CRANK – SLIDER EXPERIMENT

In this experiment we compare two different mechanisms which convert a rotation into a to-and-fro
motion.

a) SCOTCH YOKE

THEORY: Show by geometry that if the drive shaft rotates at a constant angular velocity ω, the slider s
moves with simple harmonic motion.

EXPERIMENT: Record the position of S for different values of Ѳ from 00 to 1800 in 100 steps. Plot a graph
of S /Smax versus Ѳ.

b) Crank and Slider

THEORY: Is the motion of S simple harmonic when ω is constant? If not, why?

EXPERIMENT: As before record the position of S as a function ofθ . Plot on the same graph as (a)

DISCUSSION: What errors arise in the experiment? What advantages can you see for each
mechanism?