050

9.000 0.645 -0.340 0.116 0.010 0.637 0.006 0.031 0.050

9.050 0.628 -0.320 0.102 0.009 0.620 0.006 0.031 0.050

9.100 0.612 -0.320 0.102 0.009 0.604 0.006 0.031 0.050

9.150 0.596 -0.280 0.078 0.008 0.589 0.005 0.031 0.050

9.200 0.582 -0.280 0.078 0.008 0.575 0.005 0.031 0.050

9.250 0.568 -0.260 0.068 0.007 0.562 0.005 0.031 0.050

9.300 0.555 -0.240 0.058 0.007 0.549 0.004 0.031 0.050

9.350 0.543 -0.240 0.058 0.007 0.537 0.004 0.031 0.050

9.400 0.531 -0.200 0.040 0.006 0.526 0.004 0.031 0.050

9.450 0.521 -0.200 0.040 0.006 0.516 0.004 0.031 0.050

9.500 0.511 -0.180 0.032 0.005 0.507 0.003 0.031 0.050

9.550 0.502 -0.160 0.026 0.005 0.498 0.003 0.031 0.050

9.600 0.494 -0.140 0.020 0.004 0.491 0.002 0.031 0.050

9.650 0.487 -0.140 0.020 0.004 0.484 0.002 0.031 0.050

9.700 0.480 -0.100 0.010 0.003 0.478 0.002 0.031 0.050

9.750 0.475 -0.100 0.010 0.003 0.473 0.002 0.031 0.050

9.800 0.470 -0.080 0.006 0.002 0.468 0.001 0.031 0.050

9.850 0.466 -0.060 0.004 0.002 0.465 0.001 0.031 0.050

9.900 0.463 -0.060 0.004 0.002 0.462 0.001 0.031 0.050

9.950 0.460 -0.020 0.000 0.001 0.460 0.000 0.031 0.050

10.000 0.459 -0.020 0.000 0.001 0.459 0.000 0.031 0.050

10.050 0.458 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.458 0.000 0.031 0.050

10.100 0.458 0.020 0.0004 0.001 0.459 0.000 0.031 0.050

10.150 0.459 0.040 0.002 0.001 0.460 0.001 0.031 0.050

10.200 0.461 0.040 0.002 0.001 0.462 0.001 0.031 0.050

10.250 0.463 0.080 0.006 0.002 0.465 0.001 0.031 0.050

10.300 0.467 0.080 0.006 0.002 0.469 0.001 0.031 0.050

10.350 0.471 0.100 0.010 0.003 0.474 0.002 0.031 0.050

10.400 0.476 0.100 0.010 0.003 0.479 0.002 0.031 0.050

10.450 0.481 0.140 0.020 0.004 0.485 0.002 0.031 0.050

10.500 0.488 0.140 0.020 0.004 0.492 0.002 0.031 0.050

10.550 0.495 0.160 0.026 0.005 0.499 0.003 0.031 0.050

10.600 0.503 0.180 0.032 0.005 0.508 0.003 0.031 0.050

10.650 0.512 0.180 0.032 0.005 0.517 0.003 0.031 0.050

10.700 0.521 0.200 0.040 0.006 0.526 0.004 0.031 0.050

10.750 0.531 0.240 0.058 0.007 0.537 0.004 0.031 0.050

10.800 0.543 0.220 0.048 0.006 0.549 0.004 0.031 0.050

10.850 0.554 0.260 0.068 0.007 0.561 0.005 0.031 0.050

10.900 0.567 0.260 0.068 0.007 0.574 0.005 0.031 0.050

10.950 0.580 0.280 0.078 0.008 0.587 0.005 0.031 0.050

11.000 0.594 0.300 0.090 0.008 0.602 0.005 0.031 0.050

11.050 0.609 0.320 0.102 0.009 0.617 0.006 0.031 0.050

11.100 0.625 0.320 0.102 0.009 0.633 0.006 0.031 0.050

11.150 0.641 0.340 0.116 0.010 0.650 0.006 0.031 0.050

11.200 0.658 0.360 0.130 0.010 0.667 0.006 0.031 0.050

11.250 0.676 0.360 0.130 0.010 0.685 0.006 0.031 0.050

11.300 0.694 0.380 0.144 0.011 0.704 0.007 0.031 0.050

11.350 0.713 0.400 0.16 0.011 0.723 0.007 0.031 0.050

11.400 0.733 0.420 0.1764 0.012 0.744 0.007 0.031 0.050

11.450 0.754 0.420 0.1764 0.012 0.765 0.007 0.031 0.050

11.500 0.775 0.460 0.2116 0.013 0.787 0.008 0.031 0.050

11.550 0.798 0.440 0.1936 0.012 0.809 0.008 0.031 0.050

11.600 0.820 0.480 0.2304 0.014 0.832 0.008 0.031 0.050

11.650 0.844 0.480 0.2304 0.014 0.856 0.008 0.031 0.050

11.700 0.868 0.500 0.25 0.014 0.881 0.009 0.031 0.050

11.750 0.893 0.500 0.25 0.014 0.906 0.009 0.031 0.050

11.800 0.918 0.540 0.2916 0.015 0.932 0.010 0.031 0.050

11.850 0.945 0.520 0.2704 0.015 0.958 0.009 0.031 0.050

11.900 0.971 0.560 0.3136 0.016 0.985 0.010 0.031 0.050

11.950 0.999 0.560 0.3136 0.016 1.013 0.010 0.031 0.050

12.000 1.027 0.580 0.3364 0.016 1.042 0.010 0.031 0.050

12.050 1.056 0.600 0.36 0.017 1.071 0.011 0.031 0.050

12.100 1.086 0.600 0.36 0.017 1.101 0.011 0.031 0.050

12.150 1.116 0.620 0.3844 0.018 1.132 0.011 0.031 0.050

12.200 1.147 0.620 0.3844 0.018 1.163 0.011 0.031 0.050

12.250 1.178 0.660 0.4356 0.019 1.195 0.012 0.031 0.050

12.300 1.211 0.640 0.4096 0.018 1.227 0.011 0.031 0.050

12.350 1.243 0.680 0.4624 0.019 1.260 0.012 0.031 0.050

12.400 1.277 0.680 0.4624 0.019 1.294 0.012 0.031 0.050

Figure 1.1
 From the data table, we can see that the analytical data for velocity shows a negative
velocity and then a transition to a positive velocity. A negative velocity means that the glider is
moving towards the motion and a positive velocity shows the glider moving away from the
motion sensor. They each produce a slope within Figure 1.1, but the slopes are not equal. This is
because in upwards, the force of friction and the force of gravity are working with one another.
And in the downwards motion, the force of friction is working against the force of acceleration.
The slope and y-intercept of the formula moving towards the motion sensor (slope =
0.647 ± 0.007; y-intercept = -0.296 ± 0.003) and away from the motion sensor (slope = 0.576 ±
0.006; y-intercept = -0.264 ± 0.0031) can be used to solve for gravity. And from finding gravity
using Formula 1.8 (it also takes into account the mass of the glider, which is 377.000 grams, and
the mass of the weight, which is 27.600 grams), we find a gravity towards the motion sensor of
10.572 m/s^2 and one away from the motion sensor of 9.412 m/s^2. And from the image below,
it can be seen that F1 represents the force of gravity. And even though the glider moves on a
frictionless plane, the end of the track is not frictionless and therefore adds an effect of friction to
the object. In order to correct this friction, we take the average of the two gravities to solve for
the % difference and to determine if this value is a correct gravity. Their average is 9.992 m/s^2
(Formula 1.10) and the % difference between the average and the actual acceleration of gravity
(9.810 m/s^2) is 1.854% (Formula 1.11). And accounting for the uncertainty of gravity, which is
±0.100 m/s^2 and the difference between actual and calculated is 0.182 m/s^2 (found using
resource that is included in the reference), we can see that the calculated average does not agree
with the actual value of the acceleration of gravity.

And as for the line of the graph itself and whether it verifies the work-energy theorem,
since the slopes did not give a proper value for gravity, it does not verify the work-energy
theorem.

Investigation 2:
The set up for this experiment is begins by taking out the wooden block from the
previous investigation. Then to move the glider this time since there is no inclined plane (track
should be horizontal and leveled), we will attach a weight (measure it first) to the glider via a
strip of paper and the weight is suspended on the opposite side of the track. We repeat the same
process as the last investigation, but glider will be released at 40 cm from the motion sensor
instead of 20 cm. Data analysis occurs very much the same way and utilizes the same formulas
as the previous investigation, expect for the sinθ and solving for gravity. Since we do not account
for any height since the block was removed, the we do not record for sinθ. And without a sinθ,
we cannot solve for g using the slope formula in Formula 1.8, so we must use Formula 1.9
(which takes from the mass of the glider (measure this on a scale) and the weight (measure this
on a scale).

Table 2.1
time (s) x (m) V (m/s) V^2 (m/s)^2 δV^2 x average δx average
(m/s)^2 (m) (m)

4.700 1.176 -0.600 0.360 0.170 1.161 0.011

4.750 1.146 -0.580 0.336 0.164 1.132 0.010

4.800 1.117 -0.520 0.270 0.147 1.104 0.009

4.850 1.091 -0.520 0.270 0.147 1.078 0.009

4.900 1.065 -0.460 0.212 0.130 1.054 0.008

4.950 1.042 -0.420 0.176 0.119 1.032 0.007

5.000 1.021 -0.380 0.144 0.107 1.012 0.007

5.050 1.002 -0.360 0.130 0.102 0.993 0.006

5.100 0.984 -0.320 0.102 0.091 0.976 0.006

5.150 0.968 -0.280 0.078 0.079 0.961 0.005

5.200 0.954 -0.240 0.058 0.068 0.948 0.004

5.25 0.942 -0.200 0.040 0.057 0.937 0.004

5.3 0.932 -0.180 0.032 0.051 0.928 0.003

5.35 0.923 -0.140 0.020 0.040 0.920 0.002

5.4 0.916 -0.100 0.010 0.028 0.914 0.002

5.45 0.911 -0.060 0.004 0.017 0.910 0.001

5.5 0.908 -0.020 0.000 0.006 0.908 0.000

5.55 0.907 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.907 0.000

5.6 0.907 0.040 0.002 0.011 0.908 0.001

5.65 0.909 0.080 0.006 0.023 0.911 0.001

5.7 0.913 0.100 0.010 0.028 0.916 0.002

5.75 0.918 0.140 0.020 0.040 0.922 0.002

5.8 0.925 0.160 0.026 0.045 0.929 0.003

5.85 0.933 0.200 0.040 0.057 0.938 0.004

5.9 0.943 0.240 0.058 0.068 0.949 0.004

5.95 0.955 0.260 0.068 0.074 0.962 0.005

6 0.968 0.300 0.090 0.085 0.976 0.005

6.05 0.983 0.320 0.102 0.091 0.991 0.006

6.1 0.999 0.380 0.144 0.107 1.009 0.007

6.15 1.018 0.400 0.160 0.113 1.028 0.007

6.2 1.038 0.420 0.176 0.119 1.049 0.007

6.25 1.059 0.460 0.212 0.130 1.071 0.008

6.3 1.082 0.480 0.230 0.136 1.094 0.008

6.35 1.106 0.520 0.270 0.147 1.119 0.009

6.4 1.132 0.540 0.292 0.153 1.146 0.010

6.45 1.159 0.580 0.336 0.164 1.174 0.010

6.5 1.188 0.620 0.384 0.175 1.204 0.011

6.55 1.219 0.620 0.384 0.175 1.235 0.011

6.6 1.25 0.680 0.462 0.192 1.267 0.012

6.65 1.284 0.660 0.436 0.187 1.301 0.012

Figure 2.1
 The same analysis, regarding for the velocities and the averaging of gravity supported by
the force diagram, can be made in this investigation since they both had the same process for
performing the experiment. The slope and y-intercepts for the glider moving towards the motion
sensor (slope = 1.464 ± 0.310 ; y-intercept = -1.329 ± 0.283) and away from it (slope = 1.238 ±
0.178; y-intercept = -1.122 ± 0.161) are different from the previous investigation. As for the
gravity, when solving for it using the slope equation (Formula 1.9) we find for towards the
motion sensor gravity is 10.731 m/s^2 and away from it is 9.074 m/s^2. The average gravity
(Formula 1.10) gets us 9.902 m/s^2 and % difference from the actual gravity of 0.942%
(Formula 1.11). Using the error of gravity (0.100 m/s^2; difference between actual and
calculated is 0.092 m/s^2), we can observe that the calculated gravity agrees with the actual
gravity, and therefore indicates that the equations verify the work-energy theorem.
We supported the work-energy theorem by solving for gravity using the slope formula.
But this is also possible to solve using the y-intercept. Looking at Formula 1.9, by multiplying
the slope by x and x0 you get the slope that can be see in Figure 2.1. And by taking this
information, you can solve for gravity by dividing the y-intercept by x0, which will get you the
slope, and then going from there to get gravity.

Conclusion:
From this experiment, we covered the concepts of motion of an object on a frictionless
plane (both horizontal and inclined), which are supported by kinematic equations which gave us
graphs expressing the position and velocity of the object. Using this information, we could
deduce the acceleration of the object and its validity when put next to the acceleration of gravity.
This validity determined the verification of the work-energy theorem on the object, since a
constant gravity is required of it. From the first investigation, we attained a percent error between
the calculated and actual gravity of 1.835% which is not within the uncertainty of gravity. And
from the second investigation, we attained a percent error or 0.904% which is within the
uncertainty of gravity. The fact that the first investigation results failed to verify the work-energy
theorem means that were external factors that affected the experiment. Probably the most
significant source of error was the pegs. We were not able to make the track perfectly leveled
which meant this lack of precision impacted our data. An improvement to this experiment would
be to have an air track that has already been set up and leveled, as well as no adjustable pegs to
assure that the track isn’t moved slightly during experimentation.
Questions:
1. As the velocity of the glider increases, does the accuracy of the motion sensor increase or
decrease?
a. The accuracy of the motion will decrease as the velocity of the glider increases;
due to the sound pulses traveling to and from the object. It will create a condition
where sound will be chasing the glider, and even the change in time when sound
reaches the glider will be minimal if the glider increases its velocity, it still exists
and decreases the accuracy of the motion sensor.
2. In the configuration of Investigation 1, for the upwards part of motion, how does friction
affect the total energy of the glider? How does it affect the total energy for the
downwards part of the motion?
a. It affects the total energy upwards and downwards where in both scenarios, the
force of friction will reduce the total energy.
3. For the configuration of Investigation 1, draw force diagrams for all the forces on the
glider including friction, for both the case of upwards and downwards motion.
Upwards:
Downwards:

4. For the configuration of Investigation 2, what is the acceleration of the glider if m'→∞?
a. v^2 = ((2m'g)/(m+m'))∗(x−x0),
b. g = v^2(m+m')/(2m'(x−x0)) = (gavg∗m+m')/2m',
c. Lim as m'→∞ (gavg∗(m/2m'+0.5)) = gavg/2
5. For the configuration of Investigation 2, what is the change in potential energy from the
moment of release to the moment of collision with the bumper? Considering the kinetic
energy of the system just before it crashes into the bumper, what is the change in total
energy of the system? Is the change in energy positive or negative? Explain whether your
 result makes sense.
a. PEchange =mgΔh
b. PEchange = (0.377 kg)(9.810 m/s^2)(0.031 m - 0.000 m)
c. PEchange = 0.115 J
d. It positive, which does not make any sense because there was energy lost during
the motion.

References:
[1] H. Young and R. Freedman, University Physics, Pearson Education, 14th edition.
[2] Hyde, Batishchev, and Altunkaynak, Introductory Physics Laboratory, Hayden-McNeil, 2017.
[3] IPL Straight Line Fit Calculator, http://www.northeastern.edu/ipl/data-analysis/straight-line-
fit/
https://www.nhn.ou.edu/~johnson/Education/Juniorlab/Error-SigFig/SigFiginError-043.pdf